South Jersey Baseball:
Childers Shutout Helps Thunder to DH Split

Saturday, September 2, 2006

By Dan Loney
Trenton Thunder Director of Public Relations

(Trenton, NJ)- Matt Childers tossed a four-hit shutout to help Trenton to a 3-0 win over Reading in the second game of a doubleheader on Saturday. Reading won the opener by a 2-0 score in 11 innings.

The Thunder (78-62) took a 1-0 lead in the nightcap in the 2nd Inning. With two outs, 3B J.T. Stotts singled and moved to 2nd Base on a walk by C Jason Brown. 2B Grant Plumley followed with an RBI single. The lead went to 2-0 in the 4th Inning as the Thunder scored on an error by Reading 3B Joey Hammond. The third run came home in the 5th Inning thanks to a Shelley Duncan sacrifice fly.

Childers (3-3) worked out of trouble in the first four innings. He allowed leadoff doubles in the 2nd and 4th Innings, but didn't allow a run. He walked one and struck out seven to earn the win, his second against the R-Phils. The shutout was the 19th of the season for the Thunder, which adds to their franchise record. Dan Giese (1-2) took the loss allowing two runs (one earned) in four innings of work.

In the opener, Reading (71-66) loaded the bases on walks by Jeff Kennard and Gerardo Casadiego in the 11th Inning. SS Danny Sandoval then lined a single to center to put the Phillies ahead, 1-0. LF Brian Burgamy added a sacrifice fly for a 2-0 lead. Reading reliever Joe Bisenius then retired Trenton in the bottom of the eleventh for his 5th save. The win went to Tally Haines, who worked two shutout innings of relief with four strikeouts. Trenton had 14 strikeouts at the plate in the opener. Kennard (3-6) was charged with the loss, allowing one run in one innings of work.

Both starting pitchers, Tyler Clippard for Trenton and Allen Davis for Reading, kept the offenses off the board. Clippard, who had won his last nine decisions, held Reading to two singles over seven shutout innings with eight strikeouts. Meanwhile, Davis allowed the Thunder just five hits over eight shutout innings with eight strikeouts.

The teams meet again on Sunday at 6:05 PM. Matt DeSalvo (4-4, 6.04) starts for the Thunder against Reading's Nick Mattioni.