ERIE, PA - The Erie SeaWolves and Reading Fightin Phils each delivered high-quality starts in game one of the Eastern League Championship Series, but ultimately it was Reading's offense that struck the first and only blow of the night in a 1-0 win at UPMC Park on Sunday evening.
SeaWolves' starter Joe Miller authored his most dominant outing of the season on the mound with seven scoreless innings and seven strikeouts. The lefty allowed the leadoff batter of the game, Bryan Rincon, to reach on a single and immediately forced a 6-3 double play to erased the runner. Miller cruised through the following three frames with only one hit allowed and three strikeouts.
Erie's offense mustered its first hit off of Fightin's starter Luke Russo in the second inning when Luke Shliger doubled into the right field gap but failed to advance before the end of the frame.
The SeaWolves were the first team to manage multiple runners on base in the game. Thayron Liranzo doubled with one out in the fourth inning and Shliger followed with a single. Russo subsequently forced Andrew Jenkins to ground into a double play to end the inning without Erie scoring a run.
Erie put multiple bodies on base once again to start the sixth inning. Back-to-back singles from Woody Hadeen and Peyton Graham were erased after Russo was pulled for Mavis Graves. The lefty struck out the first two hitters he faced before inducing an inning-ending groundout.
Joe Miller continued his brilliance through the sixth and seventh innings, facing the minimum in each. The lefty struck out three of the six hitters he faced before being replaced in the eighth by right-hander Tanner Kohlhepp.
Kohlhepp allowed a leadoff single to Caleb Ricketts who advanced to second on a groundout and moved to third on a wild pitch. A two-out walk to Dante Nori was ultimately stranded when Aidan Miller popped up to end the inning.
Reading broke through in the ninth against Moises Rodriguez. The right-hander walked each of the three hitters he faced and was pulled for Colin Fields. Fields allowed only one run on a sacrifice fly and escaped the inning with a 1-0 deficit.
Erie failed to plate a run in the bottom of the ninth against closer Estibenzon Jimenez. The SeaWolves dropped their first game of the postseason and must win two consecutive games in Reading to preserve their championship hopes.
The 2026 Eastern League Playoffs are presented by UPMC. Game two is set for 6:45 PM on Tuesday September 22nd at FirstEnergy Stadium in Reading. The SeaWolves face elimination with a loss to the Fightin' Phils.