(Harrisburg, PA) - Damon Jones wasn't officially added to the Fightin Phils roster until about 30 minutes before first pitch in Sunday's series finale against the Senators at FNB Field. The lefthander's Double-A debut couldn't have gone much better, and he struck out a career-high 12 over six innings, becoming
(Harrisburg, PA) - Damon Jones wasn't officially added to the Fightin Phils roster until about 30 minutes before first pitch in Sunday's series finale against the Senators at FNB Field. The lefthander's Double-A debut couldn't have gone much better, and he struck out a career-high 12 over six innings, becoming the first Fightins starter to accomplish the feat since Ben Lively on May 15, 2016 in Trenton. In another low-scoring and well-pitched game between the teams, Darick Hall's eighth inning double scored Mickey Moniak to give the Fightins the weekend series with a 2-1 win on Father's Day.
After getting shut out in the middle game on Saturday, the lineup had more juice early on against Senators starter Jackson Tetreault , who had won his Double-A debut in Reading on April 29th. He worked around a pair of singles from Major League rehabber Roman Quinn and Austin Listi in the first, but was greeted rudely by Henri Lartigue in the second with a no-doubter to right for his third homer and a 1-0 lead.
Jones' debut started perfectly with five strikeouts the first time through the lineup, and he didn't allow his first baserunner until center fielder Hunter Jones led off the fourth with a walk. On a hit-and-run, Luis Garcia singled down the left field line to put a pair at the corners for the Senators, who tied the score when Austin Davidson drove in his 17th run with a sacrifice fly. Jones brushed it off, and finished his six innings by retiring the last eight batters he faced, with seven coming on strikeouts.
The score remained tied until the top of the eighth inning, which started when Moniak drew a four-pitch walk against Jacob Condra-Bogan to reach his second 16-game on-base streak of the season. Two batters later, Hall hit a no-doubt gapper into left center, scoring Moniak with his 16th double and 40th run batted in for a 2-1 lead.
Jakob Hernandez soon got help from Moniak to close out his second perfect inning of relief in the bottom of the eighth. With two outs and the bases empty, shortstop Luis Sardiñas drilled a ball into the right field corner, where Moniak leapt up at the top of the wall to pull it back in for the catch of the year. That game-saving play kept Reading in front at 2-1, and gave Addison Russ the save chance in the ninth inning.
Despite blowing a 2-1 lead nearly two months prior on City Island in a 3-2 loss, Russ got redemption this time around. Pinch-hitter Ian Sagdal led off with a base hit to bring up the winning run, but Russ retired the next three in order for his ninth save and a series win. With no more regular season games remaining against the first half champs in the Western Division, the R-Phils and Senators finish the season series an identical 8-8 (3-3 at FirstEnergy Stadium, 5-5 at FNB Field).
The first half in the Eastern Division will be decided on Tuesday night when the Fightin Phils (38-28) return home to face the Akron RubberDucks, while the Thunder (37-27) will host the Flying Squirrels. If Reading wins and Trenton loses, the Fightin Phils will be the first-half champions. A Trenton win will eliminate the Fightin Phils regardless of the outcome against the RubberDucks.
America's Classic Ballpark is proud to be a part of Pennsylvania's Americana Region. Season tickets for the 2019 season are available online at Fightins.com, by phone at 610-370-BALL, and in-person at the Weidenhammer Ticket Office at FirstEnergy Stadium. Follow the Fightin Phils on Twitter at @ReadingFightins, Instagram at @fightins, and like them on Facebook via www.facebook.com/fightins.
