(Reading, PA) - The Reading Fightin Phils (12-8; 42-47) defeated the visiting Altoona Curve (8-12; 39-50) in an action-filled game 9-5. Reading and Altoona are now tied in the series one game a piece with the rubber match coming tomorrow.
Altoona’s bats came out of the gates hot in the top of the first. The Curve sent six men to the plate, scoring the game's first run on a Callan Moss RBI single back up the middle to hold a 1-0 lead entering the bottom of the inning.
Reading responded with an action-filled first inning of their own. Bryan Rincon (13) got the inning started with a lead off home run over the pool in right field. Back-to-back hits from Pedro Leon and Raylin Heredia allowed for Aroon Escobar to drive in a run via sacrifice fly and give the Fightins a 2-1 lead after one inning. Heredia’s hit was his 100th of the season, and he finished the night getting on base four times and also swept two bases.
Zeros filled the scoreboard in both the second and third innings to hold the score at 2-1 in favor of the R-Phils.
The Curve tied the game at two apiece in the top of the fourth through a base hit off the bat of Matt King.
Similar to the first inning, Reading answered with two runs of their own in the bottom of the frame. The R-Phils loaded up the bases with two outs to set up Heredia. The 22-year-old struck out swinging but managed to reach first on a passed ball by the Altoona catcher, then he advanced to second on a throwing error from the catcher, pushing two runs across the plate on a chaotic play.
Altoona chipped away at the lead in the sixth with another RBI single from King. Fightins reliever Wen-Hui Pan managed to escape the inning and limit the damage at one.
Reading busted the game open in the bottom of the sixth, plating four runs. Heredia drove in two runs on a fielding error by the Curve’s second baseman. He was followed two batters later by Escobar’s two RBI single back up the middle. R-Phils batters drew three walks in the inning en route to their 8-3 lead.
Altoona trimmed one run away in the top of the seventh through a Will Taylor sac fly. Christian McGowan worked out of a bases loaded situation to only allow one run.
The Fightins loaded the bases yet again in the bottom of the seventh, but they were only able to push across one run on an Alex Binelas walk, and in the process restore a five run lead.
The final run of the contest came in the eight with a Derek Berg solo home-run for the visitors that brought the score to 9-5 in favor of Reading.
Alex McFarlane entered in the ninth and closed the game out to secure the win for the Fightins.
Pedro Leon found himself on base four times, drawing three walks. Reading as a team drew eight on the night.
Adam Seminaris (9-5) picked up the win. The lefty threw five innings allowing two runs while picking up four strikeouts. His season ERA sits at 2.70, one of the best marks in the Eastern League.
Peyton Stumbo (1-9) is given the loss. Stumbo went 3.2 innings surrendering two runs on five hits while collecting eight punchouts.
The Curve had three errors on the night, two of which occurred in bases loaded situations. The Pirates Double-A affiliate could only muster five runs on 14 hits, leaving 13 men on base.
Reading also struggled to push home runners, leaving 11 men of their own stranded on the basepaths.
Reading returns to the field on Sunday against the Altoona Curve, the Double-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, at 5:15 p.m. RHP Gage Wood is scheduled to start for Reading, and he will go opposite RHP Matt Ager for the Curve. Pregame radio coverage is underway at 4:55 p.m. on the Reading Fightin Phils Radio Network. A video stream is available via MiLB TV or the Bally Live App.
The series ends Sunday with a R-Phils Bring Your Camera Photo Session for Kids at 4 p.m. 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.