Brian Smith: Reading Fightin Phils squander lead, fall to Somerset Patriots 7-6
May 18—The Reading Fightin Phils were unable to hold a five-run lead and lost to the Somerset Patriots 7-6 in an Eastern League game Wednesday at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, N.J.
Reading (16-19), which lost its second straight, had leads of 5-0 and 6-3.
Somerset (23-11) tied it at 6-6 with a run in the sixth on a home run by Matt Burt, then took the lead in the eighth on a bases-loaded groundout by Brandon Lockridge.
The Fightin Phils scored four runs in the first on an RBI single by Aldrem Corredor and a three-run double by Jack Conley.
They made it 5-0 in the third when Vito Friscia knocked in Josh Ockimey, who had doubled.
The Patriots scored three in the bottom of the third, the big hit a two-run home run by Josh Breaux.
Logan O'Hoppe hit his sixth homer of the season in the fifth to give Reading a 6-3 lead.
Somerset answered with two runs in the bottom half.
O'Hoppe went 2-for-4.
Bubby Rossman, making his first professional start, threw two hitless innings for Reading.The right-hander walked one and struck out two.
Jack Perkins relieved and allowed five runs, all earned, on eight hits and a walk in three innings. He struck out two.
Ofreidy Gomez (1-1) allowed the run in the eighth to take the loss.
