Reading Falls in Back-and-Forth Slugfest

May 16, 2023 – Eastern League (EL) – Reading Fightin Phils News Release

(Somerset, NJ) – In a back-and-forth slugfest, a seven-run sevneth inning from the Somerset Patriots propelled them to a 14-10 win over the Reading Fightin Phils on Tuesday night.

Somerset wasted no time getting on the board. With Jasson Dominguez on base, Austin Wells singled him home on a line drive to left. Then, Everson Pereira roped a double to center field that scored Wells and put Somerset up 2-0.

In the top of the second, Reading struck back. Matthew Kroon doubled and then Oliver Dunn walked. McCarthy Tatum followed by staying red hot with single to center that scored Kroon and cut the deficit for Reading to 2-1. The Fightin Phils tied the game up in the top of the fourth when Cody Roberts lifted a fly ball that scored Dunn, who reached on a single, as apart of a multi-hit night against his former team.

In the bottom of the inning, Trey Sweeney doubled and Jason Dominguez followed by reaching on an error from Kroon at third. Wells belted a three-run home run over the right-field fence to put the Patriots back ahead 5-2.

Reading began to cut into the three-run deficit in the top of the sixth. Dunn started off with his fourth home run of the season to make it 5-3, which was also his third home run in a week. Two batters later Roberts crushed a homer to make it a one-run deficit. Then, Carlos De La Cruz put the exclamation point on a three-home-run inning with a two-run blast to put Reading up 6-5.

The seesaw continued in the bottom of the inning. Brandon Lockridge triped, and with him on third, Sweeney hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Sweeney and tie the game. Dominguez followed with a home run to put the Patriots now up 7-6.

But, as the trend was all night, Reading responded in the top of the seventh. Matthew Kroon doubled and stole third. With Kroon on third, Dunn hit a double to left that scored Kroon and once agian tied the game up. Dunn stole third and scored when Tatum grounded into a fielders choice. The throw home was late and Reading was once again up, this time 8-7.

In the bottom of the seventh, Tyler Hardman lifted his sixth home run of the season to tie the game up at eight. Zach Linginfelter loaded up the bases with a trio of walks, then Sweeney singled home two runs with a knock to right, which put Somerset back up 10-8.

Dominguez followed with a single to score another run and put Somerset up 11-8, still in the seventh. Another run scored on a wild pitch…