Abel Strong as Reading Tops Hartford

BOX SCORE

(Reading, PA) - The Reading Fightin Phils secured victory over the Hartford Yard Goats 8-3 Thursday Night thanks to a solid pitching performance from Mick Abel.

The Phillies number-two prospect went a solid five innings on the mound, while striking out seven Hartford batters and allowing four hits.

Though Abel had a solid pitching performance, Hartford struck early. The Yard Goats scored first in the top of the first thanks to a solo home run from Hunter Goodman. This was Goodman's Eastern League best 18th home run of the season and made it 1-0 Hartford.

The Fightin Phils fought back in the bottom half of the inning. Madison Stokes led off and sneaked a ground ball down the left field line for a double, his 13th on the year. Carlos De La Cruz followed with his first triple of the season into the right field corner, scoring Stokes to tie the game up at 1-1.

The triple from De La Cruz moved his on-base streak to 30 games, making him the first R-Phil since Cameron Perkins (33) in 2014 to have a 30-or-more game on-base streak.

Reading added another run after Johan Rojas grounded out to score De La Cruz to give the R-Phils the Lead 2-1.

Hartford responded in the top of the second inning. Colin Simpson doubled to start things off for the Yard Goats. Another double to Christopher Navarro scored Simpson to tie the game at 2-2.

The Fightin Phils took the lead back in the bottom of the fifth. Rojas got the bats going with a double to right field. Nick Podkul came in clutch with a line drive to center, scoring Rojas to make it 3-2 Fightin Phils.

Cristian Hernandez came in for relief of Abel after the right-handed pitcher finished with 90 pitches on the night. Hernandez threw two solid innings for Reading, allowing only one hit and striking out two.

Reading broke the game wide open in the bottom of the seventh, without recording any hits in the inning. McCarthy Tatum reached first after being hit by a pitch. He would later steal and take third after a throwing error from the catcher. After a walk from Cody Roberts, Madison Stokes reached on a fielder's choice to score Tatum to make it 4-2 Reading. Yard Goats reliever Austin Kitchen walked Rojas to load the bases and later Podkul to make it 5-2 Reading.

Nick Kuzia would come in relief of Kitchen, and immediately hit Matthew Kroon to score another for Reading. The Fightin Phils would add one more thanks to a sacrifice fly from Casey Martin. Reading scored four in the inning and took a commanding 7-2 lead.

Hartford would add another in the top of the eighth. Braxton Fulford would start with a double. After Zac Veen reached on a walk, he would be caught stealing second, but Fulford would steal home on the play to make it 7-3 Reading.

Reading added an insurance run in the eighth. After Tatum reached on a throwing error, Stokes singled to bring him in to make it 8-3 Reading. The R-Phils would not score again in the inning while leaving the bases loaded after two-more walks for Rojas and Podkul.

Hernandez earned the win for Reading to improve to 3-0 this season, while Joe Rock suffered the loss for Hartford to fall to 0-3 on the year. With the win, Reading improves to 23-36 on the season, while Hartford falls to 25-34.

Reading and Hartford return to action Friday night at 7 p.m. RHP Griff McGarry is set to get the start for Reading, opposite Hartford's RHP Chris McMahon. Pregame coverage is underway at 6:45 p.m. and can be listened to at rphils.com/radio. Video streaming is also available on MiLB TV or the Bally Live App.

Friday includes fireworks, Saturday includes appearances from Penn State's Nicholas Singleton, J'Ven Williams and Joey Schlaffer and Carpenter MEGA Blast Fireworks, the largest in stadium history. Finally, on Sunday the first 2,000 men 18 and older will receive an R-Phils No. 1 Dad Bucket Hat. Tickets are available at rphils.com/tickets, by calling 610-370-BALL or in-person at the Customers Bank Ticket Office.

The 2023 R-Phils season is presented by Pepsi. Follow the Fightin Phils on Twitter @ReadingFightins, like us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram @Fightins.