EL Reading Fightin Phils

Reading Rolls Offensively in Slugfest to Take Series

Published on May 6, 2023 under Eastern League (EL)
Reading Fightin Phils News Release


(Hartford, CT) - In a series full of scoring, Reading claimed victory in a game that combined for 26 runs in a 14-12 Fightin Phils win over the Hartford Yard Goats on Saturday night. The win gave the R-Phils their first series win of the season.

Hartford's offense wasted no time getting started and did so in a big way. Grant Lavigne belted a solo home run to right-center field off Josh Hendrickson to make it 1-0. Then, Kyle Datres blasted one over the right-field wall to make it 2-0. It was the first time Hartford went back-to-back this season and the first time since July 6, 2022, against New Hampshire.

Like last night, Reading responded quickly in a big way after falling down early. Cody Roberts reached to lead off the third inning with a double down the left-field line, then scored when Garrett Whitley hit a double down the same line. Whitley moved to third and then scored on a ground ball from Carlos De La Cruz.

After four hits last night, Johan Rojas' resurgence from three-hole in the lineup continued when he lifted a two-run home run, still in the second. Rojas' second home run of the season put the R-Phils ahead 4-2.

In the bottom of the inning, the Yard Goats wasted zero time responding. Cristopher Navarro walked then Bladimir Restitutyo singled to put two on base for the red-hot Zac Veen. Veen then drove a double to the left-center gap to score both runners and tie the game up at four. Datres tacked on another hit and singled to score Veen and put Hartford up 5-4.

Veen did it again when he tripled off the wall in center field to score Navarro again and make it 6-4 Hartford in the fourth. That finished the day for Hendrickson, who exited pitching 3.2 innings while giving up seven hits and six runs. Hendrickson also added six strikeouts and two walks. Braden Zarbnisky entered for Reading and stranded Veen on third.

In a game of back-and-forth offense, the Fightin Phils got their chance in the top of the fifth. Ethan Wilson reached base via a single then Matthew Kroon hit an opposite-field home run to tie the game up at six. Hartford pitcher Chris McMahon exited the game in the fifth after 4.1 innings pitched. McMahon allowed six runs on nine hits while striking out four batters.

Rojas singled to start the sixth inning and moved from first to third on a double from Wilson. Kroon then hit a fly ball to right field and Rojas scored on a tag up after the throw was dropped by Hartford to put Reading back in front 7-6. With Wilson at third, Nick Podkul added another sacrifice fly to score Wilson and make it 8-6 Fightin Phils.

In the bottom of the sixth, Hartford had runners on the corners when Veen hit a ground ball up the middle. Wendell Rijo took it to the bag himself to get the runner out, but it allowed a run to score and make it 8-7 Reading. The RBI for Veen was the fourth run driven in of the night. Andrew Baker struck out Hunter Goodman to end the inning and maintain the one-run lead for the Fightin Phils.

Reading got insurance runs in the top of the seventh inning. After Wendell Rijo was hit by a pitch, Rojas and Wilson walked in back-to-back plate appearances. Then, Kroon hit an infield single on a ground ball up the middle to score both Rijo and Rojas to grow the Fightin Phils lead to 10-7.

With two RBI on that last base knock, Kroon set a career-high with five RBI tonight. It is also the second-straight game that a Fightin Phil had five RBI as Wilson accomplished the feat last night. In the eighth, Nick Podkul singled and move to second on a wild pitch. Then, a Garrett Whitley single scored Podkul to give the R-Phils more insurance and an 11-7 lead.

In the bottom of the inning, Hartford got its first two runners on and had men on the corners with no outs. Navarro laid down a bunt up the first baseline to score Warming Bernabel and make it 11-8 Reading. Tensions picked up in the same frame as an initial clock violation on Hartford was overturned and that led to the ejections of both Manager Al Pedrique and Pitching Coach Brad Bergesen.

The drama was not done there. With two on base, still in the eighth, Hunter Goodman doubled on a ball that skipped past Wilson in left scored two runs, and cut it to just an 11-10 R-Phils lead. Brett Schulze was able to work out of the jam by inducing a ground ball to short to end the eighth inning.

In the top of the ninth, Reading loaded the bases then Oliver Dunn ripped a single down the right field line to score all three runners and give the Fightin Phils more insurance and a 14-10 lead as the game moved to the bottom of the ninth inning.

Max Kuhns entered in the ninth, looking to secure the win, and pitched into some trouble. Kuhns loaded the bases and Zac Veen singled home two runs to make it 14-12. Thursday night's hero Hunter Goodman came up as the winning run but flared an out in the infield to end the game and give Reading the win.

The win went to Reading's Braden Zarbnisky who improves to 1-1, while Dylan Spain suffered the loss to fall to 1-2 on the season for Hartford.

With the win, Reading improves to 10-15 on the season, while Hartford falls back to .500 at 12-12 with the loss. Reading has now taken its first series of the season. The final game of this week's six-game set is set for tomorrow at 1:10 PM. RHP Nick Nelson, recently optioned to Reading, gets the start for the Fightin Phils and he will go opposite RHP Nick Garcia for Hartford.

Reading returns home Tuesday, May 9, at 11 a.m. as the Fightin Phils welcome the New Hampshire Fisher Cats to FirstEnergy Stadium. Tickets to all games 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.

The 2023 R-Phils season is presented by Pepsi. Follow the Fightin Phils on Twitter @ReadingFightins, like us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram @Fightins.

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Eastern League Stories from May 6, 2023


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