The Phils end Week Seven having won 2 consecutive games againt New Hampshire, leaving Reading at 23-21 on the year, in 4th place in the Southern division, 2.5 games behind front running Trenton.  After one more game against New Hampshire, Reading travels to Portland for a four game series before returning home to face Bowie. In the batting leaders category, Javon Moran continues to lead the league in runs (36), hits (52), is second in the league with 16 Stolen bases, and eighth in league in average at .310. Jesus Merchan is 6th in the league with 44 hits,  and continues to lead the league with a .383 batting average. Mike Costanzo is third in the league with 8 homers and leads the league with 60 strikeouts.  The Phils have 2 players in the top 10 in RBI’s as Greg Jacobs is 3rd with 27 and Juan Tejada is 7th with 25. In the pitching categories, Landon Jacobsen is tied for second in the league with five wins, Kyle Kendrick continues to lead the league in innings pitched with 60 and Matt Maloney ranks 10th with 40 strikeouts.

Reading lost the final game of their three game series last Thursday afternoon against New Hampshire 3-2, dropping the Phils to 20-18.  Tim McClaskey(3-4) started and went 5 innings, giving up all three runs. The bullpen (Chris Key and Allen Simpson) pitched well again, tossing four scoreless innings.  The only offensive bright spot on the day was Brian Burgamy who went 3-4 with his 3rd homer of the year.

Reading opened a three game series with Portland Friday dropping the first game 5-3.  Bubba Nelson, making his second start of the season was fairly effective, giving up 2 runs over five innings.  The first 11 Reading hitters were retired by Red Sox prospect Mike Bowden, before the offense broke through.  Pedro Swann was 2-3 with an RBI and a stolen base and Greg Jacobs launched his 5th homer of the year for the Phils. Big Phils pitcher Ryan Madson pitched a scoreless 6th inning, striking out 2 on the first night of his rehab assignment. The Phils beat the Sea Dogs Staurday evening 8-2, in a very good all around effort. Landon Jacobsen(5-2), pitched eight strong innings, giving up only two runs and the offense came to life with an eight run second inning. Matt Padgett knocked a 2 run homer (3), Greg Jacobs had 4 RBI’s, and Brian Burgamy went 3-3 with 2 doubles and a RBI.  The Phils series with the Seadogs ended Sunday, as they dropped their second of three games in a 5-2 loss.  Matt Maloney(3-3), who was virtually unhittable in the first four innings, fell apart in the fifth and left the game having given up 5 runs in 5.2 innings.  He struck out seven.  Peeter Ramos hit his first homer of the year for Reading.

The Phils opened a three game series against New Hampshire on Monday night and wasted a terrific effort by Kyle Kendrick(3-5). The Phils who had only three hits, were unable to score, and the 17th error of the year by Mike Costanzo, allowed the lone run of the game to cross the plate, giving New Hampshire a 1-0 victory.  Kendrick did not give up an earned run over 7 innings. He struck out 4 and allowed 7 hits. The Phils bounced backed and clicked on all cylinders on Tuesday evening, posting a 6-2 victory over New Hampshire.  Tim McClaskey picked up his fourth win of the year, going 5.1 innings and giving up only one earned run.  Fabio Castro made his Reading debut and pitched 2 scoreless innings, striking out 4.  Greg Jacobs led the offense going 4-5 with a bases clearing double in the third.  Javon Moran, Jesus Merchan and Matt Padgett also had multi hit games for the Phils, who busted the game open with a 6 run third inning. The Phils took a second game from New Hampshire 2-1, Wednesday night in dramatic fashion on a 10th inning home run by catcher Jason Hill, his second of the year.  Pitching was the highlight of the game for Reading.  Bubba Nelson started and went five strong innings, giving up one run on 4 hits, while striking out 6.  Ryan Cameron, Mike Zagurski, and Chris Key (3-0), combined for 5 shutout innings in relief of Nelson, giving up only 2 hits.

Philling: Reliever Nick Evangelista, demoted 5/14/07 to (A) Clearwater, still has not reported and his agent reports that he is upset that the big Phils have not made him a priority prospect. Maybe his 7.36 ERA had something to do with it.

OF Greg Jacobs, had an eight game hitting streak broken Sunday.

INF Peeter Ramos was called up from extended spring training and started at second base Saturday evening.  Philip Cuevas was sent down to Clearwater (A) and Pedro Swann was returned to (AAA) Ottawa. Swann hit .243 with Reading.

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Ryan Madson pitched 3 shutout innings over two games during a rehab assignment over the weekend.

Philadelphia Phillies reliever Fabio Castro was demoted to Reading after struggling with an ERA over 12.00 in Philadelphia.  Castro, a Rule 5 pick last year, who spent the entire season in the big leagues, will need consistent work to regain his confidence.

Pitcher Kyle Kendrick and OF Greg Jacobs were named Phillies minor league players of the week last week.

SPOTLIGHT: Mike Costanzo, the Phils 2005 First Round Draft pick from Springfield Township, is having an extremely disappointing season so far, placing his future as a legitimate 3B prospect into question.  Through 41 games, Costanzo is hitting just .212 with 8 homers and 22 RBI’s.  Most problematic are are his 60 strikeouts thus far this year.  He has at least one strike out in 10 straight games and has struck out in 16 of the last 17 and is leading the EBL in strikouts.  In his 52 AB’s vs. left handed pitching, Costanzo is hitting .135 and has struck out 23 times.  In addition, he is hitting just .184 with runners in scoring position.  His fielding has been just as problematic, as he has committed 17 errors so far this year, many of them extremely costly for Reading.  He appears clearly overmatched so far in AA, which, after three years of college baseball, places his future in jeopardy.

Starting Pitcher Kyle Kendrick, who is considered one of the Phillies top pitching prospects, has been showing everyone why recently.  He is among the top workhorses in the EBL, having pitched 60 innings thus far this year.  Although he is only 3-5, thus far, his 3.30 ERA and 1.15 WHIP show he is pitching into some tough luck.   While opponents are hitting .274 against him, his walk to strikeout ratio has been outstanding, striking out 5 for each batter he walks. If this progress continues a spot in the 2009 Phils rotation is a possibility for Kendrick.