R-Phils Walk-Off With 7-6 Win Saturday

(Reading, PA) – It was the highest attended game of the season. It had one of the most exciting finishes of the season. It helped move the R-Phils closer to postseason baseball. It was Reading Phillies baseball at its finest.

Fidel Hernandez came on as a pinch-runner in the eighth inning, and in the ninth, he became the hero.

Hernandez singled home Brent Clevlen in a four-run ninth inning, and the R-Phils went on to beat the Altoona Curve 7-6 on Saturday night in front of the 18th largest crowd in Reading Phillies history – 9,506 fans, at FirstEnergy Stadium.

With Reading trailing Altoona 6-3 heading into the ninth, the R-Phils were looking for some hope. The inning started off with back-to-back singles from Paco Figueroa and John Suomi. After a Michael Spidale fly-out, Steve Singleton stepped to the plate.

Singleton, 25, was already 2-3 with a run scored – but it was his at-bat in the ninth, which earned him the player of the game. The California native roped a two-run double to right center field, which plated Figueroa and Suomi to pull Reading within one run of Altoona – 6-5. After Carlos Rivero struck-out swinging, it was Brent Clevlen’s turn.

Clevlen doubled to deep center field to bring Singleton home, which tied the game at 6-6. He would then have one more chance to come up big in the inning.

With Clevlen now on second base – representing the game-winning run, Hernandez sent everyone home happy. The Venezuelan native singled through the hole at second base, Clevlen came around to score, and the R-Phils went on to win their third straight game – second-straight over Altoona.

All four runs in the ninth frame came off of Altoona reliever Michael Dubee (2-6, 3.27). Dubee, son of Philadelphia Phillies pitching coach Rich Dubee, allowed five hits, a walk, and the four runs in one inning of work.

The win went to R-Phils reliever Justin Friend (1-3, 2.78), who came on in the top of the ninth and tossed a scoreless inning. Reading starter B.J. Rosenberg went 2.2 innings and allowed three runs. He did not factor in the decision.

Reading (64-62) entered the day in sole possession of second place and they stayed there. Reading did however, move one game closer to the top spot.

The first place New Hampshire Fisher Cats were in New Britain on Saturday, and lost to the Rock Cats 5-4. With the New Hampshire loss, Reading pulled to five games back of the top spot in the Eastern Division.

As for Trenton, they hosted the Bowie Baysox in a doubleheader from Trenton, NJ, and began the day one half game behind the R-Phils. Trenton earned a win in game one (3-2), but fell in game two to Bowie (5-4). With the split, the R-Phils still control sole possession of second place, and now lead the Thunder by one full game. Both Trenton and New Britain are tied for third place – six games back of the Fisher Cats.

Reading and Altoona will conclude their series on Sunday. Taking the ball for Reading will be RHP Tyler Cloyd (4-3, 3.14), while Altoona will go with RHP Michael Colla (5-8, 3.61). First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m.

Phillers… Two of Singleton’s three hits were doubles… Michael Spidale went 1-5 with a run scored… He’s now hitting .319 on the season… Carlos Rivero went 0-5 and his 17-game hit-streak came to an end… Matt Rizzotti added two hits… Tuffy Gosewisch also had two hits… Reading combined to have 12 hits on the evening… Jake Diekman struck-out two batters over two innings… The National Penn Bank Reading Phillies Mascot Band will perform on Sunday in a special pre-game concert.