April 6-7

Jenny was in town on Wednesday on business, in the afternoon we back on the "triple-deuce" for game #2 at the Sovereign Center. The Royals won in double-overtime 5-4 to even the series at a game apiece. There were parts of this game that were very similar to Tuesday although in somewhat reverse order. In game one the Royals held an early 2-0 lead before giving up five straight goals, on this night the club fell behind early but led 4-2 in the third period before Cincinnati struck twice to tie it and force overtime. In the first twenty-minute extra session both team had their chances but the goalies were better, it finally ended eight minutes into OT period #2 when Ben Gordon controlled a deflected shot attempt and rammed it home for the game-winner to the delight of the Reading faithful. Olivier Labelle (two goals), Ryan Cruthers and Yannick Riendeau scored in regulation, Matt Dalton was the winning goaltender. In 2008 we had a playoff game with Elmira at the Sovereign Center that also went two overtimes, on that night the game went thirty-two minutes into OT before the Royals' Kevin Saurette ended it. With this win the club draws even at 1-1, they now head to Cincinnati for the next two games of what has become a best-of-three series. If they split as they did in Reading the deciding game is at the Sovereign Center on Monday the 11th. Needless to say it was a long night, the game started at 7:05 and ended at 10:45. Not much going on Thursday besides lunch with Jenny. The Eastern League season started on Thursday evening, the Reading Phillies play the first seven days on the road before the home opener on the 14th. The R-Phils' roster was released on Monday, eighteen of the twenty-four active players have played in Baseballtown previously. Among the returnees are pitchers Phillippe Aumont, Tyson Brummett, Chance Chapman, Mike Cisco, Justin De Fratus, Austin Hyatt, Chris Kissock, J. C. Ramirez and B. J. Rosenberg, catcher Tuffy Gosewisch, infielders Freddy Galvis, Harold Garcia, Fidel Hernandez, Cody Overbeck and Matt Rizzotti plus outfielder Michael Spidale. We'll see how it all comes together on the road trip. Take care, thanks for reading.