Reading Drops to Richmond on Independence Day

BOX SCORE | REA 7, RIC 5

The Reading Fightin Phils battled hard against the Richmond Flying Squirrels but fell 15-7 in a three hour and 23 minute contest. The R-Phils racked up twelve hits, two more then their opponents.

Wendell Rijo, Johan Rojas, and *Jhailyn Ortiz *all had three hit games, while Ortiz also launched his 13th homer of the season.

Richmond scored early and often in the contest, plating 15 runs in the first four innings.

They scored three in the first thanks to an RBI single from Frankie Tostado and a two-run shot from Sean Roby.

Reading bounced back in the top of the second as Aldrem Corredor *grounded home *Vito Friscia and a RBI single from Rijo brought in Ortiz.

The Squirrels tacked on four more in the bottom half with another two-run homer this time from Ricardo Genoves. Jacob Heyward scored on a wild pitch and a sac fly brought home Mike Gigliotti. They led 7-2.

Richmond plated five more in the third on five hits. A double from Shane Matheny brought home two , Hayward scored on an error and back to back singles from Brett Auerbach and Diego Rincones crossed two more.

Another three runs scored for the home team on a Heyward homer to put the Flying Squirrels up 15-2. Everyone in Richmond’s starting nine contributed.

The Fightins worked to cut down the lead putting up two in the fifth. A sac fly from Simon Muzziotti drove in Jonathan Guzman while an RBI single from Ortiz sent home Rojas. Reading trailed 15-4.

Ortiz homered for the 13th time this season to lead off the seventh, while two more runs scored as the Fightins walked in two runs with the bases loaded. The final score was 15-7 Richmond.

Colton Eastman got the start allowing seven runs, five earned on four hits.

Carlo Reyes came in for the third but could only record two outs. He let up five runs, four earned, on five hits.

Mike Adams came in for the final out of the third and got a grounder. He took another two frames allowing a three-run homer in the fourth, but taking down Richmond 1-2-3 in the fifth.

Billy Sullivan tossed two clean frames, walking two and striking out four.

Tyler McKay took the eighth and put up a zero.