(Erie, PA) - The Reading Fightin Phils (Philadelphia Phillies, Double-A) edged out the Erie SeaWolves (Detroit Tigers, Double-A) by a score of 1-0 to win game one of the Eastern League Championship Series. With its fourth shutout of the year, Reading is officially one win away from its first Eastern League title since the 1995 season.
Bryan Rincon (Phillies No. 4 prospect) swung at the first pitch of the game, swatting a line drive to left field for a leadoff single. A Dante Nori (Phillies No. 6 prospect) double play shortly after teased the theme of the night: remarkable defense and superb pitching from both sides.
Following an Aidan Miller walk in the first, Erie starter Joe Miller retired 10 of the next 11 hitters he faced to settle into a groove.
The SeaWolves’ first threat came in the second stanza, as Luke Shliger hit a one-out double to right field. Fightins starter Luke Russo didn’t bat an eye, as the 25-year-old Eastern Michigan alum struck out Andrew Jenkins and got Chris Meyers to line out to close out the inning.
Both teams were held quiet in the third inning, but Erie challenged Russo again in the fourth frame. Thayron Liranzo (Tigers No. 14 prospect) clubbed a one-out double to right field, and Luke Shliger moved him to third base on a single to center field. Nori fooled Liranzo into staying for an extra beat, as the R-Phils center fielder acted as if he had a beat on the fly ball before firing the ball into the infield. The Fightins kicked their way out of a corner again, as Russo got Jenkins to ground into a 5-4-3 double play to shut down the fourth inning.
Reading put early traffic on the bases in the fifth. Aroon Escobar (Phillies No. 6 prospect) struck a sharp line drive to center field for a leadoff single, and Pedro León followed him up with a walk. Caleb Ricketts stepped up, and in a scoreless ball game, the 26-year-old backstop plopped a bunt up the third base line to advance runners to second and third. Bryson Ware popped up, and Rincon struck out to stifle the opportunity.
Erie threatened in the sixth inning, as Woody Hadeen and Peyton Graham parlayed back-to-back singles to place runners on first and second. This sequence ended Russo’s day, as the righty got a no-decision after firing five innings of shutout baseball. The 2023 15th round pick allowed just five hits, walking one and punching out three.
Mavis Graves (Phillies No. 26 prospect) entered the game, and the lefty mowed down a pair of top 30 prospects in Zyhir Hope (Tigers No. 1 prospect) and Liranzo (No. 14) to escape the inning.
Neither team put a baserunner on in the seventh, and SeaWolves starter Joe Miller fired seven innings of shutout baseball with two walks and seven punchouts for the no-decision.
Erie nine-hole hitter Seth Stephenson earned a leadoff walk against Fightins reliever Wen Wui-Pan (Phillies No. 20 prospect), and the team’s all-time stolen base leader took the first base of the evening. Pan struck out Hadeen looking, and then Graham hit a line drive to Rincon, who spun a 6-4 double play with Escobar to conclude the eighth inning.
SeaWolves closer Moises Rodriguez got the ninth inning, and he walked three straight R-Phils hitters (Raylin Heredia, Carson DeMartini, Escobar) to load the bases with nobody out. Ricketts, who laid down a successful sacrifice bunt earlier in the game, hit a high fly ball to right field that served as a sacrifice fly, scoring Heredia to give the Fightins a 1-0 lead.
Estibenzon Jimenez got the ball for the ninth inning. The Fightins closer previously got the save in game two of the Eastern League Divisional Series, and he set down the three SeaWolves hitters he faced to seal the win in Erie.
Pan (1-0) got the victory for the Fightins, shutting down the Erie bats in the eighth with a walk and a strikeout.
Rodriguez (0-1) took the loss for the Wolves, allowing one run with three walks being the decisive sequence.
Jimenez (2) slammed the door for his second straight playoff appearance.
The Fightin Phils now lead the ELCS 1-0 and are a win away from their first Eastern League title since 1995.
Reading returns to the field on Tuesday against the Erie SeaWolves at 6:45 p.m. for game two of the Eastern League Championship 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.
If the series advances to three games, then it will be on Wednesday at 6:45 p.m. at FirstEnergy Stadium in Reading. 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 playoffs are presented by Pepsi. Follow the Fightin Phils on Twitter @ReadingFightins, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Instagram @Fightins.