EL1 Harrisburg Senators

Reading Pulls Away from Harrisburg

Published on August 12, 2015 under Eastern League (EL1)
Harrisburg Senators News Release


Despite being tied at three entering the sixth inning, Harrisburg Senators did not finish well in a 8-4 loss to the Reading Fightin' Phils Wednesday at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Senators (56-61) fall to five games under .500 for the first time in August.

Harrisburg scored first in the third inning as Isaac Ballou singled, was sacrificed to second, stole third and scored on a Wilmer Difo ground out. Reading scored two in the fourth off Harrisburg starter Matt Purke, but the Senators responded with two in the fifth on a two-run homer by Difo - his first at Double-A. However, Reading tied the game in the bottom of the fifth on a wild pitch by Purke with a runner at third. The left-hander, Purke, needed just 58 pitches to finish five innings, allowing three runs on six hits.

Unfortunately for Harrisburg, the bullpen allowed the game to get away. Bryan Harper allowed a go-ahead, leadoff homer to Reading's J.P. Crawford to start the sixth inning, and recorded just one out before being relieved by Erik Davis. Harper was charged with three runs, although only two were earned. Davis allowed one of Harper's runners to score, but threw 1.2 scoreless innings of his own with three strikeouts. Paul Demny allowed a two-run homer while pitching the bottom of the eighth inning.

Shawn Pleffner walked to lead off the ninth, and moved to third on defensive indifference and a groundout. Pleffner then scored on a Reading error that allowed Adrian Sanchez to reach. Sanchez, however, was stranded at second to end the game.

Difo finished 2-for-3 with a triple, a homer and all three Senators' RBI. Cutter Dykstra, Drew Vettleson and Isaac Ballou each singled in the loss.

The Senators will try to avoid the three-game sweep tomorrow with another 7:05 p.m. start. The pregame show will start at 6:50 p.m. on Fox Sports 1460am, iHeart Radio, and on Tune In.

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Eastern League Stories from August 12, 2015


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