(Reading, PA) - The Reading Fightin Phils (40-28; 70-67) dominated the Erie SeaWolves 17-7 (43-26; 79-58) in the regular season finale on Sunday. With the win, Reading took four of six games over Erie this week.
Erie got on the board in the second on Andrew Jenkins, who hit his 11th home run of the year, a solo shot. Reading tied it in the bottom of the frame when Carson DeMartini hit a solo blast to right-center field.
The SeaWolves answered back in the top of the third, with a solo home run by Woody Hadeen. The long ball continued to fly, as Luis Caicuto blasted his first Double-A home run in the third, to tie the game at two apiece. Caicuto had a stellar day at the plate, going 4-for-5 with three extra-base hits and four RBI.
Erie took a 4-2 edge in the fourth thanks to an RBI double by Patrick Lee, allowing EJ Exposito to score. The next batter, Peyton Graham, earned an RBI on a sacrifice fly, bringing home Luke Shliger.
The Fightins battled back in the bottom of the frame with a five-run inning, sending eight batters to the plate. DeMartini initiated the rally with a lead-off double, while an Austin Murr single put runners on first and second. Raider Tello hammered a two-run double, and Caicuto followed with an RBI single. The next batter, Phillies #4 prospect Bryan Rincon (25) crushed a two-run, 420-foot bomb off the roof in right field. Reading took a 7-4 lead.
After Erie went down 1-2-3 in the top of the fifth, the Fightin Phils added another run in the bottom of the frame on a sacrifice fly by DeMartini. Raylin Heredia came in to score. Patrick Lee (6) cut the deficit in half in the sixth, with a two-run home run to center field to make it an 8-6 game.
Ryan Drombowski (W, 1-1) made just his second start for Reading on Sunday, after a brief Double-A stint in May. In the first inning, he found his way out of a bases-loaded jam and struck out three. Drombowski went five innings, allowed four runs and struck out eight. Erie’s starter, righty Max Alba (L, 3-6), pitched four innings, allowed seven runs on eight hits, and struck out four.
The Fightin Phils busted the game open in the bottom of the seventh, scoring eight runs in the inning, sending 11 men to the plate. Caicuto started the rally with a two-run double. Bryan Rincon followed, crushing his second blast of the day, marking his second career multi-home run game; his first – July 25th at Harrisburg. A few batters later, Aroon Escobar (12) crushed a two-run homer, giving Reading a 10-run lead. Reading’s 177 home runs this season are the second-most in a season in franchise history.
Reading returns to the field on Tuesday against the Hartford Yard Goats at 6:45 p.m. for game one of the Eastern League Divisional Series. 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.
Tickets for all Fightin Phils postseason 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.