Reading Rallies to Stun SeaWolves

The SeaWolves (70-55) allowed four ninth-inning runs and fell 6-5 to Reading (56-71).

Erie jumped ahead against Reading starter Christian McGowan in the first inning. Carlos Mendoza began the game with a double. With one out, Gage Workman reached on a dropped third strike and Mendoza scored from second on the wild pitch. Chris Meyers followed with a single. Liam Hicks then drove an RBI single to extend Erie’s lead to 2-0.

In the third inning against Konnor Ash, Workman hammered a solo homer to make it 3-0. Two batters later, Hicks drove a solo homer to make it 4-0.

Garrett Burhenn started for Erie and opened his outing with three scoreless innings. In the fourth, Otto Kemp reached second base with two out thanks to a dropped third strike and ensuing throwing error by the catcher Hicks. Kemp scored on Marcus Lee Sang’s RBI single to make it 4-1.

Burhenn turned in five strong innings. He allowed one run on four hits and one walk while striking out four.

In the eighth inning, RJ Petit surrendered a leadoff triple to Gabriel Rincones Jr. He scored on Kemp’s sacrifice fly, making it 4-2.

The SeaWolves got that run back in the ninth when Workman notched a two-out, RBI single. It extended Erie’s lead to 5-2.

Petit remained on the mound for the ninth. Robert Moore hit a leadoff single but was erased on a fielder’s choice grounder off Zach Arnold’s bat. Andrick Nava singled and Justin Crawford walked to load the bases. Aidan Miller singled to score Arnold, making it 5-3.

Joel Peguero replaced Petit after Miller’s hit. On his first pitch, Rincones Jr. reached on an infield single, scoring Nava to make it 5-4. Carson Taylor drew a bases-loaded walk to tie the game at five. Kemp then reached on catcher interference, which forced home Miller with the winning run.

Daniel Harper (3-1) earned the win in relief for Reading. Petit (5-7) took the loss.

Erie will try to get back into the win column on Thursday with Jackson Jobe pitching against Braeden Fausnaught at 6:45 p.m.