Reading Stays Hot With Third Straight Victory

BOX SCORE

(Portland, ME) - 15 hits from the Reading Fightin Phils offense were enough to earn the 10-5 victory over the Portland Sea Dogs Thursday Night. Reading stays red-hot with its third victory in a row, and winning four out of its last five.

For the first time in the series, Portland struck first. In the top of the first, Red Sox's number-one overall prospect Marcelo Mayer smashed a home run off Reading starter Griff McGarry. The two-out homer gave the Sea Dogs the early 1-0 lead.

The R-Phils would find some offense in the top of the fourth off of Sea Dogs starter Grant Gambrell. Madison Stokes kicked things off first with a double. Carlos De La Cruz quickly followed up with a single to score Stokes, extending his on-base streak to 36 and tying the game up at one.

After another single from Johan Rojas, Ethan Wilson gave Reading a 3-1 lead with a double off the Maine Monster in left to score De La Cruz and Rojas. The Fightin Phils added another thanks to Baron Radcliff. A single from the outfielder scored Wilson to make it 4-1 Fightins.

McGarry had a short performance on the mound for Reading. The Phillies number-three overall prospect threw 84 pitches over just 3.2 innings of work. The right-hander only allowed four hits, striking out four and walking three. Matt Seelinger would come in relief and pitch a solid 1.1 innings.. Seelinger allowed only one hit and got the R-Phils out of trouble.

Reading tacked two more runs on in the top of the fifth. Following a single from De La Cruz, Rojas doubled to score De La Cruz to make it 5-1 R-Phils. A sacrifice fly from Casey Martin scored another to make it 6-1 Reading.

The Sea Dogs scratched their way back into the ballgame in the bottom of the sixth. Portland quickly got to new Reading pitcher Andrew Schultz, who came in for relief of Seelinger. Phillips Sikes singled to lead things off for Portland. A double from Matthew Lugo scored Sikes to make it 6-2 Reading. Two more runs would come off a giant home run from Alex Binelas to make it 6-4 R-Phils.

Schultz would not record an out in the inning before Brett Schulze would come in for relief. Schulze would walk the first batter he faced, but recorded the next two outs to get Reading out of the inning with the lead.

Ethan Wilson added to his stellar night with a home run in the top of the seventh. His 11th on the year made it 7-4 Fightins.

Binelas homered for the second time tonight in his next at-bat in the eighth to cut the Portland deficit to two runs.

The Fightin Phils would add a few more insurance runs in the top of the ninth inning. Ethan Wilson doubled to start the inning, his third hit of the night. Martin showed off his quickness and tripled for the first time in a Reading uniform, scoring Wilson to make it 8-5 Reading. Oliver Dunn then cracked a home run over the monster in left field to make it 10-5 Reading. It was the third-straight game Dunn homered.

Adam Leverett came in to close the game out and give the R-Phils the win 10-5 over Portland.

Schulze earned the win for Reading to improve to 3-5 on the season and Gambrell suffered the loss for Portland to fall to 1-2 on the year. With the win, Reading improves to 27-38 and Portland falls to 38-28 with the loss. The R-Phils have won three-straight games and four-of-five contests.

Reading and Portland are back in action Friday night at 6:20 p.m. LHP David Parkinson is scheduled to start for Reading and Portland's starter is yet to be announced. Radio coverage is underway at 6 p.m. at rphils.com/radio. A video stream is also available on MiLB TV or the Bally Live App.

The Fightin Phils return home on Wednesday, June 28 to begin a series against the Richmond Flying Squirrels (Giants), that runs through Monday, July 3. Tickets to all games are still available at rphils.com/tickets, by calling 610-370-BALL or in person at the Customers Bank Ticket Office.

The 2023 R-Phils season is presented by Pepsi. Follow the Fightin Phils on Twitter @ReadingFightins, like us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram @Fightins.