Thomas and Messina Homer but Yard Goats Season Ends with Game 2 Loss

Thomas and Messina Homer but Yard Goats Season Ends with Game 2 Loss

WP: Mavis Graves (1-0)LP: Jackson Cox (0-1)S: Estibenzon Jimenez (1)

Hartford, CT - Jared Thomas and Cole Messina each hit solo home runs but the Hartford Yard Goats fell to the Reading Fightin Phils 5-4 in Game 2 of the Eastern League Division Series on Thursday night at Dunkin’ Park. The Yard Goats trailed 5-3 heading to the bottom of the ninth and made it a one-run game when Messina hit a solo home run to right field. The next batter, Zach Kokoska was the potential game-tying run but he struck out which secured the game and series for the Fightin Phils. 
The Fightin Phils opened the scoring in the top of the second when Carson DeMartini scored on a wild pitch from Yard Goats starter Jackson Cox, giving Reading a 1-0 lead.
Reading scored two runs to extend their lead in the top of the third. Bryan Rincon hit a solo home run, before Dante Nori scored on a wild pitch from Yard Goats pitcher Cade Denton, extending the Fightin Phils lead to 3-0.
The Yard Goats got on the board in the bottom of the third when Braylen Wimmer roped a two-run double into right-center field off Reading starter Cody Bowker, cutting the Fightin Phils lead to 3-2.
The Fightin Phils added a run in the top of the fourth when Aiden Miller hit an RBI-single to right field, making the score 4-2. 
Reading added an insurance run in the top of the seventh when Pedro León hit an RBI-single that scored DeMartini and made it a 5-2 ballgame. 
Jared Thomas crushed a solo home run, his first of the postseason, to the second deck in right field in the bottom of the eighth, cutting Reading’s lead to 5-3.
Hartford made it a one-run game in the bottom of the ninth when Messina cranked a solo home run, his first of the postseason, making it a 5-4 game.