'Wolves Lose Late Lead, Fall to Fightins
The SeaWolves could not hold on to a late lead for the second straight day as they fell in 11 innings to the Reading Fightin Phils, 7-5, on Wednesday night.
Erie jumped ahead in the second inning against Reading starter Anthony Vasquez. Dean Green led off with a single, moved to second on a Connor Harrell base hit and to third on a hit by pitch on Corey Jones. Tyler Bortnick, in his first game since coming off the DL, lifted a sacrifice fly to right, plating Green for a 1-0 lead.
The 'Wolves added to the lead in the third. Gustavo Nunez led off with a single and was tripled home by Jeff McVaney making it 2-0. McVaney scored on a JaCoby Jones groundout for a 3-0 lead.
In the top of the sixth, Erie loaded the bases on consecutive singles by Corey Jones, Bortnick and Drew Longley. Nunez singled home Jones for a 4-0 Erie advantage.
Reading cut into the lead in the last of the sixth against Erie starter Anthony Fernandez. With two outs in the inning, Jesmuel Valentin and Jorge Alfaro each singled. Dylan Cozens then connected on an opposite-field three-run home run to make it a one-run game at 4-3.
The Fightins would take the lead in the eighth against the Erie bullpen. Valentin and Alfaro each singled off of Joe Mantiply. Mantiply then induced a pop-out of Cozens and was lifted in favor of Ruben Alaniz. Alaniz struck out Rhys Hoskins for the second out. Jake Fox followed with a two-run double making it 5-4 Reading.
Erie would tie the game in the top of the ninth against reliever Gregory Infante. JaCoby Jones led off and blasted a solo home run to left, his third in as many games, making it a 5-5 game.
The game remained tied until the bottom of the 11th. Jose Valdez, who worked a 1-2-3 10th, got the first out of the inning on a ground ball of the bat of Hoskins. Fox followed with a single, putting the winning run on base. Angelo Mora followed with a game-winning home run over the wall in right, sending the Fightins to their second-straight walkoff victory. It was the third time on the road trip the SeaWolves failed to hold a lead after seven innings.
Valdez (2-1) took the loss allowing two runs on two hits with no walks and a two strikeouts in 1.1 innings.
Joely Rodriguez (1-0) earned the win tossing a scoreless 11th with a strikeout.
Fernandez took the no-decision allowing three runs on five hits with no walks and two strikeouts in 5.2 innings.
Erie and Reading wrap up the series Thursday morning at 11:35 a.m. Lefty Josh Turley (0-1, 15.00 ERA) takes the mound for Erie against RHP John Richy (1-1, 6.30 ERA).