The Reading Fightin Phils (7-7) swept an abbreviated two-game series by defeating the Flying Squirrels (6-10), 8-0 on Sunday afternoon at The Diamond.
Richmond was held to four hits and left ten men on base in a game that featured frigid temperatures and threats of rain. Richmond starting pitcher Cory Taylor struck out eight batters and lasted a season-high five innings in the loss. The Squirrels will continue the homestand on Monday against Bowie with Bark in the Park. A Full promotional rundown can be found here.
Ahead 2-0, Reading broke open the contest with a six-run top of the ninth inning. Squirrels reliever Reyes Moronta walked the first two batters before Andrew Pullin guided an RBI double up the first base line. Moronta retired the next hitter and was replaced by Luis Pino. Pino, making his Double-A debut, loaded up the bases and relinquished a three-run double to Malquin Canelo to put Reading ahead, 8-0. Reading sent ten men to the plate in the inning.
Cory Taylor danced around trouble in the first few innings during his third start of the season. Scott Kingery led off the game with a single, but Taylor struck out a pair of batters to strand the runner at second base. Taylor walked two and struck out two in the second inning and punched out two more with runners on in the third inning. The Squirrels righty gathered six strikeouts through the first three innings on 55 pitches.
Richmond also threatened early on against Reading’s Shane Watson, but failed to score. The Squirrels loaded the bases in the first but Hunter Cole grounded into a double play to end the threat. Watson then retired the next six batters to keep the contest scoreless in through the early innings.
Taylor continued to use the strikeout to his advantage to keep Reading off the board. Taylor walked the first batter in the fourth before a pair of strikeouts ended the inning. The righty finished the outing with eight strikeouts, one shy of tying his career mark.
The game remained without a run until the Fightin Phils Scott Kingery broke the stalemate with a solo home run to start the fifth. Andrew Pullin followed with a single and was stranded as Taylor retired the next three hitters to end his outing. Taylor (0-2) tossed a season-high five innings and allowed just the one run on four hits. He walked three, hit one batter and punched out eight in the loss.
Watson utilized another double play to end the fifth and keep Richmond off the board. The former first round selection guided Reading through five innings to earn his first win of the year. He allowed no runs just two hits, walked four and struck out one.
The Phils added a second run in the top of the seventh inning against reliever Matt Lujan. Pinch hitter Jiandido Tramp singled to begin the inning and advanced to second base via a balk. Carolos Tocci then brought home Tramp with a single to right to provide a 2-0 lead. Tocci had five RBIs in the two game series.
The Squirrels failed to score against Reading relief pitchers Mario Hollands (two innings) and Jessen Therrien. Therrien earned the save by pitching the final two innings of the contest.
The Flying Squirrels continue their second homestand of the season on Monday night against the Bowie Baysox. Left-hander Matt Gage (0-1, 3.38) is scheduled to start for Richmond against Bowie LHP Brandon Leibrandt (1-0, 1.80). Monday is Bark in the Park at The Diamond with a leash giveaway to the first 250 dogs. Season tickets, mini plans and group outings are available by contacting the Flying Squirrels box office at 804-359-3866 or online at www.squirrelsbaseball.com
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Chris Graham
