South Jersey Baseball:
Thunder Fall to Reading in 9th, 7-6

Sunday, June 4, 2006

By Dan Loney
Trenton Thunder Director of Public Relations

(Trenton, NJ)- John Castellano's RBI single in the 9th Inning gave the Reading Phillies the lead for good in a 7-6 win over the Thunder on Sunday afternoon at Waterfront Park. A paid crowd of 7,635, the largest of the season for Trenton, was on hand to watch.

Trenton (28-29) got off to a quick start with three runs off Reading starter Zach Segovia in the 1st Inning. DH Randy Ruiz doubled home 2B Gabe Lopez with the first run. 1B Shelley Duncan then launched a two-run homer, his 10th homer of the year. After Reading got two runs back off rehabbing N.Y. Yankees RHP Shawn Chacon in the top fo the second, the Thunder used an RBI double by C Tommy Rojas and a RBI single by RF Bronson Sardinha to take a 5-2 lead in the bottom half. Segovia allowed five runs over six innings on nine hits.

Chacon gave up a run in the 3rd Inning, but worked five innings on his rehab stint. He allowed four hits with two walks and three strikeouts.

Reading (23-32) came back to tie the game with two runs in the 6th Inning off Trenton reliever J.B. Cox and then took a 7-5 lead in the 9th Inning against Justin Pope. Castellano singled home 2B Jesus Merchan with the go-ahead run. The Thunder got a run back in the bottom of the ninth on an error by Reading reliever Chris Key, but Trenton stranded the tying run at 3rd Base as Kevin Howard popped out to end the game.

Luke Lockwood (3-2) pitcked up the win in relief for Reading with two shutout innings. Pope (1-1) allowed the runs in the ninth and took the loss.

The Thunder have Monday off before starting a three-game series with Bowie on Tuesday at 7:05 PM. Jeff Karstens (1-0, 2.63) starts for Trenton against Bowie's Brian Finch (2-5, 3.72).