'Cats Claw Their Way to Split

(READING, PA) - With the heat settling in around 94 degrees when first pitch was thrown on Sunday night, the Fightin Phils and Fisher Cats sweated their way through their series finale. New Hampshire left with a split, building off Saturday's 9-4 outburst in an even bigger way. They had three innings where they sent all nine batters to the plate, and totaled 16 runs on 17 hits in the Fightins most lopsided loss of the season. With just six hits all night, the shutout attempt was spoiled by Mickey Moniak's fifth home run in the eighth inning, completing a 2-for-2 day that included a double and a pair of walks.  
The trouble started in the first inning when Kevin Smith went deep for the second straight night, launching a three-run homer in the top of the first off Adonis Medina . In the second, back-to-back base hits opened the inning, and Josh Palacios made it 4-0 with a sacrifice fly. Medina (6-4) failed to make it through the third, with the 'Cats cashing in with four runs on five hits. Trailing 8-0, Garrett Cleavinger turned another fine long relief appearance, punching out five over two-and-a-third scoreless innings.
Lefthander Jeff Singer followed Cleavinger with two perfect innings of relief, which he ended with consecutive strikeouts of Riley Adams and Alberto Mineo . In the eighth, Brock Lundquist and Josh Palacios reached on one-out walks, and Santiago Espinal lined a single up the middle to load the bases. Two more walks made it 10-0, and the fifth walk of the inning to catcher Riley Adams brought in the third run of the frame.
Moniak's eighth inning home run gave him his second hit, joining Raul Rivas , who finished 2-for-3 with a couple of singles and a walk. Looking to spare the bullpen, catcher Henri Lartigue was thrown onto the mound for the second time this season, and the Fisher Cats sent all nine to the plate to come away with five runs and five hits to finish off the 16-1 affair.
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