EL1 Reading Fightin Phils

Suarez goes seven and Fightins power four homers for 8-1 win in New Hampshire

Published on June 24, 2018 under Eastern League (EL1)
Reading Fightin Phils News Release


(Manchester, NH) - Sunday's finale between the Fightin Phils and Fisher Cats decided the series and both teams had their aces ready to go. Both starters were pitching against the opposition for the third time, and the Fightins were looking to snap an 0-2 record against Jordan Romano, who started the day tied atop the Eastern League with eight wins. Ranger Suarez opened the roadtrip with seven brilliant innings in Portland on Tuesday night, and he delivered again with seven more scoreless innings to send the Fightin Phils home with an 8-1 win. Reading hit four home runs, and Zach Green went deep for the fourth straight game, becoming the first Fightin to achieve the feat since Zach Collier in 2014.

The Fightins came out with the bats ripped and ready to go, and Jiandido Tromp and Cornelius Randolph started the ballgame with back-to-back singles. Two batters later, Darick Hall grooved the first pitch he saw over the right field wall for his second three-run homer of the series and a 3-0 lead.

In the second, Malquin Canelo knocked a one-out single and stole second base for Drew Stankiewicz, who just missed his first home run with a towering double off the top of the wall for his first extra-base hit and run batted in. Tromp then worked the count in his favor, and snuck a 2-1 pitch over the short porch in the right field corner for his third home run and a commanding 6-0 lead.

Suarez didn't have his first 1-2-3 inning until the sixth inning, but it didn't matter as he kept his pitch count low and only allowed four hits and a walk. By mixing in a lot of groundball outs, he kept the Fisher Cats lineup off balanced, and faced the minimum in the sixth and seventh. Juan Kelly collected the 'Cats fifth hit with a one out single during Suarez' (4-3) final inning in the seventh, and the lefthander closed out his afternoon with a groundball up the middle for an inning-ending double play turned by Canelo.

Green's home run during Romano's (8-3) final inning in the sixth snapped a stretch of 12 straight set down by the Fisher Cats righthander. With a homer in four straight games and five of his last six, Green moved into a tie for first in the Eastern League with 15 home runs. The fourth and final home run was contributed by Deivi Grullon, whose leadoff shot in the ninth extended his hitting streak to six straight and put the finishing touches on an 8-1 win.

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 June 24, 2018


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