(Reading, PA) - One day after securing their first playoff berth in seven years, the Reading Fightin’ Phils (38-28; 68-67) were defeated by the Erie Seawolves (43-24; 79-56) 6-3 in a back-and-forth affair.
Reading starter Adam Seminaris attacked the SeaWolves early with a variety of off speed pitches. The Fightin’ Phils' win leader often flipped backdoor curveballs and sliders over the outer half of the plate to get himself back into counts when he fell behind in the first.
Aroon Escobar (11) wasted no time resuming his scorching hot month of September. The 21-year-old second baseman saw two pitches before sending a ball crashing off the top of the Redners Event Center to give Reading an early 1-0 lead.
After hitting just .198 in August, Escobar has been nothing short of outstanding for the playoff bound Fightin’ Phils. The Phillies' sixth-ranked prospect hit .344 over the first 10 games this month. Entering Friday, Escobar’s September offensive onslaught featured 4 multi-hit games, a .462 on-base percentage and more walks (5) than strikeouts (4).
Seminaris ran into trouble in the top of the third following an Erie leadoff double, but following a groundout, the Reading southpaw sent a pair of SeaWolves fishing for breaking balls to halt the Erie threat to tie.
The Reading starter also benefited from a pair of strong defensive plays by center fielder Dante Nori. First Nori got an excellent jump on a hard hit ball in the second inning which he flagged down on the run to prevent a SeaWolves runner from scoring from first.
Nori added to his defensive highlight reel again in the fourth when he came crashing in toward shallow right-center field . Nori broke into a slide and snared the ball just above the outfield grass to end the frame.
By the time the Reading bullpen was ready to take over, Seminaris had gone through six innings, scattered five hits and struck out five without allowing a walk.
It was the type of outing that Reading has grown accustomed to seeing from the 27-year-old. This season, he leads the Eastern league in innings and strikeouts, and he entered Friday third in ERA.
The Fightin Phils’ had a chance to extend their one-run lead in the bottom of the sixth. A Raylin Heredia double and a Carson DeMartini walk and stolen base put two runners in scoring position with two outs for Bryson Ware, but the R-Phils left fielder was unable to push another run across.
Heredia recorded two doubles in the contest - his first since September third - to push his season total to a league-leading 35.
The missed opportunity quickly proved costly for Reading. After reliever Reese Dutton entered the game, a SeaWolves single, walk, and a pair of wild pitches had runners on second and third with no outs. From there, Viandel Pena hit a sacrifice fly to Nori, tying the run.
After another Dutton walk, Erie designated hitter Woody Hadeen ripped a two-run single by a diving Austin Murr to bring another two SeaWolves in to score. Following a hit batter, Escobar snared a line drive and threw to second base ahead of the retreating baserunner for the inning-ending double play. This kept the deficit at 3-1.
Not unfamiliar with late-inning comebacks, the Fightin Phils quickly got to work in the bottom of the seventh. After an Austin Murr walk, Reading right fielder Nick Biddison stepped into the box.
Biddison, with just 25 career Double-A at bats entering Friday, patiently took the first pitch down and in for a strike before unleashing on a pitch in virtually the same spot. As a crowd of over 5,000 people rose to its feet, the ball cleared the left field fence to tie the game at three.
After retiring the first hitter of the top of the eighth, Reading reliever Keegan Batka battled Erie right fielder Roberto Campos into a 2-2 count.
Batka’s payoff pitch was a good one, down and in to the 6-foot-3 righty, who managed to muscle the ball that nearly hit him over the left field fence for a solo shot to put Erie back in the lead.
Following a quiet bottom of the eighth, Batka returned to the mound tasked with keeping the deficit at one, but Erie would strike again. Following back-to-back strikeouts, a two-out walk brought up switch-hitting catcher Thayron Liranzo. Liranzo sent the second pitch of the at-bat to the opposite field for a two-run home run that pushed the Erie lead to three.
The Fightin Phils were unable to muster another signature rally in the bottom of the ninth, as flame-throwing Erie reliever Moises Rodriguez and his upper-90s sinker were too much for Reading.
After Friday, the two teams sit at two wins a piece in the last six-game series of the regular season.
Reading returns to the field on Saturday against the Erie SeaWolves at 6:45 p.m. RHP Braydon Tucker is scheduled to start for Reading, and he will go opposite LHP Carlos Pena for Erie. Pregame radio coverage is underway at 6:25 p.m. on the Reading Fightin Phils Radio Network. A video stream is available via MiLB TV or the Bally Live App.
The Fightin Phils remain home through Sunday against the Erie Seawolves, Double-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. It will be another Prost Oktoberfest Tribute on Saturday, with Carpenter MEGA Blast Fireworks (Penske). The series and ends on Sunday with Dinosaur Day, featuring Interactive Dinosaur Exhibits. Reading will open their first postseason series on Tuesday, September 15, against the Hartford Yard Goats, Double-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies.
Tickets to all games are available at rphils.com/tickets, by calling 610-370-BALL, or in person at the Customers Bank Ticket Office.
The 2026 R-Phils season is presented by Pepsi. Follow the Fightin Phils on Twitter @ReadingFightins, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Instagram @Fightins.