RICHMOND, Va. – The Richmond Flying Squirrels took an early five-run lead but lost to the Reading Fightin Phils, 6-5, on Sunday evening at CarMax Park.
The Flying Squirrels (63-43, 20-18) missed a chance for their first series win since June and split the six-game set with the Fightin Phils (53-55, 23-16).
With two outs in the bottom of the first, Charlie Szykowny hit an RBI single to score Trevor Cohen.
Two batters later, Maui Ahuna singled home Szykowny for a 2-0 Flying Squirrels lead.
In the bottom of the second, Jack Payton led off with a walk and scored from first on a double by Ty Hanchey.
Cohen followed with an RBI single to extend the Richmond lead to 4-0.
Szykowny led off the bottom of the third with a single and later scored on a single by Jose Astudillo to open a 5-0 lead.
Reading closed the score to 5-1 with a solo homer by Pedro León in the top of the seventh.
In the top of the eighth, Reading scored four runs to tie the score, 5-5. Mitch White issued two walks and two wild pitches to plate run. After a walk and a passed ball, Raider Tello hit an RBI single to close the score to 5-3. A run scored on a double-play and the tying run scored on a double by León.
In the top of the ninth, Alex Binelas tripled and scored on a wild pitch by Tyler Vogel (Loss, 7-2) to give Reading a 6-5 lead.
Wen-Hui Pan (Win, 2-0) stranded two runners on base in the eighth for Reading. Estibenzon Jimenez (Save, 3) struck out two in the ninth to finish the game.
Jack Choate opened on the mound for Richmond and threw a scoreless first inning. Logan Martin pitched the second and third without allowing a run and struck out three. Manuel Mercedes followed with three scoreless innings, working around a hit and two walks.
Richmond had 16 hits, the team’s most in a game since April. Szykowny went 4-for-5.
The Flying Squirrels open a 13-game, 14-day road trip with the first of a seven-game, six-day series in Harrisburg on Tuesday night. Left-hander Greg Farone (5-8, 5.78) will start for Richmond. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
Following the road trip, the Flying Squirrels return to Richmond for a six-game series against the Portland Sea Dogs from August 25-30. Tickets are available online at SquirrelsBaseball.com/Tickets, by phone at 804-359-FUNN (3866) or in person at the CarMax Park ticket office. Tickets for the Flying Squirrels’ home playoff games at CarMax Park on sale now at SquirrelsBaseball.com/Playoffs.