Stokes, Rain Give Fightins a Victory

BOX SCORE - Hartford 1, Reading 2 (5th)

The Reading Fightin Phils took Friday night's game over the Hartford Yard Goats 2 to 1 in a rain shortened game that ended in the bottom of the 5th. The game began as a pitchers duel as both starters threw scoreless first and second innings. In the top of the fourth, Taylor Snyder took a ball over the right field fence to make it 1-0. Then, the rain started coming in the fifth. Austin Ross took down Hartford 1-2-3 in the top half. Daniel Brito led off the bottom half with a single, while Bryson Stott had one of his own as well. Matt Vierling's RBI single plated Brito to tie things up. Then, Madison Stokes sent the go-ahead run as Stott crossed home on a sacrifice fly to center to make it 2 to 1.

With the rain coming down, McCarthy Tatum was hit by a pitch and Arquimedes Gamboa walked to load the bases. Finally the umpire crew sent the players back to their dugouts as the Front Office staff raced to put the tarp on the field. After waiting it out for a half hour, the game was called. As per MiLB rules four and a half innings is considered a complete game, the R-Phils remained on top to take game four.