(Curve, PA) - The Reading Fightin Phils (60-54) would see Elniery García make his first start for the team since September, but it wouldn't provide the spark they hoped for. The Altoona Curve (59-55) would beat Reading 6-4 to set up the rubber-game on Thursday night at PNG Field. Pablo
(Curve, PA) - The Reading Fightin Phils (60-54) would see Elniery García make his first start for the team since September, but it wouldn't provide the spark they hoped for. The Altoona Curve (59-55) would beat Reading 6-4 to set up the rubber-game on Thursday night at PNG Field.
Pablo Reyes hit a sacrifice fly off Garcia in the bottom of the third inning to give Altoona a 1-0 lead. Garcia would last just four innings as he allowed one run off three hits and one walk with two strikeouts. The Curve added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning against Ranfi Casimiro to extend their lead to 3-0. Jerrick Suiter would hit a two-run single to score Reyes and Curve starter J.T. Brubaker.
The Fightin Phils would finally get on the board against Brubaker in the top of the sixth inning. Kyle Martin led off the inning with a double then scored on a RBI single from Angelo Mora . Damek Tomscha and Deivi Grullon would hit back-to-back singles to chase Brubaker out of the game. Yeudy Garcia entered the game to pitch in relief of Brubaker. Cord Sandberg and Zach Coppola hit sacrifice flies to score Mora and Tomscha to tie the game at 3-3.
Jeff Singer (0-1) entered the bottom of the sixth inning to pitch in relief of Casimiro. Jonathan Schwind hit a pinch-hit three home run to break the 3-3 tie to give Altoona a 6-3 lead. Singer would pitch one more inning before Tom Windle would pitch the bottom of the eighth inning.
Reading scraped across a run in the top of the eighth inning against Sean Keselica. Tomscha scored on a wild pitch with Coppola standing on the plate. The run would cut Altoona's lead to 6-4.
Luis Heredia would earn his first save for the Curve by pitching 1 1/3 scoreless innings in relief. Yeudy Garcia (4-7) would earn the win as he pitched a scoreless inning in relief of Brubaker.
America's Classic Ballpark is proud to be a part of Pennsylvania's Americana Region. Season tickets for the 2017 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.
