EL1 Reading Fightin Phils

Ninth Inning Comeback Halted by Senators

Published on May 17, 2013 under Eastern League (EL1)
Reading Fightin Phils News Release


READING, PA - Tyson Gillies hit a two-out RBI single with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth, but Tommy Mendonca was thrown out at home to the end the late-inning comeback by the Fightin Phils at FirstEnergy Stadium on Friday night. The 7-4 loss to the Harrisburg Senators (19-22) drops Reading to 15-24. Since sweeping the Senators on April 22-24, Reading is 4-16.

Losing by four runs heading into the ninth, Reading strung together three singles from Zach Collier, Mendonca, and pinch-hitter John Suomi to load the bases for Gillies. The centerfielder knocked in his second hit of the game to right field, but Harrisburg's Destin Hood gunned down Mendonca, who was rounding third after Collier scored, for the final out of the evening.

Fightin Phils starting pitcher Greg Smith cruised through scoreless innings and retired nine of the first 11 batters faced before things came apart in the fifth inning. Harrisburg rattled five runs, one earned, on four hits in addition to an error by Mendonca and a hit-by-pitch. Four of the inning's runs were plated on run-scoring doubles by both Hood and Brian Goodwin.

Aside from the fateful inning, Smith held Senators' bats scoreless during his six inning outing. The southpaw also struck out one and walked one in his second losing decision of the season.

Reading jumped on the board in the fourth inning after second baseman Albert Cartwright led off with a triple. He scored during the next at-bat after Jim Murphy drove him home on a sacrifice fly for his team-leading 29th RBI of the season. An inning later, the Fightins added two runs on a Gillies single and Edgar Duran triple.

Hitting from the leadoff spot in the lineup for the fifth straight game, Gillies was 2-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored. Both Collier and Mendonca also had two hits. Cartwright added three hits and scored a run in his 14th multi-hit game of the season.

Kyle Simon tossed a perfect inning of relief in the seventh and Hector Neris gave up two earned run in the eighth and ninth.

Reading continues their three-game series with Harrisburg on Saturday when RHP David Buchanan (1-4,5.87 ERA) starts against RHP Taylor Jordan (0-0, 0.00 ERA) of the Senators. Tune into Oldies 1340 WRAW-AM or MiLB.TV for the game broadcast with Fightins play-by-play announcer Anthony Oppermann starting at 6:05 p.m.

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Eastern League Stories from May 17, 2013


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