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 Reading Fightin Phils

Shut Out the Squirrels, Ship Out to Harrisburg

April 23, 2017 - Eastern League (EL1)
Reading Fightin Phils News Release


Richmond, VA - The entire weekend in Richmond was interrupted by rain, with Friday night's opener delayed by nearly two hours before the middle game Saturday was washed out. With the threat of more coming on Sunday, the Fightin Phils and Flying Squirrels were looking to get the finale in quickly. Although it took over three hours, nine innings came and went without any issues, and the Fightin Phils (7-7) used a six-run ninth inning to pull away late for their first shutout of the season. The 8-0 win also marked the first time Reading hit the .500 mark two weeks into 2017.

In a rematch of last Saturday's starting pitching matchup between Shane Watson and Cory Taylor, both starters had their ups and downs. In the first, Scott Kingery led off with a base hit and soon stole second, but was stranded in scoring position after Taylor took care of the next three hitters. With a couple of strikeouts mixed in, the Flying Squirrels starter would strike out a pair of Fightin Phils in each of the first four innings.

Watson ran into some trouble of his own in the bottom of the first following a leadoff double by Slade Heathcott. A walk and a hit batter loaded the bases for Hunter Cole, who obliged with a 5-4-3 double play that was started quickly by Mitch Walding at third base. The twin killing got Watson out of the jam, and started a nice stretch where he'd retire eight in a row.

With the offense locking horns with Taylor, the Fightins stranded six runners on base in the first four innings while getting a man into scoring position in each frame. The scoreless tie was eventually broken two pitches into the fifth when Kingery crushed his league-leading fifth home run deep to left to give Reading a lead they wouldn't relinquish. In the home half, Watson (2-0) put a couple of runners on with walks, but used a visit from pitching coach Steve Schrenk to get a 4-6-3 double play off the bat of Ryan Lollis to end his afternoon with 5.0 scoreless innings.

Friday night's hero, Carlos Tocci, came through with a two-out single in the seventh that scored Jiandido Tromp, who had started the inning with a pinch-hit single off lefthander Matt Lujan. With five runs batted in over the weekend, Tocci's base hit gave Reading's relievers a nice 2-0 cushion that would balloon in the top of the ninth.

In the meantime, Yacksel Rios and Mario Hollands combined for over two scoreless innings of bullpen help. That stretch continued with Jesen Therrien, who came in with the tying runs at first and second with one out in the eighth. Following a strikeout of Cole, the righthander got Carlos Garcia to ground out to Harold Martinez at first.

With Flying Squirrels closer Reyes Moronta on the mound in the ninth, the offense went to work and got a two-RBI double from Andrew Pullin that rolled down the right field line for a 4-0 lead. Pullin's second three-hit performance in as many games set the tone, and he'd score two batters later on Martinez' double that just got over the third base bag. Later on, Malquin Canelo came up with the bases loaded and two outs, and nearly sent one out of The Diamond with a bases-clearing double that hit off the top of the wall in left center.


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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.

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