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Reading Launches Past Hartford on Thursday, Earn Third-Straight Victory

Carlos De La Cruz Blasts Two-Homers in 3 RBI Night
May 9, 2024

BOX SCORE (Reading, PA) - The Fightin Phils (14-16) blew past the Hartford Yard Goats (14-13) with a come-from-behind victory on Thursday night. The Fightins have won three in a row, with a chance to win the series in tomorrow's game. Hartford continued utilizing the long ball to their advantage

BOX SCORE

(Reading, PA) - The Fightin Phils (14-16) blew past the Hartford Yard Goats (14-13) with a come-from-behind victory on Thursday night. The Fightins have won three in a row, with a chance to win the series in tomorrow's game.

Hartford continued utilizing the long ball to their advantage as Zac Veen put the Yard Goats on the board in the second with a solo shot. Veen has now homered in back-to-back games. With Ronaiker Palma on first base, Kyle Datres doubled to right center field. Palma attempted to score on the play but was thrown out in the relay to the plate. Marcus Lee Sang and Robert Moore were credited with outfield assists on the play.

After two scoreless innings, the Yard Goats tacked on two more runs in the fifth. Datres and Abael Amador reached on back-to-back infield singles and Ryan Ritter walked to load the bases. Warming Bernabel drove in two runs on a bloop double to shallow left field. Hartford extended their lead, to 3-0.

The Fightin Phils broke up a no-hitter in the home half of the fifth inning. After a lead-off walk by Bryce Ball, Kendall Simmons launched a two-run home run to left field in his first game back from the injured list. Fightins cut the deficit to one run, as Hartford held the lead, 3-2.

Hartford earned two runs back in the fifth inning on three hits and a fielding error by Kendall Simmons. The Yard Goats retook their three-run lead, 5-2. Carlos De La Cruz launched his first home run of the season in the sixth, bringing the Fightins within two.

Reading blew the game open in the seventh inning as they scored a season-high six runs in the inning on six runs hits which was also a season-high. They sent nine batters to the plate. The rally began with a lead-off double by Kendall Simmons, who advanced to third on a wild pitch. Ethan Wilson drove home a run with an RBI single, bringing Reading within one run, 5-4. Wilson then stole second base. William Simoneit was hit by a pitch and Marcus Lee Sang reached on a bunt single to load the bases.

Robert Moore drove in the game's tying run on a line drive RBI single to right field. The game became tied at five and the bases remained loaded with no outs. Jose Rodriguez kept the inning alive with a 2-run RBI single, to give Reading a 7-5 lead. De La Cruz broke the game open with his second homer of the night, a two-run shot. His last career two-home run game was July 23, 2022 with Jersey Shore. The Fightins came from behind in the inning and took a 9-5 lead.

The Yard Goats scored two runs in the eighth thanks to a two-run homer by Sterlin Thompson, 9-7 Fightins still lead. The Fightins earned a run back in the bottom of the eighth as Simmons scored on a wild pitch by Jacob Kostyshock. The Yard Goats scored one more run in the ninth with an RBI single by Bladimir Restituyo but ultimately fell to the Fightins losing their sixth straight.

The Fightin Phils and Yard Goats return to action Friday at 6:45 p.m. LHP Lachlan Wells gets the start for Reading, and he will go opposite RHP Andrew Quezada for Hartford. Radio coverage gets underway at 6:30 p.m. on rphils.com/radio. A video stream is additionally available on MiLB TV or the Bally Live App.

Friday features fireworks, presented by Kia and Saturday's fireworks by Adams and Associates. The series finishes Sunday with a Mother's Day Crossbody Phanny Pack for the first 1,500 women older than 18, thanks to Reading Hospital McGlinn Cancer Institute. To buy tickets, call 610-370-BALL, go to rphils.com/tickets or in-person at the Customers Bank Ticket Office. The Fightin Phils Brentwood Industries Team Store is open both in-person or online 24/7 at rphils.com/shop.

The 2024 R-Phils season is presented by Pepsi. Follow the Fightin Phils on Twitter @ReadingFightins, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Instagram @Fightins.