(Reading, PA) - The Reading Fightin Phils (27-33) picked up their third straight win against the Portland Sea Dogs (29-30) by a final score of 5-3. Reading takes a 3-0 series lead against Portland heading into the weekend.
Phillies number two overall prospect Gage Wood showed electric stuff on the mound again in Baseballtown. Wood was able to work around traffic on the bases in the first two innings, and strike out four batters in the process.
Scoring would start in the bottom of the second from a missile off the bat of Raylin Heredia (8) to give Reading a 1-0 lead. Heredia’s 29 extra base hits puts him third in the Eastern League.
Scoring continued in the second for the Fightins. Erick Brito smoked a double to center field to drive in Alex Binelas. Brito himself was driven in two batters later via a Cade Fergus bloop single to right to push the lead to three. The R-Phils worked three walks in the inning off of Portland starter Dalton Rogers.
The Sea Dogs responded in the top of the third. Back-to-back singles set the table for Portland cleanup man Brooks Brannon. Brannon came through with a double into the right field gap to drive in one run. Johanfran Garcia grounded out in the next at bat and drove in another run to bring the score to 3-2 in favor of Reading.
But as the Fightins so often do, they responded immediately. Bryson Ware (10) sat on a breaking ball and sent it on a ride over the deck in left field to give the R-Phils a 4-2 lead after three. Ware has collected double digit home runs in each of his last three seasons in the Phillies farm system.
Wood threw three innings on the day for Reading while allowing two runs on four hits and striking out five. Wood has an ERA of 3.21 in his first season in Baseballtown.
The game would enter a delay in the top of the sixth with two outs due to heavy rain that lasted around 56 minutes.
Action returned in the top of the seventh through a homer off the bat of Sea Dog left fielder Will Turner to trim the R-Phil lead to one.
The Fightins got the final run of the game in the bottom of the eighth. Alex Binelas (12) smoked a line drive out into the bullpens in left center to add an insurance run and give Reading a 5-3 lead.
Alex McFarlane entered in the ninth and closed the door on Portland and picked up his seventh save of the season, and his second of the series.
Tristan Garnett (1-0) picked up his first win of the season out of the Reading bullpen in relief of Wood. Garnett struck out two in two innings for the R-Phils.
Rogers (0-1) was charged with the loss. Rodgers went three innings and allowed four runs on six hits while walking three.
Daniel Harper, Estibenzon Jimenez and Christian McGowan all picked up holds for their efforts on the night.
Every R-Phil batter collected a hit, with Alex Binelas having two. Fightins pitchers totaled ten strikeouts in the win.
The Fightin Phils return to the field on Friday against the Portland Sea Dogs, Double-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, at 7 p.m. RHP Luke Russo will get the start on the mound for Reading, and he will go opposite LHP Hayden Mullins for Portland. Pregame radio coverage is underway at 6:40 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 for a two-week homestand through Sunday, June 21, continuing a six-game series against the Portland Sea Dogs through Sunday, June 14.
Friday features fireworks, sponsored by Silverline Trailers – Pottstown. Saturday night brings the first postgame drone show of the season, celebrating America’s 250th Anniversary, presented by Penn State Health St. Joseph. The series wraps up Sunday with a Crazy Hot Dog Vendor Costume T-Shirt giveaway, thanks to Berks Packing.
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.