Lieberthal returns to Reading
In the start of his rehab assignment, Lieberthal played five innings behind the dish and was hitless in three trips to the plate. It was Winchester, a little-used backup catcher, who drove in the winning run.
Winchester shot a ground ball through the left side that easily plated Michael Bourn and gave the Phillies (17-29) their third straight win. Bourn had drawn a one-out walk and raced to third on an errant pickoff attempt by reliever Billy Sadler.
The Phillies' former All-Star backstop made his first start since getting hit on the left knee by a John Thomson fastball on May 4 against the Atlanta Braves. Lieberthal, a 1990 first-round draft pick, was back in Reading for the first time since 1992.
"It felt great and I didn't have any problems," he said. "The biggest thing was really getting back there, catching game situations and moving around."
Reading starter Dan Haigwood certainly appreciated having someone with Lieberthal's experience behind the plate as the young left-hander held the Defenders to one run on one hit over 6 1/3 innings. He walked five but struck out eight.
"He's got great stuff," Lieberthal said of Haigwood, who came with Aaron Rowand to Philadelphia in the deal that sent Jim Thome to the Chicago White Sox. "He's got some really good curveballs and sliders and change-ups. The only thing he really needs to work on is his location. The stuff is there."
Luke Lockwood (2-2) got the win after pitching a scoreless 11th inning.
The Phillies had a tough time against Connecticut starter Chris Begg, who matched Haigwood and did not leave until being lifted for a pinch-hitter in the 10th.
The 26-year-old Canadian gave up one hit through seven innings and faced the minimum before Matt Padgett reached on an error by center fielder Clay Timpner, leading to Reading's first run.
"I've gotten in grooves like that before," Begg said. "Sometimes I would give up a hit early and then, before you know it, I'm able to put down a bunch of batters in a row.
"This was also the first time I worked with (Brian) Munhall, since he's usually our No. 2 guy behind the plate. But after what happened last night, we had to make the best out of the situation and we just got on the same page real quick."
Nine players were ejected following a bench-clearing incident in Friday's game.
Begg allowed an unearned run on three hits over nine innings with five strikeouts and no walks.
Jake Wald drove in the only run for the Defenders (26-19) when he reached on an infield hit in the fifth. Connecticut's Brian Buscher went 2-for-4 with a walk and a run scored.
Sadler (1-2) came away with the loss as he allowed an unearned run on two hits and two walks over 1 1/3 innings.
Michael Echan is a contributor to MLB.com.