Stassi, Sullivan Prove Talent in Extras Victory

BOX SCORE - Reading 9, Harrisburg 8 (10)

The Reading Fightin Phils took the Harrisburg Senators 9 to 8 in 10 innings on Tuesday night in game number one of the six game set. Both offenses scored early and often as six balls were sent out of FBN Field.

Jorge Bonifacio put his seventh ball of the season out of the park in the bottom of the first scoring Daniel Brito after he reached on a double.

Harrisburg countered in the bottom half with a similar setup as Corban Joesph doubled and scored on a homer from Jackson Reetz.

Bonifacio led off the third with a single and Madison Stokes followed with a walk. Dalton Guthrie batted them both in with a triple to the deepest part of center field. Guthrie was plated thanks to Luke Miller’s base hit.

Of course, the Senators added a run in their home half as Cole Freeman rocketed a solo shot to left field, making it 5 to 3.

In the top o the fifth, the R-Phils added two more homers of their own. McCarthy Tatum notched his fourth of the season, while Miller helped himself to his seventh, scoring Guthrie. The Fightins took a 7 to 3 lead.

Harrisburg retaliated once again as Jecksson Flores led things off with a triple and was sent home by Ramon Flores pinch hit single. Joseph and Reetz walked to load the bases. Aldrem Corredor recorded an tight RBI single to Miller. Miller went to get the runner at the plate, but a throwing error allowed Joseph and Reetz to score bringing Harrisburg within a run of the Fightins.

In the top of the seventh, Joseph tied up the ballgame at eight with his solo shot to right field.

The score remained tied through nine.

The Fightins started the tenth with Jack Conley on second as per MiLB rules. Brock Stassi lined a heater in front of the right fielder to send Conley home making the score 9 to 8. That was Stassi’s first hit in a Reading jersey since 2015 and first at-bat since being signed as a free agent by the Phillies yesterday.

Billy Sullivan shut down Harrisburg in the tenth to record the save (S, 2) after taking down the Senators 1-2-3 in the ninth.