Leiter Jr. strikes out season-high in shutout

Mark Leiter Jr (2-6) struck out a season-high nine batters in seven innings and earned the loss as the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (54-48) shutout the Fightin Phils (56-49) 4-0 on Thursday night. Reading got shutout for the first time in a nine-inning game since July 2nd at New Britain.  

New Hampshire took a 1-0 lead off Leiter Jr. in the bottom of the first inning as Shane Opitz scored on a throwing error by Andrew Knapp on a strikeout. Opitz extended the lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning off Leiter Jr. as he hit a two-run double that scored Jorge Flores and Roemon Fields.

Austin Bibens-Dirkx (4-5) pitched six shutout innings to earn the win as he gave up five hits and two walks with a season-high eight strikeouts for the Fisher Cats. Edubray Ramos pitched the eighth inning for Reading. Ramos allowed a run off a RBI single by Kevin Nolan that extended New Hampshire's lead to 4-0.  

Danny Barnes, Colt Hynes and Blake McFarland all tossed scoreless innings in relief for the Fisher Cats. Kelly Dugan extended his hitting streak to six games.  

The Fightin Phils and Fisher Cats will play on Friday night. First pitch is at 7:05 pm. Fans can listen to the game on CBS Sports Radio 1240 AM/98-5 FM and fightins.com beginning at 6:05 pm.

Tickets for the 2015 season are available online at Fightins.com, by phone at 610-370-BALL, and in-person at FirstEnergy Stadium.