READING, PA - Michael De La Cruz broke a tie with an eighth inning single and the New Hampshire Fisher Cats held off a late Reading rally to score an 8-7 win over the Fightin Phils on Sunday afternoon at First Energy Stadium.

De La Cruz, playing in only his second Double-A game, went 2-for-2 with two walks. His eighth inning single plated Emilio Guerrero to put the Fisher Cats up 6-5. After a Derek Loveless base hit, Jonathan Davis delivered a sacrifice fly and Loveless scored on a wild pitch.

Reading's Scott Kingery hit his second home run of the game leading off the bottom of the ninth inning and Kyle Martin singled in a run but Tim Mayza got Angelo Mora to pop out to end the game.

New Hampshire (14-28) earned its first series win since April 14-16, taking two of three from Reading (23-15). The Fisher Cats offense erupted for 23 runs on 37 hits in the three-game series.

The Fightin Phils opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning. Kingery (4-for-5) beat out an infield single and Malquin Canelo homered to put Reading up 2-0.

The Fisher Cats moved in front in the top of the third inning. De La Cruz doubled, moving to third on a single by Loveless, scoring on a single by Davis. Richard Urena followed with a two-run triple and he scored on a sacrifice fly by Tim Lopes to put New Hampshire up 4-2.

Reading tied it in the fifth, only to see the Fisher Cats score a run on a Loveless single in the top of the sixth inning for a 5-4 lead.

New Hampshire starter Sean Reid-Foley worked six innings, allowing five hits. He walked four and struck out six and had a chance to win after his longest outing of the season. But Kingery homered off reliever Justin Shafer to tie the game at 5-5.

Shafer (1-1) picked up the win in relief with Mayza earning his third save. Yacksel Rios (1-2) took the loss for the Fightin Phils.



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Posted 5/24/17