EL1 Reading Fightin Phils

Fifth Inning Lifts Fightin Phils to Fourth Straight Win

Published on July 24, 2018 under Eastern League (EL1)
Reading Fightin Phils News Release


(Reading, PA) - Needing a win to ensure themselves of their fourth winning record against the Fisher Cats in the last five seasons, the Reading Fightin Phils found more of that two-out magic against All-Star T.J. Zeuch on Tuesday night at FirstEnergy Stadium. At one point, the righthander retired 14 straight without a hit, but that changed in the fifth when the Fightins got five straight two-out hits. Damek Tomscha's third homer in his last five turned out to be the difference, and the Fightins bullpen held the fort for a 5-2 win.

The scoring picked up in the third when the Fisher Cats finally cashed in against Viza, who was facing them for the second time in his four starts. Bo Bichette knifed a triple into right center, and left fielder Connor Panas came through with a sacrifice fly for a 1-0 lead. After finishing 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position in game one, the Fisher Cats were just 1-for-14 on Tuesday night.

Reading's night started with back-to-back hits from Adam Haseley and Cornelius Randolph, whose respective single and double put two in scoring position with no outs. But Zeuch's night shifted when Haseley was picked off third base, and he wouldn't allow another hit until the fifth inning while pitching with a 1-0 lead.

Drew Stankiewicz got things started with a base hit the other way, and Malquin Canelo reached on an infield single to put the tying and go-ahead runs on base. Haseley singled on the first pitch to tie the score, and the next pitch to Randolph was hammered for his second double and a 2-1 lead. Zeuch got ahead of Tomscha 1-2, but left a pitch out over the plate, and the third baseman crushed it into the left field seats for his 13th homer and a 5-1 lead.

Viza (1-3) came out after five-and-two-thirds, with the 'Cats final run coming across in the top of the sixth when Josh Tols allowed an inherited runner to score on a base hit from Eduard Pinto. Cavan Biggio and Juan Kelly later hit back-to-back singles off Seth McGarry to lead off the top of the eighth. Harold Ramirez then reached on a fielder's choice, and with runners at the corners, McGarry got a double play when he struck out Pinto. With Ramirez on the move, Biggio tried scoring from third, but Canelo's return throw back to the plate was in time for the final out.

Jeff Singer closed it out with his seventh save in seven opportunities, striking out both Panas and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. as the tying run at the plate after a pair of singles in the ninth. With the 5-2 win, the Fightins won their fourth straight and ensured themselves of a winning homestand with the final meeting between the teams coming up on Wednesday afternoon at 12:15 PM.

America's Classic Ballpark is proud to be a part of Pennsylvania's Americana Region. Season tickets for the 2018 season are available online at Fightins.com, by phone at 610-370-BALL, and in-person at FirstEnergy Stadium. Follow the Fightin Phils on Twitter at @ReadingFightins and like them on Facebook via www.facebook.com/fightins.

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Eastern League Stories from July 24, 2018


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