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EL1 Reading Fightin Phils

7-1 Homestand Gets R-Phils to 50 Wins

July 3, 2019 - Eastern League (EL1)
Reading Fightin Phils News Release


(Reading, PA) - It turned into the longest nine-inning game of the season when the Fightin Phils and Fisher Cats wrapped up an 8-game homestand with a July 3rd pre-Independence Day fireworks celebration. A 37-minute delay at the outset slowed things down, and the later innings continued the trend as the Fightin Phils once again built an early lead. JoJo Romero was strong again for six innings, and the offense used 11 hits and seven walks to keep the pressure on and win 8-6 for their seventh triumph in eight games.

With the talented Tanner Pearson countering for what was supposed to be two innings, it was imperative for Romero to get off to a fast start after defeating the Sea Dogs last Thursday night. The lefthander needed just eight pitched to speed through the first, then watched from the dugout as Pearson followed suit with a 1-2-3 first and a popup that he fielded himself for the first out in the second.

Jose Gomez and Luke Williams reached on singles, and two pitches later, Arquimedes Gamboa chased Pearson (0-2) from the game with a triple to center for a 2-0 lead. Henri Lartigue drew the first of his three walks, and number nine hitter Raul Rivas bounced a single through the right side to make it 3-0.

In the fifth, the Fightin Phils tacked on two more against Blue Jays 40-man member Hector Perez in just his second spot start of the season. Darick Hall hit his league-leading 24th double with one out, and Grenny Cumana scored him with a triple for a 4-0 lead. Perez, who struggled with his command and walked five, then balked in another run and Reading jumped ahead 5-0.

The Fisher Cats didn't break through until Romero's last inning in the sixth. After loading the bases via a pair of walks and a single, Riley Adams cleared the bases with a triple to right-center. On the play, Gomez' throw to third deflected off the back of Gamboa's head and ended up in the air near third base. Adams attempted to score and cut the lead to one, but Alec Bohm made a perfect off-balanced throw from down the line and nailed Adams at the plate for the final out.

Reading quickly loaded the bases with no outs in the sixth against Perez, with Rivas' second single coming in between a pair of walks. Bohm nearly snuck a single through the right side, but second baseman Santiago Espinal made a diving stop to start a 4-6-3 double play that scored a run and grew the lead to 6-3.

The seventh inning was cluttered, with the Fisher Cats pushing across another run against Luis Cedeno in his Double-A debut on a sacrifice fly from catcher Andres Sotillo. Leading 6-4, Cornelius Randolph came through in his first at-bat after replacing Gamboa in the lineup by roping a 2-RBI triple to double the lead and push it back to 8-4.

All series long, the Fisher Cats refused to go away, and that continued in the ninth inning against lefthander Jonathan Hennigan. The first two batters in the inning reached, and another walk to Vinny Capra loaded the bases with just one out. Nash Knight cut the deficit in half with a 2-RBI single that made it 8-6, and after Logan Warmuth re-loaded the bases with an infield single, Hennigan ended the drama with a popup to give the Fightin Phils an 11-6 second-half record with four games remaining in Richmond before the All-Star break.

America's Classic Ballpark is proud to be a part of Pennsylvania's Americana Region. Season tickets for the 2019 season are available online at Fightins.com, by phone at 610-370-BALL, and in-person at the Weidenhammer Ticket Office at FirstEnergy Stadium. Follow the Fightin Phils on Twitter at @ReadingFightins, Instagram at @fightins, and like them on Facebook via www.facebook.com/fightins.

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