Fightins take series over Portland

The Reading Fightin Phils (53-22) offense got the best of the Portland Sea Dogs (26-47) again as they won 8-4. They recorded 10 hits in the victory and clinch the series over Portland. Reading is 31 games over .500 for the first time this season.  

The Fightin Phils scored three runs in the top of the first against SeaDogs starter Teddy Stankiewicz (2-7). Jesmuel Valentin led off the game with a walk then scored on a two-run home run from Andrew Pullin. Pullin extended his hitting-streak to 19 games, his first 16 were with Clearwater. The home run was his first AA home run. Jake Fox hit a RBI single to score Jorge Alfaro for the final run of the inning.

Stankiewicz only recorded two outs in the inning before being pulled from the game. Ben Taylor entered the game and got Angelo Mora to ground-out to first base to end in the inning. Tzu-Wei Lin hit a home run off Ricardo Pinto (3-3) in the bottom of the first to cut Reading's lead to 3-1.

Aaron Brown hit a two-run single off Taylor in the top of the fourth to give Reading a 5-1 lead. Lin and Mauricio Dubon hit back-to-back RBI singles off Pinto in the bottom of the fifth to cut the Fightins lead to 5-3. The Fightins grabbed an 8-3 lead off Ty Buttrey in the top of the seventh.  Alfaro, Rhys Hoskins and Fox all hit RBI doubles. 

Portland got another run off Pinto in the bottom of the seventh to make it a four-run game. Pinto left the game after 6 2/3 innings as Alexis Rivero entered the game to record the final out of the inning. He got Cody Decker to fly out to right-field to end the inning. Rivero pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings to earn his first AA save.  

The Fightin Phils and SeaDogs will finish their series on Sunday afternoon with the Sea Dogs. First pitch is at 1:00 pm. Fans can listen to the game on Sports Radio AM 1240/FM 98.5 and fightins.com beginning at 12:30 pm.

Tickets for the 2016 season are available online at Fightins.com, by phone at 610-370-BALL, and in-person at FirstEnergy Stadium.