Spidale Becomes R-Phils All-Time Hits Leader in 6-5 10-Inning Loss Sunday

On Sunday afternoon, in front of 2,343 fans at Jerry Uht Park in Erie, PA, the Reading Phillies (25-23) received historic contributions from a respected, proven contributor, but ultimately were unable to overcome the Erie Sea Wolves (22-25) in a 6-5 10-inning loss. The setback spoiled a top-of-the-ninth-inning two-out, two-run, game-tying rally sparked by LF Michael Spidale, who during the contest established a new R-Phils franchise record for career base hits.

Entering the day tied for the team lead in all-time hits with former R-Phils outfielder and fellow Chicagoland native Aaron Royster (1996 - 2001), Spidale served as manager Mark Parent's lead-off hitter, with SS Freddy Galvis getting his first off-day of 2011. After striking out swinging against Erie RHP Jacob Turner (1-1 / 2.69 ERA) to open the third match-up of the R-Phils' four-game Memorial Day weekend series, Spidale returned to the plate to face the Detroit Tigers' top-rated prospect in the top of the third inning.

With two out, Spidle turned on a 2-1 fastball from Turner, socking a solo blast beyond Jerry Uht Park's left field wall that broke the R-Phils' nearly 10-year old career hit mark in dramatic, emphatic fashion. After rounding third base and crossing home plate following his first home run of the campaign, the 12-year professional baseball veteran was greeted by high-fiving teammates and coaches at the top of the stairwell leading down into the R-Phils' first-base side dugout.

Four innings later, in his first at-bat since being minted the organization's new hit king, Spidale had no designs on waiting to add to the 440 knocks that he had accumulated in re-writing the Baseballtown record books over portions of the last five seasons. With the R-Phils trailing 3-2 in the visitors' half of the seventh, Spidle connected on a clutch two-out single into left field that drew his club even with the Sea Wolves.

Erie, however, did its part to to ensure the tie was short-lived. Facing recently acquired veteran LHP Les Walrond, who earned a World Series championship ring by appearing in six games for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2008, the Sea Wolves surged back in front on DH Michael Bertram's two-out, two-run-scoring double into the right field corner.

Spidale emerged in the top of the ninth to help key a second equalizing spurt for the R-Phils, which were still trailing 5-3. After C Tim Kennelly hustled up the first-base line to deny Erie a game-ending twin-killing, Spidale aggressively laced a first-pitch single into left field that plated CF Derrick Mitchell from third base; Mitchell had reached earlier on a four-pitch free pass. 2B Niuman Romero, the next batter, seemed to follow Spidale's lead, flaring a first-pitch offering into right field, on which Kennelly zipped around third base from second, beating a throw to the dish to level the bout at 5-5.

Despite erasing their second multi-run deficit, the R-Phils were done in in the bottom of the tenth inning. Following Sea Wolves C Bryan Holaday's lead-off single, 3B Cody Overbeck, making his first start of the season at the hot corner, committed a throwing error on a bunt by SS Audy Ciriaco, setting up Erie with runners on both corners with none out. RF Adam Calderone, who opened the year with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, stepped in and smacked a left-field single off of RHP Phillippe Aumont (0-4 / 3.04 ERA) to end the game.

Spidale, a career .286 hitter with eight 100-hit seasons, finished the afternoon 3-5 with a single-game season-high 3 RBI. His home run that eclipsed the R-Phils' previous career hit record was his first since going 4-5 in a June 23rd, 2010 appearance against Bowie.

On Monday at 1:05 PM in a Memorial Day matinee meeting, the Reading Phillies seek a four-game series split with the Erie Sea Wolves. LHP Ryan Edell (3-1 / 4.05 ERA) goes for his first winning decision since May 7th. Live pre-game coverage on the R-Phils Radio Network (1240 ESPN AM / www.rphils.com) begins at 12:30 PM EST.