(Reading, PA) - The Reading Fightin Phils (55-56, 25-17) took down the Chesapeake Bay Sox (52-58, 23-19) 6-4 at FirstEnergy Stadium on Thursday night.
Neither side scored through the first two innings, as Reading and Chesapeake combined for just one hit in the first pair of stanzas.
The Fightin Phils drew first blood in the bottom of third inning, as Raylin Heredia roped a single up the middle to score Raider Tello. Heredia's 60th RBI of the season gave the R-Phils a 1-0 lead.
The Baysox responded in the top of the fourth when Dom Keegan (3) swatted a solo home run over the left field wall. Keegan’s swing tied the ball game up at 1-1.
The Fightins retaliated immediately on a Luke Ritter double in the bottom of the fourth inning. Ritter’s eighth double of the season scored Caleb Ricketts and pushed Reading back out in front 2-1.
Al Pedrique’s squad proved relentless tonight, scoring for the third straight inning on a Raylin Heredia (20) solo home run in the fifth stanza. The long ball is Heredia’s career-best, now eclipsing his previous career-high (8) by 12 round-trippers. Alex Binelas followed up by drawing his second walk of the evening, and Aroon Escobar (Phillies No. 6 prospect) smacked an RBI double into the right-center field gap, plating Binelas and building the advantage to 4-1.
The Fightins scored yet again in the sixth inning, this time on a Wuilfredo Antunez (13) solo home run to dead center field. This was Antunez’s first homer as a member of the Fightin Phils, expanding the lead to 5-1.
Chesapeake showed some fight in the seventh, loading the bases with nobody out against Reading reliever Saul Teran. Aron Estrada (Orioles No. 13 prospect) plated Thomas Sosa on a sacrifice fly to left field, cutting into the lead. Christian McGowan inherited the bases loaded with two outs, and he struck out Anderson De Los Santos to preserve the score at 5-2.
Reading got its run back on the other end of the stretch with an Aroon Escobar RBI triple, scoring Heredia.
The Bay Sox showed some late life, as De Los Santos (11) socked a two-run home run to right field, sending Estrada home to cut the lead to 6-4. Fightins closer Estibenzon Jimenez struck out Wehiwa Aloy to end the ball game, giving the R-Phils their second win of the week.
Adam Seminaris (11-7) got the win for the Fightin Phils, tossing six innings of one-run ball while striking out nine without a walk.
Pat Reilly (0-2) took the loss, firing four innings of two-run ball with four walks and seven strikeouts.
With the Portland Sea Dogs losing, Reading holds a three-game lead atop the Eastern League-Northeast division standings with 27 games to go. The Fightins are in pursuit of their first playoff berth since 2019.
Reading returns to the field on Friday against the Chesapeake Baysox at 7 p.m. RHP Gage Wood is scheduled to start for Reading, and he will go opposite RHP Anthony Eyanson for Chesapeake. Pregame radio coverage is underway at 6:40 p.m. on the Reading Fighitn 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 Chesapeake Baysox, Double-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. Friday night features 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 an 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 an 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.