Cornelius Hits First Career Homer as R-Phils Comeback Falls Short

BOX SCORE - Reading 4, Hartford 5

The Reading Fightin Phils fell to the Hartford Yard Goats 5-4 on a Sunday afternoon game as their comeback attempt fell just short. Chris Cornelius hit his first professional home run in today’s contest. Matt Kroon, Luke Miller and Grenny Cumana all had two hit days. Kroon continued his hit streak to six games, while Logan O'Hoppe took his on-base streak to eight.

Hartford had an aggressive first inning against Francisco Morales. The first five batters reached on two hits and three base on balls. Two runs were walked in while three scored on a bases clearing single from Manny Melendez.

Reading plated their first run of the game in the third as three batters were hit by a pitch. When Matt Joyce was hit, the bases were loaded, which sent home Jack Conley.

In the fourth, Reading chipped away as Miller singled and was brought home on a long ball thanks to Cornelius. The R-Phils trailed 5-3.

Cumana double in Kroon from first in the top of the seventh. Reading cut Hartford’s lead down to one.

Francisco Morales (L, 3-13) was roughed up in the first inning. He recorded two outs while allowing five runs (four earned) on three hits and three walks. Tyler Carr finished the inning with a groundout. He went on to throw two more scoreless frames letting up no hits in his longest outing of the season. Nick Lackney pitched two clean innings of work, getting essential an essential double play with traffic on the base paths. Aneurys Zabala took the seventh and eighth without allowing a run and striking out two.