EL1 Reading Fightin Phils

Stephen, Russ Come up Clutch in 3-2 Win at Akron

Published on June 6, 2019 under Eastern League (EL1)
Reading Fightin Phils News Release


(AKRON, OH) - Josh Stephen came up clutch for the Fightin Phils on Thursday night, delivering a go-ahead RBI single with two outs in the top of the ninth inning to carry Reading to a 3-2 victory in the series finale at Canal Park.

Stephen finished 2-for-5 with a double, RBI, and run scored. Grenny Cumana matched a career high with four hits, and Mickey Moniak doubled twice in the win.

Ramon Rosso dealt six strong innings in the no-decision, permitting just a run on five hits and two walks. Reading is now just 1.5 games back of the division lead with 11 games left in the first half.

The teams remained scoreless until the Fightins (32-24) grabbed their first lead of the series in the fourth inning.

Moniak got things going by ripping a double to left off starter Sam Hentges, and moved to third on Darick Hall's ground ball to first. Austin Listi then delivered a sacrifice fly to left, snapping a scoreless streak of 13 innings and bumping Reading ahead, 1-0.

Akron (30-28) quickly brought it back even. With two down in the bottom half, Nellie Rodriguez drove a solo homer to left for his fifth of the season, knotting the game up at one.

Moniak put Reading back on top in the sixth inning.

After Stephen cracked a one-out double to left, Moniak lofted his second two-bagger of the game to left-center to score Stephen, and lift the Fightins to a 2-1 advantage.

The RubberDucks threated in the bottom half when Alex Call led off with a double to put the tying run in scoring position. Wilson Garcia followed with a fly out to center, and Call elected to test the arm of Moniak and try for third.

Moniak fired in a strike to Listi at third base, nabbing Call for the second out of the frame and his third outfield assist of the season. Rosso then induced a fly out to left from Mitch Longo to complete a five-pitch inning.

Reading's lead stood up until the bottom of the eighth, when Ernie Clement looped a hit through the left side and hustled it into a double. Ka'ai Tom followed with a single to right, tying the game at two. Call drew a walk, and Addison Russ took over in relief of Jeff Singer.

Wilson Garcia put down a sacrifice bunt to advance the go-ahead runs into scoring position, but Russ (1-3) came up clutch with back-to-back strikeouts of Mitch Longo and Nellie Rodriguez to preserve the tie.

Cornelius Randolph was hit by a pitch to start the ninth inning, and Cumana followed with his fourth hit of the night. With one out, Henri Lartigue worked a walk against Anthony Gose (0-1) to load the bases.

Jared Robinson entered the game in relief and struck out Arquimedes Gamboa, but Stephen pulled a 2-0 pitch that caromed off the dive of second baseman Alexis Pantoja for an infield single, pushing home Randolph with the decisive run.

The Fightins head home to open a three-game series against the Harrisburg Senators, beginning on Friday at 7:10 p.m. Adonis Medina takes the hill against Wil Crowe, and the game will be broadcast on 610 ESPN and the Fightins broadcast network beginning with This Week in Baseballtown at 6:00 p.m.

America's Classic Ballpark is proud to be a part of Pennsylvania's Americana Region and was voted the #1 stadium in all of Double-A by MiLB's Ben Hill. Follow the Fightins on Twitter at @ReadingFightins and like them on Facebook via www.facebook.com/fightins. Purchase tickets at the Seidel Auto Group Deck TODAY - call or TEXT 610-370-BALL, and download the Fightins game and promotional schedule at fightins.com/calendar.

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Eastern League Stories from June 6, 2019


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