Bridgewater, NJ – The Reading Fightin Phils (17-19) defeated the Somerset Patriots (23-12) by a final score of 12–4 at TD Bank Ballpark on Thursday night.
Logan O’Hoppe came home on a ground out in the top of the second to give Reading its first run of the evening.
Elijah Dunham batted in Max Burt on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the third to tie the game briefly, before Aldrem Corredor crossed the plate in the top of the fourth to give the Fightin Phils a 2-1 lead.
Somerset once again evened the score in the bottom of the fifth after Burt doubled into center field to knock in Oliver Dunn. Dunham then singled home Burt to give the Patriots their first lead of the night.
O’Hoppe gave Reading the lead back the next inning on a two-run home run (7) to left center. O’Hoppe has now homered in every single game this series and has four home runs in total.
Somerset retaliated in the bottom of the sixth, as Chad Bell knocked in Blake Perkins on an RBI single to right field.
Reading busted the game open with seven runs in the top of the eighth that featured a Josh Ockimey RBI single and a Sal Gozzo bases clearing double.
The Phils capped the scoring in the top of the ninth on an Ockimey solo home run (6) and a 12-4 final.
McKinley Moore (2-2) pitched 1.1 innings and struck out three batters for the win. Kyle Zurak (2-1) gave up seven runs in 0.1 innings pitched for the loss.
The 2022 Somerset Patriots season presented by Ford will continue at home on Friday, May 20 with a 6:35 pm game against the Fightin Phils at TD Bank Ballpark.