South Jersey Baseball:
Thunder Fall to Reading in Philly

Monday, May 9, 2005

By Dan Loney
Trenton Thunder Director of Broadcasting

Reading scored five times against Thunder starter Ramon Ramirez in the first three innings and then held on to a 5-3 win over Trenton on Monday night in Eastern League play. The loss snapped Trenton's five game winning streak.

Reading (13-18) used a pair of two-out hits in the 1st Inning to grab the lead. 1B Randy Ruiz singled home LF Ryan Fleming for a 1-0 lead. It was Ruiz's 20th RBI in his 16 games with Reading. The lead ran to 3-0 in the 2nd Inning on a two-run homer by 2B Brian Hitchcox. DH Jim Deschaine added a two-run double in the 3rd Inning for a 5-0 lead. Ramirez (0-1) was charged with five runs on seven hits in three innings in the loss.

Trenton (16-16) closed the gap with two runs in the 6th Inning off starter Chris Rojas. An RBI double from 1B Shelley Duncan plated the first run with an error by Phillies 1B Randy Ruiz scoring the other. Rojas (2-4) allowed two runs (one earned) in 5 2/3 innings for the victory.

The Thunder added an RBI single by SS Andy Cannizaro in the 8th Inning to close to within 5-3, but Reading reliever Travis Minix worked a scoreless 9th Inning to preserve the win and pick up his 4th save.

Trenton and Reading meet again on Tuesday night at Waterfront Park. Game time is 7:05 PM. Jeff Karstens (4-2, 2.48) goes for the Thunder against Reading's Allen Davis (3-2, 2.84).