(Reading, PA) - Most of the energy around FirstEnergy Stadium on Friday night was saved for the later innings to start the final home series of the season. The Fightin Phils and Sea Dogs battled in another close one, but Reading's resilience paid off and Austin Listi's game-tying two-run single
(Reading, PA) - Most of the energy around FirstEnergy Stadium on Friday night was saved for the later innings to start the final home series of the season. The Fightin Phils and Sea Dogs battled in another close one, but Reading's resilience paid off and Austin Listi's game-tying two-run single in the eighth forced extras. In his only plate appearance of the night, Malquin Canelo drew a bases loaded walk in the bottom of the tenth to hand the Fightins a 5-4 win before the second largest crowd of the season with 9,183 in attendance.
The Sea Dogs struck first against Fightin Phils starter Ranfi Casimiro , who had to battle early before growing stronger as the night wore on. After back-to-back singles opened the top of the second, the Sea Dogs pounced and scored on two wild pitches. Casimiro allowed just the one run over six innings, limiting the damage with runners on base despite the visitors collecting seven hits off him.
Esteban Quiroz made it 3-0 with a two-RBI single off Aaron Brown in the top of the seventh before Luke Tendler lined out into an inning-ending double play. In the home half, Reading answered back with two runs on a Listi single and a sacrifice fly from Adam Haseley .
Chris Madera soon led off the eighth with a single and after advancing to second on a pair of groundouts, scored on Danny Mars' line drive into center field. Trailing 4-2 and down to their last six outs, the Fightin Phils went to work against the back of the 'Dogs bullpen.
A two out rally started with a walk to Jose Pujols and a single by Damek Tomscha , who was removed for Canelo as the tying run at first. A passed ball from Jordan Weems pushed the tying runs into scoring position for Listi, who came through in the clutch again with a game-tying single into left field.
Needing extra innings to decide it, lefthander Kyle Dohy (2-4) held the fort in a 1-2-3 top of the tenth. Pinch-runner Drew Stankiewicz then started the bottom of the tenth as the startup runner at second base. And with the winning run already in scoring position, Cornelius Randolph snuck his second single of the night into center field to bump Stankiewicz to third. Deivi Grullon was intentionally walked to load the bases with no outs, and two batters later, Canelo's patience produced a bases loaded walk for a 5-4 winner in three hours and 27 minutes.
America's Classic Ballpark is proud to be a part of Pennsylvania's Americana Region. Season tickets for the 2018 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.
