Fightins drop Game One of EDCS

(Trenton, NJ) - Mark Leiter Jr. (0-1) tied a career high 10 strikeouts in Game One of the Eastern Division Championship Series on Wednesday night. The Trenton Thunder (1-0) defeated the Reading Fightin Phils (0-1) 3-2 as Dante Bichette Jr. scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the seventh.  

Trenton got on the scoreboard first in the bottom of the second. Mark Payton hit a one-out triple then scored on a RBI double from Dante Bichette Jr. as the Thunder took a 1-0 lead against Leiter Jr. Reading tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the third. Jorge Alfaro hit a RBI single off Thunder starter Ronald Herrera to score Roman Quinn. 

Mike Ford led off the bottom of the fourth with a double. Mark Payton drove him home with a RBI double off Leiter Jr. to give the Thunder a 2-1 lead. The Fightin Phils tied the game at 2-2 in the top of the fifth as Dylan Cozens hit a RBI double off Herrera to score Quinn.  

Herrera left the game after five innings. Travis Hissong struck out three batters through 1 2/3 innings. James Reeves gave up a single to Cozens before J.P. Feyereisen (1-0) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings for the win. Tyler Jones retired the side in the top of the ninth to earn the save.

Hoby Milner pitched a scoreless inning in the bottom of the eighth. Leiter Jr. last had 10 strikeouts on 8/14/14 vs. Dunedin when he pitched for Clearwater.    

The Fightin Phils and Trenton will play Game Two of the Eastern Division Series on Thursday night at Arm & Hammer Park. First pitch is at 7:00 pm. Fans can listen to the game on Sports Radio AM 1240/FM 98.5 and fightins.com beginning at 6:30 pm. 

2016 playoff tickets are available online at Fightins.com, by phone at 610-370-BALL, and in-person at FirstEnergy Stadium.