(Richmond, VA) - The Reading Fightin’ Phils (22-15, 52-54) fell to the Richmond Flying Squirrels (19-17, 62-42) 10-9 in extra innings on Friday night.
The Flying Squirrels sent LHP Charlie McDaniel to the mound to make his 11th start of the season, as the Fightins countered with RHP Gage Wood (PHI’s top prospect), making his 12th start. Reading got going immediately out of the gate, first with a leadoff double from Bryan Rincon (PHI’s No. 15 prospect) that was shortly followed up by a single from Pedro Leon. After an infield popout retired Raylin Heredia, Alex Binelas stepped into the box with one down and runners on the corners. With a 0-2 count, Leon broke for second base. As he got himself caught in a rundown between first and second, Rincon was able to scramble home before Leon was tagged out, giving Reading an early 1-0 lead.
Richmond would immediately respond by ripping a trio of swings off of Wood, one of which was off the bat of Gavin Kilen for an RBI single to tie the game at one. Wood then hit the next batter, Sabin Ceballos, with a pitch to load the bases. Two hitters later, the Squirrels would take the lead on a Maui Ahuna RBI groundout. In the top of the second, Aroon Escobar (PHI’s No. 5 prospect) led off the frame with a single before swiping second base for his 24th stolen bag of the year. A Caleb Ricketts groundout would advance Escobar over to third, setting the table for Raider Tello with just one away. On a 1-1 pitch, Tello poked an RBI single into left field to tie the game at two. McDaniel would then retire both Nick Biddison and Luke Ritter swinging to end the inning.
Wood began his second inning with a strikeout of Jack Payton. The next hitter, Jose Astudillo, battled Wood for an eight-pitch at-bat before receiving a dribbler back to the mound. Wood fielded the ball before making an errant toss to first base, allowing Astudillo to reach second on what was scored as a single, E1. Wood then chucked a wild pitch, which advanced Astudillo over to third. With a man on third and the infield in, Trevor Cohen ripped a grounder to the second baseman Escobar, who fired the ball home as Astudillo would glide past catcher Caleb Ricketts to retake the lead at 3-2. A few hitters later, Ceballos would cash in with an RBI single to make it a 4-2 game.
Reading would clap back in the 4th with stringing together a trio of consecutive hits from Escobar (2B), Ricketts (single), and Tello (RBI single). Raider Tello’s second base hit of the night would score Escobar and bring the Fightins a run closer as the score sat 4-3 Richmond. Nick Biddison would pop out for the second out of the inning before heavy rain would begin to fall, forcing the contest into an hour and 37-minute rain delay.
Both starters were removed from the ballgame due to the delay. McDaniel concluded his night tossing 3.1 innings, surrendering three runs on seven hits, as the southpaw issued no walks and struck out four. Wood allowed four runs in three frames, issuing no walks, and recorded four punchouts on the evening.
When the game resumed play, reliever Shane Rademacher took over for Richmond, as did Daniel Harper for Reading. Harper surrendered a lone base hit in between his two scoreless frames in the fourth and fifth innings. On the other hand, Rademacher would endure some damage from the Fightins in the fifth. There was first a leadoff eight-pitch walk issued to Bryan Rincon. Pedro Leon then dug in and struck a two-run blast to retake the lead at 5-4. Just two pitches later, Raylin Heredia (PHI’s No. 28 prospect) sent his own ball over the left field wall for a pair of back-to-back homers for Reading in a 6-4 game.
Rademacher was lifted for left-hander Dale Stanavich to begin the seventh. After initially getting his first batter in Leon to ground out, he would surrender a pair of consecutive singles to Heredia and Binelas. Both would each advance a base on a well-executed double steal. Caleb Ricketts then connected on an opposite-field laser into the left-field seats for a three-run bomb, extending Reading’s lead to 9-4.
Richmond would not go quietly as they struck back for a five-run bottom of the seventh inning. Southpaw Tristan Garnett entered the game in the sixth, tossing a scoreless frame before returning to the hill for the seventh. He began the frame with a pair of consecutive walks before losing control of the baseball for a wild pitch. Garnett was able to retire the next two hitters and sat just one out away from escaping trouble. He then completely lost the zone as he issued his second consecutive pair of free passes, this time walking in a run and making it a 9-5 game. Garnett was then replaced by right-hander Evan Gates, who would immediately allow back-to-back hits that scored a total of four runs and knotted at 9. Of the five runs within the frame, Garnett was charged with four of the five earned tallies.
In the ninth, the Fightins would be gifted an opportunity as Binelas was struck by a pitch to lead off the inning. However, Reading was not able to capitalize on the HBP. In the bottom half of the inning, Gates remained in the game for the Fightins. He immediately surrendered a leadoff single to Ahuna as he stood on first as the potential winning run for the Squirrels. A sacrifice bunt from Jancel Villarroel moved Ahuna ahead to second base in exchange for an out. Jack Payton would connect on a single of his own to put runners on the corners with just one down. Jose Astudillo stood in the box with a chance to end the ballgame. On a 1-0 pitch, Astudillo shot a groundball into the hole between shortstop and third base. Rincon made a backhand play to gobble up the ball and fired a throw to home plate that was just a bit wide to the left. Ricketts made an attempt at a swipe of Ahuna, who was able to slide right past his glove and safely score the game-winning run for a Richmond walk-off win.
Esmerlin Vinicio (1-0) picked up his first win in his Double-A debut, tossing two scoreless innings and striking out three for Richmond. Evan Gates (1-4, BS) took the loss for Reading.
Reading returns to the field on Saturday at the Richmond Flying Squirrels at 7:05 p.m. RHP Braydon Tucker will get the start for Reading, and he will go against LHP Tyler Switalski 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.