Manchester, NH  [5/1/18] - Trailing 4-2 in the bottom of the ninth inning, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats rallied behind a game-tying two-run homer from Cavan Biggio and eventually beat the Reading Fightin' Phils, 5-4, with the help of a walk-off wild pitch.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. started the ninth inning with a blistering line drive double to left center. Biggio was the next batter, and he launched a 1-1 pitch over the right field fence to even the score at 4-4.

Reading closer Luke Leftwich (BS, 1)(L, 0-3) then hit the next two batters before being removed from the game. Seth McGarry came on and walked Andrew Guillotte to load the bases with nobody out. After two ground balls led to force outs at home plate, Jonathan Davis took a 2-0 pitch in the dirt, and Guillotte scampered home from third with the winning run.

Nick Tepesch pitched admirably en route to a quality start, working around 10 hits to allow just three runs in six innings. Including Kyle Martin's lead off homer in the second, Reading had a lead off base runner in seven of the game's nine frames.

Reading took a 3-0 lead in the third when Damek Tomscha and Zach Green added on to Martin's homer with back-to-back RBI doubles. The Fisher Cats began to chip away at the deficit with a run-scoring groundout from Harold Ramirez in the fourth, and a sac fly from Guerrero Jr. in the sixth. Bo Bichette scored on the play, after hitting his league-leading fourth triple of the season.

Guerrero Jr. finished 1-for-1 with a double, sacrifice fly and two walks, while Bichette went 1-for-4 and extended his hitting streak to eight games.

The win improves New Hampshire to a league-best 15-7, and gives the Fisher Cats a chance to complete a three-game sweep of the Fightin' Phils on Wednesday morning at 10:35 a.m. for Education Day: STEM in the Stadium, presented by EnergyNorth Propane. Following Wednesday's game, the Fisher Cats will hit the road for a four-game series in Binghamton against the Rumble Ponies.

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Posted 5/1/18