Skip to main content

Reading puts exclamation point on regular season, playoffs next

TRENTON-- The Double-A Readin Fightin Phils (89-52) used their last turn at bat in the regular season to remind everyone why they were dominant all season long, launching three home runs in the 10th inning to lock down an 11-6 victory over the rival Trenton Thunder (87-55) on Monday at ARM & HAMMER Park.

The heart of the Fightins' batting order did what fans had become accustomed to seeing throughout 2016 from their powerhouse lineup. Outfielder Dylan Cozens, who is a virtual lock to be named the Eastern League's Most Valuable Player, increased his team home run record when he blasted his 40th long ball of the season, deep to right field off of Thunder reliever Cale Coshow.

The Cozens blast was the farthest ball I've seen hit into the water of the Delaware River in my 20-plus years of going to baseball games at the former Waterfront Park.



Continuing with ways of the "bash brothers", first baseman Rhys Hoskins launched his 38th homer of the season in the very next at bat to pad the visitors' lead. Following a Jake Fox single, third baseman Harold Martinez blasted his ninth homer of the season. A Roman Quinn RBI double, his third hit of the contest, would wrap up the scoring for the day.

"It's neat and for those guys to go back-to-back to finish a season like they've both had is a special way to do it," Reading manager Dusty Wathan stated. "Obviously, it's just the regular season and we have other things to do, but it's nice to see Dylan get to 40 and Rhys get to 38."

Reading got the scoring underway in the top of the 1st against Thunder starter Kyle Haynes. Cozens laced a run-scoring single that set the Fightins' single season total bases mark at 304, passing the previous mark set (303) set by Darin Ruf in 2012. A Hoskins RBI double and a two-run double by Martinez gave Reading a 4-0 lead.

Trenton would chip away at their deficit. Following a sac fly in the 2nd inning, a three-run homer by Dante Bichette Jr. tied the game in the 4th inning.

A Miguel Andujar home run in the 5th inning gave Trenton a 5-4 lead but Angelo Mora and Quinn plated a run each with back-to-back singles in the top of the 6th.

Reading reliever Jesen Therrien gave up a run on a single by Francisco Diaz to tie the game at 6-6.

Victor Arano took the mound for Reading in the ninth. A lead off walk followed by a double would lead to an intentional walk to set up a force out around the diamond. Billy Fleming would fly out to center field, as Quinn made a strong throw home to prevent a run from scoring. Bichette grounded out to third, where Martinez made a spectacular bare handed grab to gun out the runner at home by a hair. Arano would draw a grounder back to himself for the final out of the frame to give his team another opportunity in extra innings.

Left-hander Joey DeNato tossed a scoreless frame to close out the victory for Reading.

"It's definitely a nice thing to go into the postseason with," Quinn said of the fashion in which his club won. "I was talking to my hitting coach, Frank (Cacciatore), about how it felt like a playoff game already and just to get ready for the playoffs was great. We had a couple great plays. Arano did a great job of getting out of that and Harold made a heck of a play. A bare hand to get him out at home, but it was crucial."

Quinn, who, along with his three hits (two doubles) and two RBI, also swiped two bases was thrilled to be back in action following a stint on the disabled list with a concussion recently. The 23-year-old switch hitter was clear on his expectations for the playoffs.

"To win it," Quinn said with an intense look on his face. "Just to win the series and get to the championship and that's the goal. That's been the goal all season."

Reading returns to Trenton on Wednesday as the teams will open their best-of-five Eastern League Division Series with a 7:00 PM start time. Reading's rotation for the ELDS, according to Wathan, will be Mark Leiter Jr., Ricardo Pinto, Clearwater starter Elniery Garcia, Tyler Viza and John Richy.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

PhoulBallz Interview: RHP Ben Brown talks TJ recovery, O'Hoppe, cancelled season

Image- MiLB.com Out of action since last May when it was determined he required Tommy John surgery, righty pitching prospect Ben Brown is using the downtime of the pandemic hiatus to continue his physical recovery.  A 33rd round draft selection of the Phillies back in 2017, Brown made his professional debut that same year, posting a 2.57 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP in 10 appearances in the rookie level Gulf Coast League.  The following season, Brown began to make a name for himself in the GCL, striking out 16 batters in one July appearance.  He would post a 3.12 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP in 10 games (eight starts) before earning a promotion and finishing the season with a pair of outings with Class A short-season Williamsport. Brown, a Long Island, NY native, opened last year with Class A Lakewood.  In four appearances with the BlueClaws, he struck out 20, walked four and allowed no runs in 13 2/3 innings and looked well on his way to making an impact on betting odds and available promo codes

2019 Phillies Prospects Countdown: #7 LHP JoJo Romero

JoJo Romero, image- Jay Floyd With a growing crop of very talented pitching prospects in the Phillies organization, left-hander JoJo Romero is certainly among the standouts. The five-foot-11 200-pounder was the Phils’ 4th round draft selection in 2016. That year he helped Yavapai College, the same school that the Phillies drafted Kenny Giles from in 2011, clinch the JuCo World Series, leading the way with an 11-5 record, a 3.64 ERA and a 10.2 K/9 mark. He also tossed a complete game gem to earn the win in their title game. After signing with the Phillies, Romero made his professional debut as a member of the short-season Class A Williamsport Crosscutters. There, he notched a 2-2 record with a 2.56 ERA while striking out 31 and walking 11 in 45 2/3 innings. In 2017, he got off to a terrific start with the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws. In 13 starts, Romero tallied a 5-1 record with a 2.11 ERA and a 9.3 K/9 mark and was honored as a South Atlantic League mid-season All-Star. R

World Series Preview: Phillies vs. Astros

The Fall Classic is set to get underway on Friday with the Phillies opening on the road to take on the Astros in a best-of-seven series. This year marks 75 years since the first time a World Series was televised and this year each game will be broadcast on the FOX television network.  ESPN will have the radio broadcast and that feed can be streamed by using this link . Game 1 Friday, 8:03pm Eastern....in Houston.  RHP Aaron Nola (11-13, 3.25 ERA) vs. RHP Justin Verlander (18-4, 1.75 ERA).  In 16 road starts during the regular season this year, Nola notched a 5-9 record with a 3.00 ERA.  Nola has struck out 18 and walked three in 17 1/3 innings pitched this postseason.  Earlier this month, Nola tossed 6 2/3 scoreless innings at Houston.  In 15 home starts during the regular season, Verlander sported a 10-1 record with a 1.64 ERA and a 0.88 WHIP.  Verlander has a 5.68 ERA and has not recorded a win in seven career World Series starts.  Verlander has 11 starts allowing one run or fewer in