EL1 Reading Fightin Phils

Fightins Have Grand Time Against Thunder

Published on August 2, 2018 under Eastern League (EL1)
Reading Fightin Phils News Release


(Reading, PA) - After getting held down in their first two games against the Thunder, the Fightin Phils brought their bats at the right time in Thursday's series finale. Austin Listi's third inning grand slam lit the fuse, and Deivi Grullon's 16th home run in the seventh broke a 4-4 tie before the Fightins tacked on three more in the eighth for an 8-4 win.

Thunder starter Trevor Stephan was perfect for the first two innings before plunking Jan Hernandez with a 1-2 pitch to open the bottom of the third. Drew Stankiewicz had the crucial at-bat of the inning, fighting off several pitches before lining an infield single off Stephan. Two batters later, an Adam Haseley single loaded the bases, and Listi launched a pitch up in the zone deep to left center for his second grand slam and a 4-0 lead.

The Thunder battled back right away in the top of the fourth, getting a two-RBI double from Jhalan Jackson to cut the deficit in half at 4-2. With two outs, Ryan Lidge's second hit of the night was a run scoring single to make it 4-3. Fightins starter Felix Paulino retired the side with a strikeout, ultimately scattering four runs on eight hits over six innings in his third start. During his final inning, he surrendered a game-tying single to Jackson, making it 4-4 for the bullpens.

With Chase Hodson on for his Double-A debut, he got ahead of Grullon 0-2 with one out in the seventh. But another pitch left up in the zone was crushed, and Grullon's 47th run batted in turned out to be the difference. Leading 5-4, the Fightin Phils put it away in the eighth when they sent eight batters to the plate.

Heiker Meneses got things started with a double, and a walk to Listi put a couple of runners on base for the heart of the lineup. Damek Tomscha's single made it 6-4, and two more runs came across on a Cornelius Randolph single up the middle and a Grullon sacrifice fly.

Luke Leftwich and Jeff Singer combined on the last three innings, allowing just one baserunner during that time and putting the game out of reach. Singer struck out a pair in a 1-2-3 ninth, picking up his ninth save before the Fightin Phils bus out to Bowie on Friday morning for a weekend series in their lone trip to Prince George's Stadium.

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 August 2, 2018


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