The Reading Fightin Phils (32-42) emphatically claimed a three-game series from the Richmond Flying Squirrels (36-37), taking the finale, 14-6, on Sunday afternoon at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Fightins pounded out 17 hits against six different Squirrels hurlers.
Richmond lefty Carlos Teller issued a walk to Reading lead-off man Albert Cartwright in the bottom of the first inning. An out later, Miguel Abreu tripled to right-center field to bring in Cartwright for a 1-0 lead. Jim Murphy lined a sacrifice fly to center field to plate Abreu and the Fightins were out quickly, leading 2-0.
The Fightins broke the game open and chased Teller in the third inning. The first two men reached base but were each picked off by Teller. Jim Murphy then batted with the bases clear and two outs. He lifted a solo-home run to left field to stretch the Reading lead to 3-0. Sebastian Valle followed and crushed a solo-home run to left. The back-to-back shots made it 4-0. Teller then conceded a single before Anthony Hewitt decked his third home run of the series. His two-run shot to left made the lead 6-0.
Teller (1-3) was lifted after the Hewitt home run in the third and took the loss over 2 2/3 innings. He was touched up for six earned runs on eight hits. He walked three and struck out none, falling for the third time on the year.
Left-hander Ryan Bradley came on for Teller and conceded a three-run home run to Maikel Franco in the fourth inning. Franco’s second home run of the series stretched the lead to 9-0.
The Squirrels finally fought back in the top of the fifth inning. Reading righty Seth Rosin had lived dangerously through the first four innings, but not allowed Richmond to score. With one in the fifth, he hit Brett Krill. Joe Panik followed with a single. With two outs, Adam Duvall cranked a low-flying three-run home run to left field. The blast pulled the Squirrels to within six runs, 9-3.
Reading got one more run against Bradley in the fifth inning to take a 10-3 lead. Bradley was charged with four runs – three earned – over 2 1/3 innings of relief. The Squirrels got two back on a double from Ehire Adrianza in the top of the seventh inning, but got no closer than five runs.
Rosin (5-4) earned the win over five laborious innings. He allowed three earned runs on four hits, walked four and struck out four.
The Fightins iced the game with two more runs both the seventh and eighth innings. Miguel Abreu drove in both with a two-run double off of righty Jose Valdez. Four walks from Richmond right-hander Scott Shuman gave Reading another pair in the eighth.
Adrianza added a third RBI when he knocked in Duvall in the ninth inning, but right-hander Mike Nesseth eventually finished the ballgame. Franco finished with four hits on the day, a double short of the cycle.
The Squirrels return to The Diamond on Monday night to open a three-game series with the Bowie Baysox (Baltimore Orioles) at 6:35 p.m. Richmond RHP Taylor Rogers (4-4, 6.65) will make the start against Bowie RHP Mike Wright (6-1, 3.84). The Flying Squirrels Pregame Warmup will begin on Sports Radio 910, SportsRadio910.com and IHeart Radio at6:05 p.m.
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