EL1 Reading Fightin Phils

Thunder Struck R-Phils Drop Opener 5-2 Tuesday

Published on May 24, 2011 under Eastern League (EL1)
Reading Fightin Phils News Release


(Reading, PA) -- Cody Johnson ripped a three-run home run in the top of the third inning, Shaeffer Hall tossed six shutout innings, and the Trenton Thunder struck the R-Phils 5-2 in game one of their three-game series from FirstEnergy Stadium in Reading, PA on Tuesday.

Hall (3-3, 3.57) allowed just five hits over his six scoreless innings of work on Tuesday, en-route to his first win in nearly a month (April 26). The 23-year-old lefty walked none and fanned four and helped push the Thunder ahead of Reading in the standings.

Trenton (24-18) moved into sole possession of third place in the Eastern League Eastern Division with the victory - their fifth-straight overall. The Thunder have now gone 8-2 over their last ten games.

A big reason for their success has been their pitching. The club entered play with the second best ERA in the league and beat the R-Phils for the third time in four tries already this year.

Offensively for Trenton, Johnson, the squad's designated hitter, broke a scoreless game in the top of the third frame with a three-run home run over the right field wall. The homer was Johnson's sixth of the year. He finished the night 2-4 with the home run, two runs scored, and three RBIs.

Johnson's home run was the only damage of the night off Reading Phillies starter Austin Hyatt (5-3, 4.31). Hyatt allowed just three hits in all and fanned eight batters, but threw 99 pitches over his five innings of work. His one real mistake of the evening was the three-run blast to Johnson in the third. He left the game with Reading down by a score of 3-0.

Down 5-0 in the bottom of the eighth inning, the R-Phils tried to mount a comeback. Shortstop Freddy Galvis led-off the inning with a walk, and two batters later, Cody Overbeck launched a two-run bomb over the right field wall for his Eastern League-leading 13th home run of the season. Overbeck, 24, also leads the league with 35 RBIs, and has now upped his batting average to .282 on the season.

On Wednesday, Reading will send LHP Ryan Edell (3-1, 4.18) to the hill. Edell, a native of Boston, MA, will be looking for his first win since May 7, when he allowed four runs over five innings to pick up the victory in Harrisburg, PA. So far this month, Edell has gone 1-1 with a 3.91 ERA in four starts.

Taking the ball for the Thunder in game two on Wednesday will be RHP Dellin Betances (3-1, 0.94). On May 9 in Trenton, NJ, Betances allowed just one hit over five shutout innings. The New York, NY native has been nearly untouchable in May - posting a 3-0 mark with a 0.87 ERA.

Coverage begins at 6:05 p.m. with the R-Phils pre-game show on ESPN 1240 AM WIOV and www.readingphillies.com. Brian Seltzer will have the call for all of the action, with first pitch set for 6:35 p.m.

Phillers... Before the game, the R-Phils added Niuman Romero to their roster... Romero, who was acquired via trade last week with Toronto, came down from Lehigh Valley (AAA)... Fidel Hernandez, who was hitting .307, was assigned to Clearwater... The R-Phils roster is at 23 players... One short of the maximum 24... Overbeck's home run came off new Trenton reliever Warner Madrigal.. He was added to the roster before the game from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre... Chris Kissock tossed two innings out of the bullpen... He allowed one run on three hits... Jordan Ellis and Jake Diekman pitched the final two innings... Ellis allowed a run on two hits... VIST Financial Plaza gates open at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, and all fans will want to make their way over to the Weston Center Winning Smiles Stage for another exciting Community Music Showcase, thanks to String Tree/Reading Musical Foundation /69 News Berks Edition... Also, the first 500 adults receive an R-Phils Legends Photo of Juan Samuel, courtesy of Lancaster Bible College.

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Eastern League Stories from May 24, 2011


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