Reading Earns Series Win Over Hartford In Saturday's Doubleheader 

BOX SCORE GAME ONE

BOX SCORE GAME TWO

(Reading, PA) - The Fightin Phils (15-17) split a doubleheader vs the Hartford Yard Goats (15-14) on Saturday. The Fightins remain two games short of .500 after the Game 2 victory.

Game One

Both teams threatened to score in the second and third innings but did not score, leaving runners on base. Hartford ended Lachlan Wells' scoreless streak in the fourth with a long two-run home run by catcher, Braxton Fulford. The Yard Goats took the lead, 2-0. Hartford tacked on their third run of the game in the fifth as Warming Bernabel hit an RBI single, scoring Ryan Ritter.

The Fightin Phils earned a run back in the home half of the fifth inning, thanks to a Casey Martin solo home run, his second of the year. Hartford still led, 3-1. In the sixth, Andrew Schultz came on in relief from the Reading bullpen. He was unable to complete the inning and retired one batter, allowed two runs on one hit, walked one, and hit two batters. Hartford added on to their lead 5-1 on two walks.

Tristan Garnett relieved Schultz on the mound and pitched 1.2 scoreless innings, walked two, and struck out two. Reading tacked on one more run in the game thanks to an RBI single by Carson Taylor. Reading sent the tying run to the plate in the seventh inning with runners on the corners but did not capitalize, as Hartford earned their first victory of the series.

Game Two

The second contest between Reading and Hartford quickly became a pitchers' duel as the game remained scoreless into the bottom of the fourth, with just four hits between both teams. Konnor Ash started the game for Reading, pitched three scoreless innings, allowed one hit, and struck out two. Mason Albright took the ball for Hartford, allowed four runs on seven hits, walked one, and struck out five.

The Fightins brought a run home with two outs in the fourth inning thanks to an RBI single by Ethan Wilson, scoring Jose Rodriguez. Reading took the lead, 1-0. They tacked on three more runs in the fifth. After two singles by Bryce Ball and Robert Moore, Jose Rodriguez blasted a three-run home run to left field, his third of the season.

The Yard Goats came right back in the top of the sixth and scored three runs in the inning on two RBI singles by Yanquiel Fernandez and Zach Kokoska and an RBI groundout by Adael Amador. These runs were charged to the line of Wesley Moore, who made his second appearance for Reading after being called up from High-A Jersey Shore.

The Fightins gained an insurance run back in the bottom of the sixth. Ethan Wilson led off the inning with a triple, and Bryce Ball drove him home with his own RBI triple. Reading took a two-run lead, 5-3. Tommy McCollum secured the victory for Reading in the seventh and earned his fourth save of the season.

The Fightin Phils and Yard Goats return to action Sunday at 5:15 p.m. RHP Robinson Pina gets the start for Reading, opposite RHP Connor Van Scoyoc for Hartford. Radio coverage gets underway at 5 p.m. on rphils.com/radio. A video stream is additionally available on MiLB TV or the Bally Live App.

The series finishes Sunday with a Mother's Day Crossbody Phanny Pack for the first 1,500 women older than 18, thanks to Reading Hospital McGlinn Cancer Institute. To buy tickets, call 610-370-BALL, go to rphils.com/tickets or in-person at the Customers Bank Ticket Office. The Fightin Phils Brentwood Industries Team Store is open both in-person or online 24/7 at rphils.com/shop.

The 2024 R-Phils season is presented by Pepsi. Follow the Fightin Phils on Twitter @ReadingFightins, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Instagram @Fightins.