READING, PA – Catcher Robert Brooks launched his second home run of the season and Charles McAdoo doubled twice, but the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (28–33) fell to the Reading Fightin Phils (22–37), 11–1, on Friday night at FirstEnergy Stadium. The teams have now split the first four games of their six-game series.
Reading jumped out to a 5–0 lead in the first inning and strung together five consecutive two-out hits. Catcher Paul McIntosh delivered a two-run double, and first baseman Seth Beer followed with a three-run homer off New Hampshire starter Grant Rogers (L, 1–2).
The Fisher Cats threatened in the top of the second when they loaded the bases with no outs, but Reading starter Wil Crowe (W, 2–1) responded with three consecutive strikeouts to escape the jam unscathed.
The Fightin Phils added another two-out run in the second on an RBI triple by Hendry Mendez, scoring center fielder Cade Fergus, who had singled.
Brooks put New Hampshire on the board with a solo home run in the fifth and cut the deficit to 6–1. That would be the only run allowed by Crowe, a veteran of 94 Major League games. He worked five innings against the Cats, allowing three hits and one walk while striking out seven.
Rogers pitched four innings for New Hampshire and allowed seven hits and six runs. He struck out three.
Reading pulled away in the bottom of the fifth, hitting two more homers off reliever Geison Urbaez. Felix Reyes led off the inning with a solo shot, and Leandro Pineda added a two-run blast to make it 9–1.
Fergus capped Reading’s scoring with a two-run homer off Kevin Miranda in the seventh — the fourth long ball of the night for the Fightin Phils. Miranda pitched three innings in relief.
Reading outhit the Fisher Cats 11–6, though five of New Hampshire’s six hits went for extra bases. In addition to Brooks’ home run, McAdoo had two doubles, and right fielder Devonte Brown added a single and a double. Second baseman Eddinson Paulino also contributed a double. First baseman Peyton Williams went 0-for-4 to end his season-long hit streak of 10 games.
The series continues Saturday night at 6:45 PM EDT. RHP Ryan Watson (4–3, 3.90 ERA) will start for the Fisher Cats against Reading’s RHP Chuck King (1–3, 5.19 ERA). Watson earned the win the last time he faced King, in the first game of a doubleheader on May 17. His four victories are tied for the most by a New Hampshire pitcher in 2025.
The Fisher Cats return home to close the first half of the 2025 season on Tuesday, June 17 to open a six-game series against the Somerset Patriots. The Fisher Cats celebrate the first 25 years of the new millennium with Quarter Century Night on Thursday, June 19 with a 6:35 PM EDT first pitch. New Hampshire welcomes fans into Delta Dental Stadium on Friday, June 20 with Collect Them All Night, and the first fireworks show of the summer follows with Star Wars Night on Saturday, June 21.