EL Reading Fightin Phils

Reading Wins Season High Fifth Straight

August 5, 2023 - Eastern League (EL)
Reading Fightin Phils News Release


(Hartford, CT) - The Reading Fightin Phils (16-15, 44-55) picked up their season-best fifth-straight win in an 8-6 victory over the Hartford Yard Goats (12-18, 41-56) on Saturday night. The win moves Reading one win away from a six-game sweep over Hartford.

David Parkinson (W, 6-4) got the start and was excellent again. The lefty went six innings, allowing just one earned run, and picked up five strikeouts. Andrew Schultz and Carlos Francisco followed out of the bullpen, then Andrew Baker (S, 1) pitched out of a jam to finish the game in the ninth.

Matthew Kroon wasted literally no time to strike first as he blasted the first pitch of the game out of the ballpark for a leadoff home run. Reading tacked more on in the third frame. After two quick outs in the inning, Cam Cannon reached base with a double. Ethan Wilson then knocked Cannon home with a single to make it 2-0.

Jhailyn Ortiz then followed with a two-run home run to grow Reading's lead to four. In the fifth, Ortiz hit another two-run home run that scored Wilson and made it 6-0. It was Ortiz's second home run of the night, which sets a season-high and matches a career-best for Ortiz. Ortiz also had five RBI on the night.

Hartford finally scratched runs across in the sixth. Grant Lavinge and Warming Bernabel each reached on consecutive singles. Drew Romo then reached on a fielder's choice and Lavinge scored on a throwing error from Cannon. Bladimir Restituyo then hit a sacrifice fly that plated Bernabel to make it 7-2, with Reading still ahead.

The R-Phils added an insurance run when Carlos De La Cruz hit his team-best 19th home run of the season to make it 8-2 Reading. Restituyo then smacked a two-run home run that made it 8-4 in the eighth.

Hartford threatened in the ninth off both Francisco and then Baker, who came in relief. The Yard Goats scored two runs on a hit by pitch and walk, but Baker got Restituyo to ground out to end the game and give Reading the 8-6 win.

Tanner Gordon (L, 1-1) got the start for Hartford and was roughed up. He went five innings and allowed seven-earned runs on nine hits while picking up four strikeouts. Hartford's bullpen combined to allow just one run and one hit over four innings of relief.

With the win, Reading Manager Al Pedrique now moves within two wins of 1,000 in his Major/Minor League managerial career. Prior to the Hartford runs in the fifth, Reading pitching had a season-high scoreless inning streak of 18.1 innings, which dates back to Thursday night.

If Reading wins tomorrow, the R-Phils will pick up their first six-game sweep since Minor League Baseball adopted the six-game series in the 2021 series. Reading has not swept a series of three-or-more games since Aug. 2-4, 2019 against the Altoona Curve. Their last road sweet of three-plus games was Jul. 15-17, 2019 at Binghamton.

Reading and Hartford are back in action Sunday afternoon at 1:10 p.m. RHP Zach Haake is scheduled to start for Reading, and he will go opposite RHP Andrew Quezada for Hartford. Video coverage is available on MiLB TV or the Bally Live App.

The Fightin Phils return home Tuesday, August 15, to begin a six-game series with the Somerset Patriots (Yankees). Tickets to all games are available 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 August 5, 2023


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