Wilson and Podkul Shine as Reading Wins Slugfest

BOX SCORE

(Reading, PA) - Three hits each, and back-to-back, home runs from Nick Podkul and Ethan Wilson, propelled the Reading Fightin Phils to a 13-7 win over the New Hampshire Fisher Cats on Thursday night. New Hampshire holds a 2-1 edge at the series' midway point.

Reading struck first in the top of the second inning. Oliver Dunn and Matthew Kroon each worked walks off of New Hampshire Starter Chad Dallas, which brought Nick Podkul up with two runners on. Podkul proceeded to double to right, which scored both Dunn and Kroon and put Reading up 2-0.

With the double, Podkul has now reached base in 19-straight games, which is a Reading season high. The last Fightin Phils to reach base in 20-straight games was Logan O'Hoppe one season ago when he did it in 21-straight games. Carlos De La Cruz also reached base for the 18th-straight game.

In the bottom of the inning, Reading's starter Tyler Phillips allowed a single to Phil Clarke and then issued a walk to PK Morris. Phillips then surrendered a home run to Sebastien Espino, which put the Fisher Cats up 3-2.

Reading re-took the lead in the fourth. With Kroon on third, Max McDowell hit a sacrifice fly to score him. Then, with bases loaded, Carlos De La Cruz worked a walk to score Podkul and make it 4-3 Reading. In the top of the fifth, Kroon doubled then Ethan Wilson doubled home Kroon to increase it to a 5-3 Fightin Phils lead.

New Hampshire tied it up in the bottom of the fifth when Rainer Nunez singled home both Leo Jiminez and Orelvis Martinez to tie the game up at five. The Fisher Cats would then grab the lead 6-5 in the sixth after Jiminez hit a sacrifice fly to score Morris.

The Fightin Phils wouldn't be down for long though. In the top of the seventh, Wilson doubled for the second time in the game to score Kroon and tie the game at six. Madison Stokes then hit into an infield that scored Max McDowell. But, in the bottom of the inning, Orelvis Martinez continued his torrid run against Reading with a solo home run. At the end of the seventh, Reading led 8-7.

In the eighth inning, the R-Phils broke the game wide open with five runs. Kroon singled to right with the infield in to score Oliver Dunn. Then, Podkul and Wilson hit back-to-back home runs to put the exclamation point on an excellent offensive night and put Reading up 13-7 at the end of the top of the eighth.

The win went to Reading's Braden Zarbnisky, who improves to 2-1 on the season. New Hampshire's Gabriel Ponce suffered the loss to drop to 2-2. With the win, the Fightin Phils improve to 19-28 on the season, while the Fisher Cats drop to 24-23 on the year.

Reading is back in action Friday night at New Hampshire. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m. and you can watch the action on MiLB TV or the Bally Live App. RHP Mick Abel is scheduled to get the start for Reading, and he will go opposite New Hampshire RHP Paxton Schultz.

The Fightin Phils return home Tuesday, June 6, at 7 p.m. against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies to open a 12-game homestand that spans from June 6-18. Tickets to all games are still available, but going fast. Get yours at rphils.com/tickets, by calling 610-370-BALL or in-person at the Customers Banks Ticket Office.

The 2023 R-Phils season is presented by Pepsi. Follow the Fightin Phils on Twitter @ReadingFightins, like us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram @Fightins.