(Richmond, VA) - The Reading Fightin’ Phils (16-11, 46-50) swept the Richmond Flying Squirrels (14-11, 48-46) in doubleheader fashion on Thursday evening.
Game 1:
The Fightins sent RHP Luke Russo to the mound for his 17th start of the season, as he was opposed by Richmond’s Trystan Vrieling. Reading immediately got going in the top of the first when Bryan Rincon and Pedro Leon led off game 1 with a pair of back-to-back singles. Two batters later, Alex Binelas would reach on a fielder’s choice, which was able to score Leon and give Reading an early 1-0 lead. Aroon Escobar then followed up with a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0 Fightins. Richmond would answer in the bottom half of the inning with a solo homer from Gavin Kilen for his first career Double-A long ball.
Things would stay quiet until the bottom of the third when Sabin Ceballos singled in a pair to give the Flying Squirrels a 3-2 lead. In the fifth, the Fightins would tie the game at three as catcher Luis Caicuto would come around to score on a wild pitch. The following frame, Escobar led off with a walk before Caleb Ricketts would double him home and put Reading ahead by one. Caicuto then clubbed a two-run single for his first Double-A hit, adding a pair to the Fightins’ lead at 6-3.
Russo would pitch into the sixth before being relieved by Estibenzon Jimenez, capping his final line at: 5.1 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
Jimenez would surrender a sacrifice fly to Ty Hanchey before escaping the frame at a 6-4 ballgame. He returned for the seventh inning to retire the Squirrels in order and shut the door for his second save of the year. Russo (9-6) earned the win for Reading, as Mitch White (3-4) took the loss for Richmond.
Game 2:
In the second contest of the night, Aroon Escobar clubbed a solo home run for his eighth homer on the year, giving the Fightins a 1-0 advantage in the second inning. The Squirrels would answer back in the 3rd, again coming off the bat of Kilen, this time for a two-run single to put Richmond on top 2-1. Jancel Villarroel followed up with an RBI single to extend the lead 3-1.
The Fightins offense would lay low until the sixth inning, when Alex Binelas got things started with popping a solo shot, his 23rd long ball of the year, making it a 3-2 score. A couple of batters later, Wuilfredo Antunez ripped a two-RBI single to hand the Fightins a 4-3 lead. Reading kept the foot on the petal in the seventh, adding four scores on a trio of singles (Caleb Ricketts, Raider Tello, and Bryan Rincon), as well as a productive groundout by Nick Biddison for his first Double-A RBI.
Fightins’ starter Adam Seminaris tossed six frames of three-run ball, totaling both a pair of walks and strikeouts in his Eastern League leading 10th win of the season. Logan Martin (2-1, BS) picked up the loss for the Squirrels.
Caleb Ricketts led the way for Reading, going 5-8 with a pair of RBIs in the two games. The Fightins now sit two games ahead of the Portland Sea Dogs for first place in the Northeast division.
Reading returns to the field on Friday at the Richmond Flying Squirrels at 7:05 p.m. RHP Gage Wood will get the start for Reading, and he will go against LHP Charlie McDaniel for Richmond. A video stream is available via MiLB TV or the Bally Live App.
The Fightin Phils return home from Tuesday, August 11, through Sunday, August 16 against the Chesapeake Baysox, Double-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. On Tuesday, the first 2,500 adults receive a Rocky Colavito Baseballtown Hall of Fame Reading Indians Bobble Head, thanks to FirstEnergy. Wednesday is SU2C "Stand Up To Cancer" and Fightin Cancer Night with the R-Phils Wearing Fightin Cancer Jerseys. Thursday and Friday both feature fireworks, with Thursday's show sponsored by Recovery Awareness Night thanks to Berks Counseling Center and SOS Berks and Friday's by PSECU. Saturday is the 28th Annual Harley Night with a R-Phils Harley Game Cap Giveaway for the first 2,500 adults, along with postgame fireworks, thanks to American Crane and Equipment Corporation. The series ends Sunday with a R-Phils Team Photo for the first 2,000 kids with a pre-game player autograph session for kids at 4 PM, thanks to Berkshire Hathaway.
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.