For six innings, Tuesday’s series opener between Reading and Portland was a scoreless pitchers duel. The Fightin Phils got clutch hits in the sixth and seventh innings to beat the Sea Dogs 3-1 in front of 3,258 fans at Hadlock Field.
Trailing 3-0 in the bottom of the ninth, Portland got a run back when Nick Yorke homered to right center field. With one out, Niko Kavadas was given a walk when Reading catcher Max McDowell was assessed a pitch clock violation with a full count for calling timeout with under eight seconds left. Alex Binelas singled to put runners on first and second, but a popout by Matthew Lugo and a flyout from Stephen Scott ended the game.
Reading broke the scoreless tie with a two-out rally in the top of the seventh inning. After Matthew Kroon reached on an infield single and swiped second base, Madison Stokes drove the ball just fair down the right field line for a double, scoring Kroon and giving the Fightin Phils a 1-0 lead.
Reading added a pair of runs in the top of the eighth off reliever Cody Scroggins. After McDowell walked, No. 9 hitter Pedro Martinez, Reading’s shortstop, launched a 419-foot home run into the empty right field seats, pushing Reading’s lead to 3-0.
Through the early and middle innings, neither team generated much offense. Reading’s McCarthy Tatum led off the top of the second inning with a double, but was stranded at third base. The Sea Dogs stranded Lugo at second base after his two-out double in the second. Yorke led off the fourth with a walk and was left at third. Lugo led off the fifth with his second double, but was unable to advance.
Sea Dogs starter Sterling Sharp was strong in his six innings. Sharp allowed just two hits while striking out three and walking none. A sinker ball pitcher who keeps his infield busy when he’s effective, seven of the outs Sharp recorded on balls put in play came on a groundball.
“He had that sinker going at the bottom of the zone tonight, which was nice to see,” Sea Dogs Manager Chad Epperson said of Sharp. “That’s who he is. He works quick, he fills the strike zone up, and fielders love to play for him.”
Reading starter Ethan Lindlow was equally effective. A lefty, Lindlow surrendered two hits and two walks while striking out four in five innings. With his five shutout innings, Lindow lowered his ERA to 6.30 from 12.60.
“That pitcher, just going off his numbers, hadn’t had the greatest start to the season. But it’s in the past, and he came out tonight and kept us off balance. You just tip your hat to him,” Epperson said.
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