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EL Reading Fightin Phils

Mick Abel Shines as Reading Splits Double Header

April 29, 2023 - Eastern League (EL)
Reading Fightin Phils News Release


(Reading, PA) - Mick Abel shined for the Reading Fightin Phils as they split a doubleheader with the Altoona Curve on Saturday night.

Game One

The Fightin Phils struck first in the first game of the doubleheader. Matthew Kroon doubled to lead off the bottom of the second, then Wendell Rijo drove him in with a single lined back up the middle to put Reading up 1-0.

Altoona responded with a run in the top of the third. After Matt Frazier was hit by a pitch by Reading starter Josh Hendrickson, Liover Peguero flew a double to deep right field that scored Frazier and make it 1-1.

Reading would re-take the lead 2-1 when Carlos De La Cruz lined a home run to right. It was De La Cruz's fourth home run of the season and first in nearly two weeks. The lead didn't last long as Altoona poured on three runs in the top of the fifth inning. Andres Alverez belted a home run to left center, then after Peguero walked, Henry Davis crushed a homer to deep left field to put Altoona up 4-2.

The Fightin Phils added one run in the bottom of the sixth, Johan Rojas doubled to center and then came around to score on a sacrifice to make it 4-3 Altoona. But, the Curve held on to win the game in the bottom of the seventh.

Aaron Shortridge was strong for the Curve. and earned the win to improve to 2-1 He went five innings, allowing four hits, two runs, one walk, and picked up three strikeouts. On the other side, Hendrickson pitched six innings and suffered the loss to fall to 0-2, allowing four runs on six hits, while picking up one walk and strikeout each. Altoona's Noe Toribio picked up his second save of the season.

Game Two

The Fightin Phils struck first with two runs in the bottom of the first inning. De La Cruz worked a walk and advanced after Johan Rojas dropped a beautiful bunt single. After both runners moved up on a Matt Eckelman wild pitch, Ethan Wilson lifted a fly ball to center that scored De La Cruz to make it 1-0 Reading. Then, McCarthy Tatum lined a single to right field that scored Rojas, and Reading was up 2-0.

Altoona responded immediately in the top of the second inning. Mason Martin obliterated a home run that went above the Reading Hospital Tower Health Pool in right field. Martin's long ball cut Reading's lead in half to 2-1.

In the third, Johan Rojas reached on an error, stole third, and came around to score on another RBI sacrifice fly from Wilson. Rojas' run put Readind up 3-1.

Both offenses remained quiet, but the star of the show was Reading's, Mick Abel. Abel turned in his best start of the season with six innings of one-run ball while allowing two hits and picking up season-high six batters. Abel earned the win to improve to 1-1, while Eckelman suffered the loss to fall to 0-1 and Brett Schulze earned his first save of the season.

Up Next

After the split, Reading is 6-14 on the season, while Altoona sits at 10-9. The two teams are back in action tomorrow at 3:15 p.m. to finish off the six-game series and tickets are still available and can be purchased at rphils.com/tickets, by calling 610-370-BALL or in person at the Customers Bank Ticket Office.

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Eastern League Stories from April 29, 2023


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