READING, PA – The New Hampshire Fisher Cats (28-31) outlasted the Reading Fightin Phils (20-37) in another one-run contest at FirstEnergy Stadium on Wednesday night with a 5-4 win. The Fisher Cats vaulted a 3-2 deficit with three runs in the top of the seventh and reliever Johnathan Lavallee put a bow on the Fisher Cats’ second straight win with a scoreless ninth.
New Hampshire’s three-run top of the seventh inning was the difference in Wednesday night’s back-and-forth battle. Catcher Alex Stone singled before shortstop Jay Harry laid down a bunt for a base hit. Reading reliever Andrew Bechtold bounced back with two strikeouts before Fisher Cats left fielder Jace Bohrofen drilled a double to plate Stone and tie the game at 3-3. Center fielder Devonte Brown followed up with a single that brought home Harry and Bohrofen to pull ahead, 5-3.
Bohrofen led the charge offensively with three doubles and two runs driven in, including the game-tying knock in the bottom of the seventh. It was Bohrofen’s first career game with three two-baggers and his fourth three-hit game of the season.
New Hampshire starter Juaron Watts-Brown tossed three hitless innings before giving up a home run in the bottom of the third as the game’s first run. Watts-Brown departed after a pair of triples began his sixth inning of work, and New Hampshire reliever Justin Kelly (W, 1-2) allowed a run-scoring hit to Reading first baseman Seth Beer. Kelly went one inning with no earned runs on one hit. Watts-Brown finished with three earned runs on six hits, with two walks and two strikeouts.
Fightins starter Braeden Fausnaught allowed one earned run on five hits in six innings on Wednesday night. The Fisher Cats threatened the lefty in the fifth and sixth with a pair of doubles from Bohrofen and Ryan McCarty. The Fightins took the lead after Fausnaught’s final frame in the bottom of the sixth and set the lefty starter up for the win before the Fisher Cats’ three-run seventh. R-Phils righty and 2024 Fisher Cats reliever Andrew Bechtold (L, 0-3) suffered the loss after recording two outs and allowing three earned runs in the top of the seventh inning.
Reading brought the go-ahead run to the plate in the bottom of the eighth and ninth innings but could only muster one run across in the late innings. R-Phils designated hitter Alex Binelas plated a run with a single to narrow New Hampshire’s lead to 5-4. Second baseman Robert Moore then banged a ball off the right field wall and New Hampshire cut down Binelas at the plate after trying to score from first to preserve the 5-4 lead.
New Hampshire took an early lead with a two-out surge in the top of the third inning. Designated hitter Eddinson Paulino drilled the first pitch he saw to right field to give the Cats a 1-0 lead. First baseman Charles McAdoo then reached on a Reading fielding error before swiping second for his team-leading 11th stolen base of the season. Bohrofen nestled his first double in shallow left-center field to bring home McAdoo, and the Cats led the R-Phils 2-0.
Reading responded in the bottom of the fourth inning when right fielder Felix Reyes laced a homer to the left field corner to cut into the Fisher Cats’ lead, 2-1. R-Phils catcher Paul McIntosh and Beer followed with consecutive base-hits to put runners on second and third with one out. Fisher Cats first baseman then stabbed a grounder and chased down Beer between second and third for an unassisted double-play to end the inning.
The R-Phils led off the bottom of the sixth inning with back-to-back triples from left fielder Hendry Mendez and Reyes to even the score at 2-2. Beer poked a line drive that deflected off New Hampshire second baseman Ryan McCarty’s glove and allowed Reyes to score from third as Reading jumped in front, 3-2.
The series continues Thursday with another 7:00 PM EDT start at FirstEnergy Stadium. New Hampshire’s starter is to be determined, and 23-year-old Jean Cabrera (1-3, 3.90 ERA) gets the ball for his 12th start of the season for Reading.