(Reading, PA) - The Reading Fightin Phils (18-11: 48-50) defeated the visiting Binghamton Rumble Ponies (9-20; 36-62), 7-2 in a dominant fashion. Reading now holds a four-game winning streak and a two-game lead at the top of the Eastern League standings.
The Ponies collected the first run of the game in the top of the first after Mitch Voit scored off a balk from Fightins starter Luke Russo.
Reading threatened in the bottom of the frame, loading the bases in the process but were unable to push across a run.
The first runs came for the R-Phils in the bottom of the second. Guillermo Rosario (1) stepped up to the plate in his first Double-A at bat and swatted a two run home run out to left field, giving the Fightins a 2-1 lead.
Zeros followed on the scoreboard in both the third and fourth innings as the game settled in.
Binghamton starter Dakota Hawkins was finished after only three innings. Hawkins picked up five strikeouts while allowing three hits through his outing.
Russo was relieved from his start after four innings of work. The righty only allowed two hits and one run on the night and added four strikeouts. He retired six of the last seven batters faced and lowered his season ERA to 4.13.
The Rumble Ponies knotted the game up at two in the top of the fifth off a fielding error from Raylin Heredia. Rain and heavy wind caused Heredia to miss the ball in right field.
The R-Phils offense came alive in the bottom of the sixth. The Fightins loaded up the bases with nobody out to set the tone. Rosario collected his third RBI of the night drawing a walk. Reading picked up another run on a wild pitch from Ponies reliever Gabriel Rodriguez. The final runs found their way across the plate on a Heredia two RBI single to leave the score at 6-2 in favor of the R-Phils.
Daniel Harper kept the momentum up, pitching a shutout inning in the seventh.
Reading tacked on another run in the bottom half of the frame. Aroon Escobar got the inning started by reaching on a fielding error from the pitcher and making his way all to third. All it took from there was a Luke Ritter ground ball to drive him in, increasing the lead to five.
Harper pitched another scoreless inning in the eighth. The 27-year old only allowed one hit over his two innings and picked up two strikeouts, lowering his ERA to 2.59 as a result.
No more runs crossed the plate in Baseballtown, as Christian McGowan finished off the Ponies in the ninth to seal the 7-2 victory.
Wen-Hui Pan (1-0) grabs his first Double-A victory of the season. Pan pitched a scoreless sixth and picked up a strikeout.
Rodriguez (3-2) is given the loss. The final line for the righty sits at .2 innings pitched, four earned runs and two walks allowed.
R-Phils pitching held the Binghamton offense in check all night long, only allowing three hits. Every Fightin batter reached base safely in an all-round team win.
Wuilfredo Antunez continues his hot start to life as an R-Phil, reaching base three times and collecting another two hits as well as another stolen base.
Reading returns to the field on Friday against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies at 7 p.m. RHP Gage Wood gets the start for Reading, and he will go opposite RHP RJ Gordon for Binghamton. Pregame radio coverage is underway at 6:40 p.m. on the Reading Fightin Phils Radio Network. A video stream is available via MiLB TV or the Bally Live App.
The Fightin Phils remain home through Sunday, August 2, against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, the Double-A affiliate of the New York Mets. Friday features postgame fireworks, sponsored 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.
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.