(Reading, PA) - After dropping three straight to the SeaWolves to wrap up the first part of their nine-game homestand, the Fightin Phils delivered one of their best offensive performances of the season in their first meeting against the Hartford Yard Goats. Jiandido Tromp set the tone atop the lineup
(Reading, PA) - After dropping three straight to the SeaWolves to wrap up the first part of their nine-game homestand, the Fightin Phils delivered one of their best offensive performances of the season in their first meeting against the Hartford Yard Goats. Jiandido Tromp set the tone atop the lineup with three doubles, and the Fightins finished with eight as they came within one hit of their season-high. 15 hits and a terrific start from Jake Waguespack gave game one to the hosts 9-2 before a crowd of 6,454 at America's Classic Ballpark.
Things heated up in the bottom of the second against lefthander Jack Wynkoop . All nine Fightin Phils came to the plate, and singles from Zach Green and Malquin Canelo allowed Drew Stankiewicz to open the scoring with a double. Waguespack chipped in with his first career RBI on a sacrifice fly, and Tromp's second double in as many innings made it 3-0. Jan Hernandez kept things rolling with an RBI single and Austin Listi had the sixth hit of the inning with a single.
Waguespack retired 15 straight until former Fightin Phil Brandon Bednar reached with a one out single in the top of the sixth. A couple of walks clogged the bases, and Brian Mundell got the Yard Goats their first run with an infield single to send Waguespack to the clubhouse after five-and-two-thirds with a career-high matching eight strikeouts. Edgar Garcia picked him up with an inning-and-a-third of scoreless relief as the offense kept padding the lead all throughout the night.
Doubles from Tromp and Listi {RBI} in the home fourth came before Darick Hall got involved with a sacrifice fly in Wynkoop's (3-7) last inning. In the end, he surrendered six runs on 10 hits, and the Fightins kept scoring on Hernandez' eighth home run in the sixth to go up 7-1. Green and Canelo walked in the seventh, and pinch-hitter Cornelius Randolph came through with a two-out, 2-RBI double for a commanding 9-1 advantage.
Major League rehabber Pat Neshek pitched the eighth inning for the second time on the homestand, allowing a run on Forrest Wall's infield single and a loud double to straightaway center from Rockies top prospect Brendan Rodgers . The sidearmer wasn't fazed, and looked real sharp as he struck out the next three hitters to retire the side. Jeff Singer later worked a scoreless ninth to snap the Fightin Phils three-game losing streak with Tromp, Hernandez, and Green all finishing with three hits.
America's Classic Ballpark is proud to be a part of Pennsylvania's Americana Region. Season tickets for the 2018 season are available online at Fightins.com, by phone at 610-370-BALL, and in-person at FirstEnergy Stadium. Follow the Fightin Phils on Twitter at @ReadingFightins and like them on Facebook via www.facebook.com/fightins.
