Hot Dogs Best Burgers in Sunday Battle

BOX SCORE | HFD 3, REA 6

The Reading Fightin Phils (Hot Dogs) came from behind in a back-and-forth contest to defeat the Hartford Yard Goats (Burgers) 6-3 and pick up a series victory on Sunday.

Wendell Rijo and Jack Conley each had solo home runs and Simon Muzziotti connected for three hits and two runs. Rijo, Jhailyn Ortiz and Sal Gozzo each added two hits for the Fightins. Reading’s pitching staff combined for 10 strikeouts, led by six from Griff McGarry.

Michael Toglia put Hartford up 1-0 with a solo home run in the top of the second inning.

The R-Phils answered in the following frame. Rijo hit a solo shot to left center field to tie the game. It was his second home run of the series.

Conley gave Reading the lead in the bottom of the fourth. He lifted a solo homer of his own to left center field, his sixth home run of the season.

In the bottom of the fifth, Ortiz hit a single to left field and stole second. With two outs, Carlos De La Cruz blasted an RBI double to the wall to give the home team a 3-1 lead.

Hartford equalized in the top of the sixth. With bases loaded and two outs, Isaac Collins singled home two runners to knot the game at three runs apiece.

Reading retook the lead in the bottom of the seventh. Muzziotti led off with a single and advanced to third on Rijo’s double. With one out, the Yard Goats intentionally walked Aldrem Corredor to load the bases. A strikeout made two, but Conley followed with a walk to force in a run. Jonathan Guzman reached on a fielding error and another run scored to give the R-Phils a two-run lead.

The Fightins tacked on an insurance run in the following frame. With one out, Muzziotti lined a single to right field. He swiped his second bag of the game and scored on Ortiz’s single. Ortiz attempted to take second but was thrown out at the base to end the inning.

Hartford put runners on first and second with nobody out thanks to a walk and a single. Brian Marconi picked up a strikeout and induced a game-ending double play to get out of the jam.

McGarry impressed in his first start at home. He went four innings and gave up one hit on Toglia’s solo shot in the second. The righty finished with six strikeouts.

Erik Miller relieved McGarry in the fifth inning. He went 1.2 frames and gave up two runs on three hits while striking out two.

Billy Sullivan came in with two outs in the sixth inning. He induced a flyout to end the frame and pitched the seventh inning. Sullivan didn’t allow a run or hit while fanning one. He picked up the win on Sunday.

Andrew Schultz pitched a clean eighth frame and didn’t allow a runner to reach.

Marconi held the Yard Goats scoreless in the top of the ninth inning to preserve the win and pick up his 15th save of the season. He is currently tied for 3rd in this category in all of Minor League Baseball.