EL1 Reading Fightin Phils

Squirrels Gather 11 Hits to Even Series with 8-4 Win

Published on May 5, 2018 under Eastern League (EL1)
Reading Fightin Phils News Release


(Reading, PA) - Luigi Rodriguez opened Saturday night's game between the Fightin Phils and Flying Squirrels with a home run off Franklyn Kilome, who responded coolly by retiring the next 12 batters he faced with six strikeouts. In his most dominant Double-A start to date, the Phillies 40-man member was on his way to a special night, but a Rodriguez line drive back to the mound in the third shook the righthander up. Despite retiring the side in the fourth, Kilome came out for precaution with a 3-1 lead. The Squirrels then put up four runs in the fifth and three in the seventh to take game two with an 8-4 win before a crowd of 6,777 at FirstEnergy Stadium.

Trailing 1-0, the Fightin Phils got going in the third when Austin Bossart opened the inning by reaching base. A Kilome sacrifice bunt brought up the top of the lineup, and after Shaun Anderson (4-1) got Zach Coppola on a groundout, the home team turned up the heat with two outs. Malquin Canelo worked a crucial walk, and three straight singles from Kyle Martin, Zach Green, and Cornelius Randolph brought in three runs to give Reading a 3-1 lead.

With Kilome out after the fourth, the Squirrels came back to take the lead for good. K.C. Hobson greeted Tyler Viza (0-1) with a home run to make it 3-2, the first of four straight hits to start the inning. The big blow came on a two-RBI single from Rodriguez, who plated up two more runs in a four run top of the fifth.

Reading's final run came on Canelo's second home run of the series, a deep drive to left in the bottom of the fifth that got them back to within a run at 5-4. More two out stirring came when Green singled for the second time back up the middle. Randolph then continued his big night with a gapped double into left center, but the Squirrels started a perfect relay to the plate to nab Green for the final out and keep the Squirrels ahead 5-4.

In the top of the seventh, Miguel Gomez stroked an RBI triple to score Jerry Sands, and Aramis Garcia followed with a long homer to left center that doubled the margin and put the Squirrels ahead 8-4. Luke Leftwich finished the game for the Fightins with an inning and two thirds and three strikeouts, and Randolph ended up with his first three-hit game of the season after adding another double in the eighth off Dan Slania. Ray Black then finished the game with a 1-2-3 ninth in a non-save situation, closing the book on three scoreless innings of relief for the Flying Squirrels bullpen.

America's Classic Ballpark is proud to be a part of Pennsylvania's Americana Region. Season tickets for the 2018 season are available online at Fightins.com, by phone at 610-370-BALL, and in-person at FirstEnergy Stadium. Follow the Fightin Phils on Twitter at @ReadingFightins and like them on Facebook via www.facebook.com/fightins.

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Eastern League Stories from May 5, 2018


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