SENATORS GAME RECAP

The Harrisburg Senators continued to roll Friday night as they turned back the Reading Phillies, 8-2 in the opener of a three-game series. Luke Montz, Ian Desmond and Justin Maxwell each homered to lead the offense while Shairon Martis had another terrific start. It was the Senators’ fourth straight win.

Harrisburg led 1-0 going to the top of the third. With the bases loaded and two out, Jeremy Slayden bounced a single up the middle to plate two and give Reading a 2-1 lead. It was all Senators after that.

In the bottom of the third, Reading starter Zack Segovia retired the first two batters in order. He then walked a pair of batters and Montz followed by hitting a laser beam over the wall in left to put the Senators up, 4-2. Andrew LeFave drew a walk to finish Segovia’s outing, and Josh Outman came on to give up an RBI double to Ofilio Castro to make it 5-2. Desmond singled to left to plate the fifth run of the inning and stretch the lead to 6-2.

The Senators padded the advantage on a pair of home runs later in the game. In the sixth, Desmond led off the inning with a liner over the wall in left. Maxwell belted a solo shot to right-center in the seventh inning to make it 8-2.

Martis was strong from there, putting down eight straight batters at one point. He allowed two runs on five hits, walked three and struck out five. The 21-year-old right-hander improved to 2-0 on the season. Steve Schmoll closed the game out by facing the minimum over three scoreless innings.

Segovia, making his first start since off-season shoulder surgery, took the loss to drop to 0-1.

Harrisburg improved to 18-9 and have won all nine of their series openers this year. Reading fell to 13-14.

The Senators and Phillies continue their series Saturday at Commerce Bank Park. Game time on Saturday is 6:05 PM.