(Harrisburg, PA) – The Reading Fightin’ Phils (14-9, 44-48) fell to the Harrisburg Senators (12-9, 46-44) on Wednesday afternoon by a final score of 12-2.
The starting pitching matchup featured a couple of right-handers as 23-year-old Riley Maddox squared off against Reading’s veteran Kyle Brnovich. Maddox, making his second start of the season, began his afternoon by retiring the top three of Reading’s order via the strikeout. Brnovich recorded a punchout in his first inning of work. In the bottom of the second, Kervin Pichardo reached base on a leadoff single. Brnovich would go on to retire his next two hitters, before allowing a two-run blast off the bat of T.J. White for his fourth homer of the season.
Harrisburg would put a pair of baserunners on first and second with one down, before both would advance a base ahead due to a wild pitch from Brnovich. Pichardo would then shoot a single into right field, scoring both runners, before advancing up to second base on a ball that was misplayed by right fielder Raylin Heredia. This handed the Senators a 4-0 lead after just three innings of play.
Reading did have an opportunity to answer back in their half of the fourth, when a double by Raylin Heredia (PHI’s No. 30 prospect) was immediately followed up by a single from Aroon Escobar (PHI’s No. 4 prospect). This would put runners on the corners for Caleb Ricketts. Both he and Luke Ritter would both be retired on grounders to end the frame, stranding both potential runs on base.
In the fifth, Harrisburg’s Devin Fitz-Gerald and Branden Boissiere would connect on a pair of consecutive doubles to extend their lead to 5-0. Two batters later, right fielder Ethan Petry launched a two-run shot out onto the concourse out in left-center field, blowing the game open as the Senators took a 7-0 lead. Brnovich was lifted following the conclusion of the frame, finishing his day with a final line of : 5 IP, 8 H, 7 ER, 0 BB, 4 K on 89 pitches.
Maddox was pulled from the game following his fifth frame of work as well, tossing five scoreless frames, surrendering just two hits and racked up six punchouts. He would hand the ball over to Seth Shuman, who was immediately greeted with a double down the left field off the bat of Pedro Leon, extending both his hitting (17) and on-base (23) streaks. After an Alex Binelas flyout, Heredia poked a single into right field that was initially fumbled by Petry, allowing Heredia to speed into second base. As Leon rounded third to score, Petry fired an off-line throw that got ahead away from the infield, which allowed Heredia to advance furthermore over to third. Escobar then made a productive out, scoring Heredia on an RBI groundout and making it a 7-2 ballgame.
Wen-Hui Pan (PHI’s No. 12 prospect) entered the ballgame in relief of Brnovich to begin the sixth inning. Pan got his first batter to T.J White to ground out before surrendering a one-out single to Caleb Farmer. He then fell behind 2-0 to Johnathon Taylor before the left fielder smacked a two-run homer into the left field seats, adding another pair of tallies to the scoreboard for Harrisburg at 9-2. Following Pan out of the bullpen was Colin Peluse, who pitched the final two frames, giving up three runs on five hits. The Fightins recorded just one hit following the sixth inning.
Maddox (2-0) earned his second Double-A win for Harrisburg, while Brnovich (1-8) picked up the loss for the Fightins.
The Fightin Phils return to the field on Thursday evening against the Harrisburg Senators, Double-A affiliate of theWashington Nationals, at 6:30 p.m. RHP Luke Russo (8-5, 4.31 ERA) will take the mound for Reading, as RHP Isaac Lyon (3-4, 4.50 ERA) gets the ball for Harrisburg. A video stream is available via MiLB TV or the Bally Live App.
The Fightin Phils return home from Tuesday, July 28, through Sunday, August 2, against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, the Double-A affiliate of the New York Mets. Tuesday is a 12 PM Camp Kid Day Game, then Wednesday through Friday all feature postgame fireworks. Wednesday's show is sponsored by Beneficial Society Victory Emmanuel II, Thursday's by Riverfront Federal Credit Union, and Friday by Tompkins. Saturday is a Harry Potter-themed Carpenter MEGA Blast Fireworks, thanks to International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 429. The series ends Sunday with a R-Phils Mascot Band T-Shirt Celebrating 25 Seasons of the Mascot Band for the first 2,000 kids, sponsored by Ron Procopio Custom Guitars, Asher's Chocolate Co., Reading Fire Department Paramedics and Berks County Department of Agriculture/Bountiful Berks.
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.