(Altoona, PA) - The Reading Fightin’ Phils (1-2; 31-41) defeated the Altoona Curve (2-1; 33-39) by a final score of 7-4 on Thursday evening
The Fightins squared off against Altoona’s starter Joshua Loeschorn in his fifth start of the year. Loeschorn breezed through a 12-pitch first inning against the Reading offense. Right-hander Luke Russo made his 11th start for the Fightins. After retiring his first out of the night, Russo surrendered a ground-rule double to catcher Derek Berg. Two batters later, first baseman Callen Moss would bloop a base hit into shallow center field, scoring Berg and handing the Curve the first run of the ballgame.
The Fightins threatened to respond in the second, immediately loading the bases with no outs. Infielder Luke Ritter worked a six-pitch walk from Joshua Loeschorn to score Alex Binelas and plate Reading’s first run of the night. Loeschorn would bear down to induce back-to-back pop-ups before getting Pedro Leon to line out and strand all three runners on.
The Curve did get back to work in the bottom of the inning, first receiving a leadoff single from Javier Rivas. Following a Will Taylor strikeout, Ivan Brethowr singled into center field, which moved Rivas over to the third base. The next hitter was left fielder P.J. Hilson, who turned on an inside fastball and sent it into left field. Rivas came around to score and retake a 2-1 lead for Altoona.
Loeschorn would toss a scoreless third inning before being lifted for reliever Brandon Neeck, concluding his evening with three frames of one-run ball, surrendering three hits in the process. Neeck entered to immediately issue out back-to-back walks before retiring Luke Ritter swinging for the first out of the inning. Both baserunners, Erick Brito and Kehden Hettiger, would each move into scoring position on a well-executed double steal. The pair then advanced another base forward on a wild pitch with Brito crossing the plate to even the game at two. Rincon would plate home Hettiger with an RBI single, handing the Fightins their first lead of the game.
Rincon would continue his ways in his next plate appearance in the sixth inning when he clubbed a ground-rule double to right field for his second RBI of the night and extended the Fightins' lead to 4-2. Leon followed up next with his second walk on the night, which Rincon would advance over to third on a wild pitch from Alessandro Ercolani. This set up a situation with runners on the corners for Aroon Escobar, who reached on an infield single to a deep hole at shortstop for an RBI base hit to add another to the Reading score.
Altoona would tack on two runs in the bottom of the sixth, largely helped by the Reading defense that committed three errors within the inning, narrowing the gap to 5-3 by the end of the frame. Alex Binelas kick-started the the seventh as he smashed his team-leading 17th home run on the year, a solo shot for his second long ball of the series. Luke Russo was lifted from the game after six frames, allowed two earned runs on six hits with a walk and seven strikeouts. The Curve would add a run in the seventh as they connected on a trio of hits off Reading reliever Wen-Hui Pan, setting the score at 6-4. That would remain until Raylin Heredia ripped a bullet down the left-field line for a solo homer, his 13th of the year to cap Reading’s line. Daniel Harper was called on out of the bullpen for the ninth and used 17 pitches to record his first save of the season with Reading. Luke Russo (7-3) earned his team-leading seventh victory of the season, as Neeck (0-1) picked up the loss for Altoona.
The Fightin Phils return to the field on Friday against the Altoona Curve, Double-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, at 6 p.m. LHP Adam Seminaris will start for Reading, and he will go against LHP Dominic Perachi for Altoona. A video stream is available via MiLB TV or the Bally Live App.
The Fightin Phils return home from Tuesday, June 30, through Sunday, July 5, against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays.
On Tuesday night, the first 1,500 adults 21 and older receive a Yuengling R-Phils T-Shirt, thanks to Yuengling. Wednesday night is a Princess Tribute, along with Military Appreciation Night, presented by Savage Auto Group. Friday night features fireworks, sponsored by PA Virtual Charter School, A Stone's Throw LLC, and Island Pizza. Friday night is a Carpenter MEGA Blast Fireworks Show, thanks to the Pennsylvania Lottery. Saturday features another Carpenter MEGA Blast Fireworks Show, sponsored by Dog Training Elite. The series ends on Sunday with a Trey Yesavage Hometown Hero Bobblehead for the first 2,000 kids, thanks to AD Moyer Lumber and Hardware.
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.