Reading, continues their inconistent season mired in 4th place in the Southern division 10.5 games out of first with a record of 42-43. Greg Jacobs is putting MVP numbers up with 44 runs(10th in league), 86 hits (4th), 21 doubles (8th), 13 homers (4th), 52 RBI’s (3rd), and a .316 batting average(9th).  Jesus Merchan continues to lead the league with a .357 batting average. Mike Costanzo is 6th in the league in runs(53), first in homers(15), and 2nd in strikouts(103).  Jason Hill is 2nd in the league with 24 doubles, and Javon Moran 4th in stolen bases with 18. Matt Maloney continues his solid season leading the league in innings (100.1), 6th in wins (7), and 4th in strikeouts (88).

Zach Segovia(2-0) has his 2nd consecutive effective start going 6 innings and giving up 2 runs on six hits, while striking out eight in a 6-3 Reading victory over Harrisburg last Thursday.  Chris Key came in and nailed down his 6th save.  Jason Hill extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a bases clearing double, while Jake Hammond and Juan Tejada each added 2 hits for Reading.  The Phils closed out their five game series against Harrisburg losing 8-0, allowing the Senators to take 3 out of 5 against the Phils.  Chris Rojas (2-3) pitched one of the more disastrous games in recent Reading history, going 4 innings and giving up 5 runs , walked 5, hit two batters, and committed a throwing error which led to 2 unearned runs, and managed to throw 92 pitches in 4 innings.  The offense provided no help at all, with the only notable being Greg Jacobs who had 2 hits.

The Phils opened a series against New Britain Saturday, and new Reading #1 starter Matt Maloney showed some mettle settling down to pitch a very effective 7 innings after early trouble led to 5 New Britain runs.  Maloney(7-6) struck out 10 and didnt walk a batter over his 7 innings. Julio De La Cruz came in and pitched 2 shutout, no hit innings for his 5th save. Mike Costanzo was 2-4 with 2 runs scored, Mike Spidale had 2 runs and a 2RBI triple, and Jacob Hammond knocked his first homer of the year providing much of the Phils offense. The Phils lost a wild one Sunday against New Britain 10-9.  Carlos Carrasco started and struggled giving up 5 runs on 7 hits over 4.2 innings while also walking 4.  Carrasco, however, did not struggle nearly as much as Corey Willey (0-1) who took the loss after giving up 5 runs on 3 hits and left without retiring a batter.  The Phils offense produced but not enough and was led by Peeter Ramos who was 4-4 with 2 runs, a homer (4), and 3 RBI’s. Greg Jacobs was 3-5 with 2 runs, an RBI, and a stolen base and Jesus Merchan was alo 3-5 for the Phils. The game against New Britain on Monday could be described as nothing short of amazing as the Phils crushed New Britain 21-4.  Pat Overholt (2-2) started and got the win, going 6 innings and giving up 3 runs.  Alan Davis came in and pitched 3 hitless innings to earn a save in a 17 run victory.  Offensively, the Phils were nothing short of amazing.  They scored 13 runs in the 5th inning, an inning where they batted around twice.  In a game where almost everyone was involved offensively, the folowing players stood out a bit more than the others; Jesus Merchan 4-6, 4 runs scored, 3RBI’s, stolen base,Mike Costanzo 3-4, 3 runs, 2RBI’s, Jason Hill 2-6, 2 runs, 5 RBI’s, Peeter Ramos 3-5, 3 runs, a homer (5) and 2 RBI’s. Eight of the nine players in the Phils lineup had multi hit games.  Both the Phils and Zach Segovia came back to earth in the final game of the series against New Britain, losing 8-2.  Segovia (2-1) went 6 innings giving up 9 hits and 5 runs and took the loss.  The only notable offensively for Reading was the ever reliable Greg Jacobs who was 2-2, with 2 runs and a triple.

On the 4th of July, Reading opened a series against Erie, and after a long rain delay, came out with a 5-4 win. Chris Rojas (3-3) started and got the win, and Chris Key came in to pitch the ninth to notch his 7th save. Mike Costanzo hit a mammoth 2 run homer, his 16th which landed on Rt. 61, and Michael Garciaparra followed with another homer, a solo shot, his third.  Greg Jacobs added 2 hits and Javon Moran had 2 hits and 2 steals.

Phillers: Greg Jacobs, Jesus Merchan, Jason Hill, Matt Maloney and Mike Costanzo  were all named to the Eastern League All Star team.

Jason Hill extended his hitting streak to 16 games on Wednesday.

Matt Maloney was 4-2 with a 3.20 ERA and averaged over a strikeout per inning in June.

Both Manager PJ Forbes and hitting coach Greg Gross were thrown out of Sundays game against New Britain.

Transactions:  Chris Coste was recalled by the big Phils last Thursday.  As the Phils then needed a backup catcher Tim Gradoville returned from (AAA) Ottawa where he had very limited playing time.

Ryan Cameron’s second brief stint in Ottawa ended with his reutrn to Reading on Tuesday.  He will rejoin the bullpen.