Lineup sinks Sea Dogs in 11-3 win

The Fightin Phils (52-22) lineup took the spotlight once again as they beat the Portland Sea Dogs (26-46) 11-3 on Friday night at Hadlock Field. They recorded 14 hits and have now won three-straight games. They hold the best record in all of professional baseball.  

Portland took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second against Nick Pivetta as Rainel Rosario hit a sacrifice fly. Rhys Hoskins hit a three-run home run off SeaDogs starter Mitch Atkins (2-3) in the top of the third to give Reading a 3-1 lead. The home run for Hoskins was 20th of the season. He now leads all of Minor League Baseball in home runs.  

The Fightin Phils extended their lead to 7-1 off Atkins in the top of the fourth. Andrew Pullin hit a RBI single then scored on a RBI single from Dylan Cozens.  Cozens and Jorge Alfaro both scored on a RBI double from Jake Fox. Atkins left the game with two outs in the inning.

The Sea Dogs scored two more runs off Pivetta in the bottom of the fourth to cut Reading's lead to 7-3. Yoan Moncada hit his first AA home run and Nate Freiman hit a RBI single. Pivetta left the game after four innings as he allowed three runs off a season-high ten hits with four strikeouts. He last gave up ten hits on May 31, 2015 for Potomac.  

Jeremy Bleich (3-1) entered the game in the bottom of the fifth. He pitched two scoreless innings as he gave up three hits and issued one walk with one strikeout. Reading scored three runs off Taylor Grover in the top of the seventh to take a 10-3 lead. Jesmuel Valentin hit a two-run single that was followed by a RBI single from Pullin. Pullin recorded his second straight three-hit game. 

Joely Rodriguez entered the game in the bottom of the seventh. In the top of the eighth, Hoskins scored on a wild pitch from Williams Jerez to give Reading an 11-3 lead. Miguel Nunez pitched a scoreless bottom of the ninth.  

The Fightin Phils and SeaDogs will play again on Saturday night. First pitch is at 6:00 pm. Fans can listen to the game on Sports Radio AM 1240/FM 98.5 and fightins.com beginning at 5:30 pm.

Tickets for the 2016 season are available online at Fightins.com, by phone at 610-370-BALL, and in-person at FirstEnergy Stadium.