MANCHESTER — The New Hampshire Fisher Cats (4-16, 34-54) couldn’t put any pressure on the Reading Fightin Phils (9-12, 35-53) in a 2-0 series-opening loss at Delta Dental Stadium Tuesday. New Hampshire brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth with two outs but couldn’t plate any runs.

Fisher Cats starter C.J. Van Eyk (L, 2-7) tossed six innings of two-run baseball but picked up the loss. The right-hander struck out three and gave up five hits. Bullpen arms Dahian Santos and Adrian Hernandez combined for three scoreless innings.

Reading starter Lachlan Wells (W, 6-5) dominated the Fisher Cats for seven innings; the lefty tied a career high with 11 strikeouts in seven scoreless innings. Cats right fielder Gabriel Martinez managed two of New Hampshire’s four hits off Wells.

Devonte Brown reached three times for the Fisher Cats, including his 13th double of the season in the sixth. Martinez now has five hits over the past three games.

Reading scored a run in the third and a run in the fifth. The Fightin Phils opened the scoring on a Caleb Ricketts sacrifice fly which scored Erick Brito. In the fifth, Brito hit a one-out double, then came around to score on a single from Justin Crawford.

New Hampshire and Reading continue their six-game set at Delta Dental Stadium with a 12:05 p.m. first pitch on Wednesday. New Hampshire RHP Nick Fraze (0-0, 0.87 ERA) opposes Reading southpaw Matt Osterberg (2-6, 5.83 ERA).