Staine Pitches Well & Wimmer Continues Hit-Streak But Yard Goats Fall in Reading
Reading, PA- Connor Staine pitched into the seventh inning and allowed just three runs but the Yard Goats lost to the Reading Fightin Phils 3-1 on Saturday night at FirstEnergy Stadium in Reading, Pennsylvania. The Yard Goats clinched the First-Half Northeast Division Title and Postseason berth on Friday night but were held to just one run on Benny Montgomery’s RBI single. Conner Capel had a pair of hits including a double and Braylen Wimmer extended his hit-streak to 16 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the Eastern League, and tied for the second longest in club history.
Reading scored the first run of the game in the third inning off Hartford starter Connor Staine on an infield grounder by Bryan Rincon, bringing home Riley Tirotta to make it 1-0. Staine only allowed three hits over the first three innings and fired a 1-2-3 second inning.
The Yard Goats tied the game in the fourth inning off Fightins starting pitcher Adam Saminaris with a two-out rally. Conner Capel lined a double to right field and scored on a single by Benny Montgomery to make it a 1-1 game. Capel finished with two hits and a walk to go 10-21 with six homers and 13 RBI so far in the series.
The Fightin Phils took a 2-1 lead on a pair of doubles in the fifth inning. MiLB veteran Riley Tirotta led off the frame with a double, and later in the inning Bryan Rincon clubbed a double to right field, scoring Tirotta putting Reading ahead. The home team added a run in the sixth as Alex Binelas connected on his 15th home run of the season to make it 3-1.
Fightins starter Adam Seminaris was impressive and hurled seven innings allowing just the one run on three hits with one walk and seven strikeouts to earn his sixth win. He retired the first seven batters of the game and the side in order three times. The Yard Goats had two base-runners on in the sixth inning but he worked out of the jam.
The Yard Goats loaded the bases with one out in the ninth inning against reliever Christian McGowan but failed to score. Conner Capel singled, Benny Montgomery walked and Cole Messina got hit by a pitch. However, McGowan retired back-to-back pinch-hitters Bryant Betancourt and Andy Perez for the save.
The Yard Goats conclude their final series of the first half on Sunday night (5:15 PM) at FirstEnergy Stadium in Reading, PA. The game will be broadcast on the free Audacy App, iHeartRadio app, Yard Goats website and streamed on MiLB.TV.