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EL1 Reading Fightin Phils

Hennigan Backs Howard's Home Debut

August 2, 2019 - Eastern League (EL1)
Reading Fightin Phils News Release


(READING, PA) - Returning from a much needed off day after dropping back-to-back series in New Hampshire and Bowie, the Fightin Phils returned to their winning ways on Friday night at FirstEnergy Stadium. In their first meeting against the Curve, the teams sat through an hour and 33 minute rain delay at the outset before starting the weekend series. Top pitching prospect Spencer Howard fell behind early in his Baseballtown debut, but the lefthanded bullpen trio of Jonathan Hennigan, Garrett Cleavinger, and Jakob Hernandez recorded the last 17 outs and allowed just one hit as Reading prevailed with a 5-3 win before a crowd of 6,702.

With a mid to high-90s fastball in the first inning, Howard was making his second Double-A start after fanning 10 Fisher Cats in just 4.2 innings in his debut one week prior. This time, however, the righthander surrendered a run three batters in after former Phillie Darnell Sweeney scored O'Neil Cruz with a groundout following a one-out triple.

The Curve scored again in the top of the second when Jerrick Suiter doubled to left with one out, and Brett Pope brought him home with a two-bagger to left field. After that base hit made it 2-0, Fightins pitchers retired 16 of the next 17 batters, with the lone baserunner during that stretch coming on a two-out walk to right fielder Bligh Madris in the fourth. That signaled the end for Howard, who finished his three-plus innings with three hits and a walk allowed while striking out four.

Facing former Akron RubberDuck Sean Brady, the Fightins got on the board in the second on back-to-back triples from Josh Stephen and Jose Gomez. They nearly tied it in the third when Howard led off with an infield single in his first-ever plate appearance, and leadoff hitter Luke Williams followed with a bunt single to the right side. A fielder's choice grounder from Mickey Moniak put a pair at the corners, but Brady got a double play ball to keep the Curve ahead 2-1.

In the fourth, Gomez reached on a grounder with two outs when second baseman Mitchell Tolman's throw pulled Suiter off first base. A five-pitch walk to Arquimedes Gamboa brought up Henri Lartigue, and the catcher came through with a game-tying single. Alec Bohm later led off the sixth inning with a single, and Gomez scored him with a two-out single to give the Fightin Phils their first lead.

Meanwhile, Hennigan (3-3) delivered his most dominant performance by retiring all eight batters he faced with six strikeouts. Cleavinger followed suit with a 1-2-3 seventh that ended with a strikeout, and Jakob Hernandez finished off the last two innings for his second save despite allowing an unearned run in the top of the eighth.

The insurance came in the bottom of the seventh, when the R-Phils capitalized with another leadoff baserunner courtesy of Gamboa's second walk. With two outs, Williams was plunked on the arm, and Moniak sliced a double into left center to score both runners and put the game away.

America's Classic Ballpark is proud to be a part of Pennsylvania's Americana Region and was voted the #1 stadium in all of Double-A by MiLB's Ben Hill. Follow the Fightins on Twitter at @ReadingFightins and like them on Facebook via www.facebook.com/fightins. Purchase tickets TODAY, call or TEXT 610-370-BALL, and download the Fightins game and promotional schedule at fightins.com/calendar.

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