Chad Dallas tossed seven shutout innings for the Fisher Cats on Friday night at Reading. (Courtesy photo by Susan McGowan)

READING, Pa. — The New Hampshire Fisher Cats flirted with a shutout in a 7-1 victory over the Reading Fightin’ Phils on Friday night at FirstEnergy Stadium.

Starting right-hander Chad Dallas (7-2) threw seven shutout innings, allowed three hits, no walks and equaled his career-high with 11 strikeouts to earn the win. The last time the Blue Jays No. 14 prospect struck out 11 batters in a game was on April 11 vs Tri-City while with High-A Vancouver in his first start of the season. The 23-year-old has punched out 10 or more Reading hitters in his last two starts against the Fightin’ Phils.

Devonte Brown drove in a game-high three RBI within the first five innings with an RBI double in the third, his first Double-A RBI, before hitting a two-run homer to left-center in the fifth for his first Double-A homer. Brown was promoted from High-A Vancouver on Tuesday.

New Hampshire (22-30, 57-63) broke the game open in the eighth with four runs across on five hits. Will Robertson added to the lead with an opposite-field RBI single to bring home Alan Roden. Robertson extended his hit streak to seven games, matching his season-long, while Roden collected a game-high three hits on the night.

One batter later, Trevor Schwecke tripled in a pair with a fly ball to center field, his first triple of the season. Phil Clarke brought home Schwecke with an RBI single to give New Hampshire its largest lead of the game 7-0 after the eighth inning.

T.J. Brock threw a scoreless eighth with two strikeouts before Reading (26-29, 54-69) eventually scored its first run of the game on a sac-fly by Rixon Wingrove off Adrian Hernandez. Hernandez ended the night by punching out his second batter of the ninth in Casey Martin.

The Fisher Cats continue their 12-game road trip and their six-game series against the Reading Fightin’ Phils tomorrow at 6:45 pm. RHP Luis Quinones (4-4, 5.02 ERA) will get the start for New Hampshire against LHP David Parkinson (8-5, 3.74 ERA) for Reading.

20TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON SCHEDULE RELEASED

The Fisher Cats will play 69 home games at Delta Dental Stadium in their 20th anniversary season beginning Tuesday, April 9, 2024 with a six-game series against the Somerset Patriots (New York Yankees affiliate). The Patriots return for six additional games May 21-26.

Independence Day week includes three games at home against the Portland Sea Dogs (Red Sox) from July 4-6. The Sea Dogs are back in New Hampshire to close out the home schedule with a six-game series Sept. 3-8.

The home schedule also features two six-game series against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies (Mets) and Reading Fightin Phils (Phillies). The Hartford Yard Goats (Rockies), Harrisburg Senators (Nationals), Richmond Flying Squirrels (Giants), and Erie SeaWolves (Tigers) each play one six-game series in Manchester.

The Fisher Cats open the season on the road Friday, April 5, in Binghamton, N.Y., with a three-game series against the Rumble Ponies. New Hampshire plays 12 road games at Hartford and Somerset; nine at Portland and Binghamton; six at Akron, Erie, Reading, and Altoona; and three at Harrisburg.