Reading, Pa. (July 26, 2011) - Former Alvernia University pitcher Wade Miller was inducted into the Reading Baseball Hall of Fame last Friday evening before a Reading Phillies game at FirstEnergy Stadium against the Binghamton Mets.

Miller, the youngest member of the Reading Hall of Fame, was inducted with Reading Phillies infielder Shane Turner, Reading Keys pitcher Lon Warneke, Reading Indians manager Jo-Jo White, and the 1911 Reading Pretzels.

Miller graduated from Brandywine Heights and played one year at Alvernia before being drafted in the 20th round by the Houston Astros in 1996.  He still holds the record for most strikeouts in a game at Alvernia (the mark was tied this year by junior Andrew Kirk).  He fanned 16 in a win over Eastern University.  He made eight starts going 7-1 and struck out 77 batters in 55 and two-thirds innings.  He finished with a 2.89 ERA and was part of the first Crusader team to qualify for the NCAA Regional.

After one year of college ball, he spent three years in the minors and made his major league debut on July 7, 1999.  After a 6-6 record in 2000, Miller posted three straight season with double digit wins, including a career high 16 in 2001.  He was seventh in the National League in wins in 2001 and eighth in strikeouts with a career high 183.  He earned National League Pitcher of the Month honors in April of 2002 and matched a Houston club record with 12 straight wins from July 7-September 21 of that year.

Miller missed the last half of the 2004 season--his last with the Astros--with shoulder tendinitis.  He signed with the Red Sox in '05 and went 4-4 in 16 starts.  He was also the first Red Sox pitcher to have two or more hits in a game when he went 2-for-3 against the Cubs in an Interleague game on June 11 at Wrigley Field.  Miller proved a better than average hitter at Alvernia batting .397 with 48 hits in 121 at bats over 39 games.  He had 13 extra base hits including two triples and three homers.

In '06 Miller signed a one-year deal with the Chicago Cubs then signed a one-year extension for '07.  He was released by the Cubs in August of '07 and out of baseball until signing a minor league deal with the Toronto Blue Jays in March of '09.  He made eight starts in the minors in '09 before tearing an abdominal muscle.