Fightin's Homer Their Way to Win Against Yard Goats

August 7, 2019
Final: Reading Fightin Phils 8, Hartford Yard Goats 5   
WP: Addison Russ (4-5)
LP: Scott Griggs (1-2)
SV: none
T: 2:28 (55 minute delay to start)
A: 4.603

Fightin's Homer Their Way to Win Against Yard Goats
Reading, PA- The Fightin Phils cranked five home runs, including a pinch-hit walkoff homer by Josh Steven in the bottom of the ninth inning, to defeat the Yard Goats 8-5 on Wednesday night at FirstEnergy Stadium in Reading, Pennsylvania. Mickey Moniak, who was the overall number one pick in the 2016 Major League draft, smashed two homers, and Alec Bohm and Arquimedes Gamboa each hit solo homers as the Fightins extended their win streak to six consecutive wins. Tyler Nevin blasted a three-run home run for the Yard Goats who fell 9.5 games behind first place Reading in the standings.
The first of Reading's five homers came in the very first inning as Mickey Moniak connected against Harford starter Brandon Gold to give the Fightin Phils a 1-0 lead. The Yard Goats took a 3-1 lead in the third inning when Tyler Nevin belted a three-run homer into the left field party deck. It was Nevin's eighth homer of the season.
Reading tied the game in the bottom of the third inning on Moniak's second homer in two at-bats and it was 3-3 after three innings. The Fightins took a 5-3 lead with a pair of solo home runs in the sixth inning. Alex Bohm led off the inning with a homer to centerfield to break the tie and put the Fightins ahead 4-3, and Arquimedes Gamboa connected on a two out shot to right field to make it 5-3 game.
The Yard Goats tied the game with a two-out rally in the seventh off reliever Aaron Brown. Manny Melendez singled home Brian Serven and Vance Vizcaino belted an 0-2 pitch to centerfield for a single scoring Melendez to tie the game at 5-5.
In the ninth, Gamboa reached on a one out walk against reliever Scott Griggs. Raul Rivas then singled to left field putting runners at first and second base with two outs. Josh Steven, batting for the pitcher in the nine hole, hit a pinch-hit three-run walkoff home run to left field giving the Fightin Phils a 8-5 win.           
The Yard Goats wrap up the three-game series in Reading, Pennsylvania on Thursday evening at 7:10. The Yard Goats return to Dunkin' Donuts Park on Friday night (7:05 PM) and will host the New York Mets affiliate, the Binghamton Rumble Ponies. The game will be broadcast on AM 1410 WPOP and 100.9 FM and streamed on newsradio.1410.com and MiLB.com.