EL1 Trenton Thunder

Gil's Sacrifice Fly Caps Dramatic Comeback Win

Published on June 8, 2011 under Eastern League (EL1)
Trenton Thunder News Release


(Reading, PA) - The Trenton Thunder (36-23) scored three runs in the top of the ninth inning to come from behind to beat the Reading Phillies (31-27) 7-6 at FirstEnergy Stadium in Reading, Pennsylvania. Jose Gil's pinch hit RBI on a sacrifice fly was the decisive run for the Thunder, who avoid losing three straight games for the first time since late April.

Reading jumped out to a 4-0 advantage through two frames, but Thunder shortstop Jose Pirela would single-handedly bring his team back into the game. Leading off the third inning, Pirela homered to left field to cut the R-Phils lead to 4-1. Then, with two on and two out in the fourth, the Venezuelan native lined another homerun to left to clear the bases and tie the game 4-4. Pirela now has three career Double A homeruns, all of which have occured at FirstEnergy Stadium in Reading.

Trenton would not score another run in the first eight frames and found themselves trailing Reading 6-4 entering the top of the ninth. Cody Johnson led the frame off with his 12th homerun of the season, a monster shot to right-center field to make it 6-5. After a Jason Place single, DeAngelo Mack lined a double into the gap in left-centerfield, scoring Place from first and tying the game 6-6. Three batters later, Mack would scamper home on a Jose Gil pinch hit sacrifice fly, and the Thunder took their first and only lead of the game, 7-6.

Josh Schmidt, who had allowed a run in the eighth, struck out the side in the ninth for Trenton despite allowing a walk and a single. Derrick Mitchell, who had walked-off Reading to a victory the previous two contests, struck out with runners at first and second for a very dramatic 27th out of the game.

The Trenton Thunder will wrap-up their four-game set in Reading, PA Thursday night at 7:05 PM from FirstEnergy Stadium. Yankees top pitching prospect RHP Dellin Betances (3-1, 1.99) will get the nod for the Thunder, while the R-Phils will counter with LHP Ryan Edell (4-1, 3.78). Tune-in to the game from Reading, PA on 91.3 WTSR-FM and on trentonthunder.com. The SBLI Pre-Game Show with Hank Fuerst begins at 6:50 PM.

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Eastern League Stories from June 8, 2011


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