EL1 Reading Fightin Phils

Fightin Phils Game Notes 5-2

Published on May 2, 2017 under Eastern League (EL1)
Reading Fightin Phils News Release


FISHER CATS RIDE RIOS TO 4-1 WIN :

+ The biggest bright spot from this game was first baseman Kyle Martin, who gave the Fightin Phils a 1-0 first inning lead with a

hard single into right field. He'd eventually add another smash into right in his second at-bat in the fourth inning. Leadoff base hits

were part of the story because Scott Kingery set the tone with a single to begin the first on a night where the offense got the first

batter on in five innings. Brandon Leibrandt had only allowed one home run in his first three starts until Ryan McBroom took him

deep to tie the game at one in the second. The lefthander later retired five in a row and came out for the fourth inning after throwing

just 32 pitches in the first three innings. Shortstop Richard Urena then put the Fisher Cats ahead for the first time with a leadoff

home run of his own on a ball that just got over the wall in left to make it 2-1. In the sixth, Leibrandt (2-1) got two quick outs when

he retired Urena and Blue Jays #2 prospect Anthony Alford on groundballs. McBroom kept the inning going with a double, and

Harold Ramirez scored him with a single into left field, advancing to second on the throw to the plate from Andrew Pullin. The third

two out hit belonged to Emilio Guerrero, who slashed an RBI double inside of first base that gave the 'Cats a 4-1 lead. It was in that

inning where Aaron Brown singled the other way for the second time into left field. Malquin Canelo nearly brought the tying run to

the plate with a shot back up the middle, but Urena ranged out and shoveled it to Lopes to start a really nice inning-ending double

play and get Rios (3-2) out of dodge. Chris Rowley took care of the last two innings for his second save, and Reading's bullpen got

3.0 scoreless innings from Yacksel Rios and Tom Windle. Rios' night looked easy, with two perfect innings in the seventh and eighth

that had a couple of strikeouts mixed into both.

SECOND TIME AROUND AGAINST THE 'CATS :

+ The Fightin Phils and Fisher Cats will play 15 more times after tonight's middle game in this 3-game series

+ Last night's loss was just the second time the Fightin Phils lost back-to-back games (lost 3 straight to start the season in Portland)

+ A win tonight for the Fisher Cats would give them just their 2nd series win of the season (won 3 straight in Hartford from 4/13-15)

+ The Fightin Phils have been held to just one run in the last two games. Last night was just the fifth time they didn't hit a HR (1-4)

+ The Fisher Cats have some pop with

Gunnar Heidt (5-16 vs REA, 10-61 vs the rest) & Ryan McBroom (7-16 vs REA, 2 2B/HR/4 RBI)

+ The Fightins will see

Jon Harris for the second time in his fifth start. He lost his debut vs Reading on 4/10 (4.0 IP, 9 H, 6 ER, 3 HRs)

+ 22-year-old OF

Anthony Alford is the 'Jays #2 prospect and the #59 overall prospect in minor league baseball by Baseball America

-> He's right outside the Top-10 in the EL with a .338 average and right outside the Top-5 with 26 hits in 77 ABs

+ The Fisher Cats closed out April with the Eastern League's worst record after losing 7-6 in Binghamton in 11 innings

on Sunday. They've gone 2-8 in their last 10 since getting to .500 (6-6) for the second time after a 4-2 win in Trenton on 4/19

FIGHTINS BULLPEN STANDS OUT :

+ The bullpen has been lights out since a 12-2 loss to the RubberDucks on April 19 -> Last 8 Games (34.0 IP/4 ER for a 1.06 ERA)

-> Fightin Phils relievers had thrown 17.1 consecutive scoreless IP until Yacksel Rios was charged with an ER in the 7th Friday night

+ By comparison, Chris Rowley's first save last night was just the third of the season for the Fisher Cats, which is last in the league

+ Last season, the Fightin Phils went 12-10 against the Fisher Cats, and the teams finished tied for 6th with Team ERAs OF 3.85

PHILS FACTS :

+

Kyle Martin (3rd 2-hit game), Jiandido Tromp, & Aaron Brown each had 2 H last night. Tromp is now 5-for-11 on the homestand

+ RHP

Mario Sanchez threw 3.0 scoreless innings Saturday night, marking the second time this month he went 3.0 IP vs Portland

+

Jesen Therrien matched Miguel Nunez with his third consecutive save Saturday. He's ranked 2nd behind New Hampshire's

Carlos Ramirez w/ just 5.68 baserunners allowed/9 IP. He's thrown 7.1 consecutive scoreless IP and leads the league w/ 10 app.

+

Scott Kingery had his first day off Sunday, giving Angelo Mora an opportunity to get his third start of the season at second base

-> Prior to this year, Kingery had 8 home runs during his first two seasons at the lower levels (197 G/783 ABs) This Year : (19 G/72 ABs)

+ The Fightins are just 6-for-42 (.142) w/ RISP on the homestand, and are now hitting .240 with RISP as a team through the first 20 G

UPCOMING HOMESTAND PROMOTIONS :

+ 5/2 vs NHM - Feel the History 1983 Partial Team Un-Cut Card Set for the first 500 Fans 15 & up; Presented by Computer Wizards

+ 5/3 vs NHM - Fightins 2017 Team Photo for the first 3,000 Kids ages 14 & under; Presented by Colortech

BIG LEAGUE CLUB & AFFILIATES WATCH :

+ MLB - The Phillies (12-12) beat up the Cubs 12-2 to start that series (Tommy Joseph & Freddy Galvis homered and totaled 5 RBIs)

+ AAA - Lehigh Valley (12-11) was off and is back home tonight to start a series against the RailRiders (Mark Appel gets the start)

+ A+ - CLR (17-8) got HR from Emmanuel Marrero, Deivi Grulllon, & Mark Laird to beat Jupiter 7-3 (Seranthony Dominguez now 3-0)

+ A - Lakewood (13-12) starts a series in Charleston at 7:05. Both teams are a game over .500 (Bailey Falter looking for 1st win)

ON THIS DAY IN READING HISTORY :

May 2, 2001: At Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Jimmy Rollins hits his first Major League home run, a solo shot in the 4th inning

off the Rockies' Brian Bohanon. The homer ties the game at 1-1, but Colorado wins it, 6-2.

May 2, 1970: Greg Luzinski hits his first Double-A HR, a blast that lands five feet shy of the brick wall in LF, an estimated 500-ft shot

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Eastern League Stories from May 2, 2017


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