Watts-Brown Targets Another Quality Start on Wednesday
June 11, 2025 - Eastern League (EL)
New Hampshire Fisher Cats News Release
The New Hampshire Fisher Cats (27-31) and Reading Fightin Phils (20-36) continue their six-game series at FirstEnergy Stadium with a 7:00 PM EDT first pitch on Wednesday night. New Hampshire took game one 4-3 in extra innings to move to a half-game behind Portland for third place in the Eastern League Northeast. Reading dropped its third in a row as the R-Phils' last five losses have been decided by two runs or less.
LAST NIGHT
The Fisher Cats got back in the win column with a 4-3 victory over Reading on Tuesday night. The R-Phils took a lead in the bottom of the second inning after putting runners on second and third with no outs and both runs were able to score to take a 2-0 lead. New Hampshire starter Devereaux Harrison threw five innings and allowed two earned runs while stranding four R-Phils in scoring position. After Harrison, four Fisher Cats relievers combined to hold Reading to one run in the next five innings to take the win in 10. Righties Nate Garkow and Geison Urbaez dealt scoreless outings while Alex Amalfi (W, 3) pitched a scoreless ninth and 10th innings with a pair of punchouts to collect the win.
Eddison Paulino and Peyton Williams fueled the offense with three-hit nights, including Williams' two-out single to give the Cats a 3-2 lead in New Hampshire's three-run top of the fifth inning. The Fisher Cats failed to convert with runners in scoring position in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings before breaking through in the top of the 10th. Jay Harry was placed as a pinch-runner at second base and advanced to third on a groundout. Shortstop Cade Doughty followed with a sacrifice fly to right field and without recording any hits, New Hampshire was able to grab a lead and take the series opener, 4-3.
PITCHING MATCHUP
New Hampshire's Juaron Watts-Brown (1-1, 3.18 ERA) will take the hill for his fourth start in a Fisher Cats uniform. The righty is coming off a six-inning, one-hit performance on Thursday, June 5, against Altoona to earn his first career Double-A win. The Toronto third-rounder in 2023 is has surrendered six earned runs in 17 innings in his first go at the Double-A level. In that span, Watts-Brown has collected 18 strikeouts to seven walks after starting the year in High-A Vancouver. Watts-Brown fired a 3.62 earned run average across 37-1/3 innings and departed as the team leader in strikeouts with 62. In 2024, Watts-Brown started the year by collecting 74 strikeouts across 12 starts for Single-A Dunedin before moving up to High-A Vancouver on June 30, 2024. The 23-year-old is the Blue Jays' No. 15 prospect (MLB.com) brought a no-hitter into the fifth inning and finished with eight strikeouts and has reached the six-inning mark in consecutive starts.
Lefty Braeden Fausnaught (2-6, 5.15 ERA) will make his ninth start and 11th appearance of the 2025 campaign. Last time out, Fausnaught went five innings and allowed two earned runs in a no-decision against Harrisburg on Wednesday, June 4. Fausnaught plunked a career-high three batters, walked one and fanned four in a 7-6 loss. The 25-year-old signed a free agent deal with Philadelphia on August 1, 2022, before joining Single-A Clearwater in 2023. Last season, Fausnaught maintained a 3.65 earned run average and had an 8-3 record across 18 starts for High-A Jersey Shore before finishing the year with the Fightin Phils. A native of Danville, Penn., Fausnaught attended Division II West Chester University, where he set single-season records with 18 starts and 104 innings pitched as a senior.
THIS DAY IN FISHER CATS HISTORY
June 11, 2006- Chip Cannon homered twice, and David Smith added a homer in New Hampshire's 11-5 win over Altoona in Manchester. Cannon and Smith each finished with three hits on the day, and each drove in four runs. Mike MacDonald improved to 6-3, allowing three earned runs in six innings.
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Fisher Cats continue their six-game series in Reading a 7:00 PM EDT first pitch on Thursday night. Reading will toss righty Jean Cabrera (1-3, 3.90 ERA) on the mound while New Hampshire's starter is to be determined for Thursday. New Hampshire returns home on Tuesday, June 17 to finish the first half with a six-game series against the Somerset Patriots at Delta Dental Stadium.
Eastern League Stories from June 11, 2025
- Cats Win Another Close Call in Reading - New Hampshire Fisher Cats
- DeLucia Shuts out Goats, Ducks Win, 6-2 - Akron RubberDucks
- Lombard and Jones Go Back-to-Back, Stanton and Stroman Star in Doubleheader Split with Portland Wednesday - Somerset Patriots
- Zach Kokoska Homers in Goats Loss - Hartford Yard Goats
- Fausnaught's Stellar Start Not Enough as Reading Falls 5-4 - Reading Fightin Phils
- Baysox Win Close Affair over Harrisburg on Wednesday - Chesapeake Baysox
- Portland Splits Doubleheader in Somerset - Portland Sea Dogs
- Williams Records First Multi-Homer Game, Ponies Fall to Squirrels - Binghamton Rumble Ponies
- Senators Rally Falls Short in 4-3 Loss to Baysox - Harrisburg Senators
- Four-Run Sixth Lifts Squirrels to 5-2 Win over Ponies - Richmond Flying Squirrels
- Sixth Inning Sinks Curve - Altoona Curve
- Big SeaWolves Sixth Supports Serwa - Erie SeaWolves
- Ticket Prices Just a Dime-A-Degree on Thursday - Portland Sea Dogs
- June 11, 2025 Sea Dogs Game Notes - Portland Sea Dogs
- Watts-Brown Targets Another Quality Start on Wednesday - New Hampshire Fisher Cats
- Marcus Stroman Currently Scheduled to Rehab in Somerset on Wednesday - Somerset Patriots
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
