EL1 Reading Fightin Phils

Biddle Back to Form as Fightins Blank Curve, 3-0

Published on May 21, 2013 under Eastern League (EL1)
Reading Fightin Phils News Release


READING, Pa.---Jesse Biddle stormed through a season-high 7.2 innings of three hit ball to lead the Reading Fightin Phils (17-26) past the Altoona Curve (19-26), 3-0. The team's first shutout of the season was also the first back-to-back wins the Fightins have had since April 23-24.

The top Phillies prospect looked to encounter trouble in the first inning after he issued Gift Ngoepe a leadoff walk, but he quickly recovered by retiring the next three batters. Biddle kept up the pace over the course of the game and held the Curve to just three hits in the start. While he tied a season-high with his four walks issued to Altoona hitters, the Philadelphia native fanned nine batters during his start, the most since he struck out 10 batters vs. New Hampshire on April 28.

The lefty exited the game after hurling 111 pitches, 62 of which were strikes, and picked up his third win of the season. Now sitting at 3-3 in 2013, the win was Biddle's first since April 22nd.

The Fightins offense struck first for the second straight game after Zach Collier singled and scored in the second inning after Troy Hanzawa hit into a double play. The Arizona Fall League standout would find home again after launching a home run into the Reading Eagle Character Pool Party for his second hit of the game. With his third multi-hit performance in his past five games, Collier's batting average rose to a season-high .204.

Reading scored its other run in the fifth inning after Biddle worked a two-out full count for a walk to get on base for the first time on Tuesday. In the next at-bat, Tyson Gillies battled through a nine-pitch at-bat to score Biddle on a double to center field.

Southpaw reliever Mauricio Robles was called upon to follow Biddle in the eighth inning. The Venezuelan picked up his second save of the season after striking out two and giving up just one hit in 1 1/3 inning.

RHP Hector Neris will take the bump on Wednesday as the Fightins look for the first series win in nearly a month. RHP David Bromberg (2-4, 4.65) will start for Altoona. Tune into Oldies 1340 WRAW-AM or MiLB.TV for the game broadcast with Fightins play-by-play announcer Anthony Oppermann starting at 6:05 p.m.

Fightins Fillers: Biddle was one out shy from matching the longest outing of his career (8 IP, 7/21/12)....Collier now has hits in the past six games. Over that stretch, the outfielder is 9-for-22 with a home run, double, triple, four runs scored, and two RBIs...The back-to-back wins at home on Monday and Tuesday were the first for the Fightins all season. The last time they did so was on August 27-28 last season vs. Binghamton...The team hadn't shut out an opponent since doing so on September 2, 2012 when they shutout the Portland Sea Dogs, 5-0.

The Fightin Phils continue their 47th season affiliated with the Philadelphia Phillies at FirstEnergy Stadium on Wednesday, May 22 when the team takes on the Harrisburg Senators at 6:35 p.m. Tickets for the 2013 season can be purchased online at Fightins.com, by phone at 610-370-BALL, or in-person by visiting the FirstEnergy Stadium Ticket Office.

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Eastern League Stories from May 21, 2013


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