Reading Fightin Phils defeat Bowie in season opener
Apr. 5—The Reading Fightin Phils defeated the Bowie Baysox 5-2 in an Eastern League season opener on Friday night at Bowie.
Reading outfielders Gabriel Rincones Jr. and Carlos De La Cruz got their seasons off to a hot start, as Rincones Jr. went 1-for-4 with a solo home run and Carlos De La Cruz went 2-for-5 with two singles and two RBIs.
With the game tied at 2-2 in the top of the ninth, a fielding error allowed Casey Martin to reach first and Trevor Schwecke to score from second base to give the Fightin Phils (1-0) a 3-2 lead.
De La Cruz helped put the game away moments later when he hit an RBI single. Bowie committed two fielding errors in the top of the ninth and finished the night with three.
Rincones Jr.'s solo home run to lead off the fourth inning tied the game at 1-1 after starting pitcher Matt Osterberg gave up a run in the first inning for Reading. Jud Fabian scored the opening run for the Baysox (0-1) with one out on an RBI ground out from Dylan Beavers.
An RBI single by Carson Taylor gave the Fightin Phils a 2-1 lead in the top of the fourth before a single by Bowie's Samuel Bassallo allowed Anthony Servideo to score to tie it 2-2 in the bottom of the fifth.
Osterberg pitched 3 2/3 innings and had four strikeouts. Jordi Martinez earned the win in relief and also had four strikeouts over 1 2/3 innings.
