Team Effort Powers Reading to win over Akron

BOX SCORE - Reading 3, Akron 1

The Reading Fightin Phils topped the Akron RubberDucks 3-1 on a beautiful Wednesday night at Canal Park. Hitting with runners in scoring position and a strong bullpen powered them to victory.

Madison Stokes led off the ballgame by smacking a home run to left on the first pitch he saw.

Akron tied it up at one in the third after a sacrifice fly off the bat of Brayan Rocchio scored Marcos Gonzalez.

In the sixth, Jhailyn Ortiz walked down to first and quickly stole second. A throwing error by the catcher Bo Naylor allowed him to reach third. Josh Ockimey belted a double to score Ortiz and break the tie. Wendell Rijo followed with a double of his own to send Ockimey across the plate. Reading led 3-1 and never relinquished.

Noah Skirrow had an impressive seasonal debut throwing five innings of one run ball. The starter tied a career high with six strikeouts. Zach Warren came out of the bullpen first allowing just one hit. Braden Zarbnisky took the seventh in 10 pitches letting up just one hit. Francisco Morales did the same in the eighth. Brian Marconi took the ninth. After allowing a walk and a hit by pitch, he sat down the RubberDucks to notch his first save of the season.

First pitch at Canal Park on Thursday, April 14 is set for 6:35pm. Reading will send out righty James McArthur for second start of the 2022 debut.

The Double-A affiliate of the Phillies will return home on April 19 with a 6:45 start against the Harrisburg Senators (Nationals). Come celebrate the beginning of a great summer with us! Visit rphils.com/tickets, the Weidenhammer Ticket Office, or call 610-370-BALL to secure your tickets to a game!

The 2022 season is presented by Pepsi.

America's Classic Ballpark is proud to be a part of Pennsylvania's Americana Region and was voted the #1 stadium in all of Double-A by MiLB's Ben Hill. Follow the R-Phils at rphils.com, on Twitter and TikTok at @ReadingFightins, on Instagram @fightins, and like them on Facebook via www.facebook.com/fightins for all information.