The Reading Fightin Phils (35-50) foiled the Richmond Flying Squirrels (53-36) sweep attempt, claiming the finale of a four-game series, 6-2, on Sunday afternoon at The Diamond. The loss marks the first time this season that the Squirrels have been beaten on aSunday (13-1).
Reading broke on top first in the first against lefty Jack Snodgrass. Peter Lavin got things started with a one-out single. Carlos Alonso followed with a single to put two aboard. Snodgrass got the second out, but Aaron Altherr put the Fightins on the board with an RBI single through the left-side of the infield.
Snodgrass worked a brisk second inning, but the floodgates opened against him in the third. Reading plated five runs in the frame on five singles to take a 6-0 lead. KC Serna, Brock Stassi and Zach Collier all provided run-scoring singles in the inning. Additionally, Altherr knocked in his second run of the day with a sacrifice-fly and another scored on a passed ball.
Meanwhile, Reading right-hander Severino Gonzalez breezed through the first five innings, allowing just one hit. That hit was a single from Matt Duffy. In the sixth inning, Duffy added a solo-home run to left field. His third of the season put the Squirrels on the board, trailing 6-1.
Snodgrass (8-2) righted the ship and lasted seven innings. However, his early-struggles doomed him to his second loss of the season. He permitted six earned runs on a season-high 10 hits, walked one and struck out six.
Richmond got only one other run against Gonzalez as he lasted eight innings. Kelby Tomlinson knocked that run in with an RBI double to right-center field in the eighth inning. Gonzalez (5-9) earned the win – his fifth – and snapped a personal six-game losing skid.
Right-hander Nefi Ogando finished the ballgame with a perfect ninth inning. Lefty Phil McCormick worked two scoreless innings of relief for the Squirrels.
The Squirrels continue their week-long home stand on Monday night at The Diamond as they open a four-game series with the Akron RubberDucks (Cleveland Indians). First pitch of the opener is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. as Richmond RHP Kyle Crick (5-3, 3.22) will make the start against Akron RHP Cody Anderson (2-8, 5.27). The Flying Squirrels Pregame Warmup begins at 6:35 p.m. on Sports Radio 910 andSportsRadio910.com.
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Chris Graham
