'Wolves Let Late Lead Slip Away
The SeaWolves jumped ahead of the R-Phils in the top of the first against starter Kyle Drabek. With one out, Chris White doubled down the right field line and Brennan Boesch reached on an infield single putting a pair on for Michael Bertram. Bertram turned on a pitch and homered for the fifth time putting the 'Wolves ahead 3-0.
The 'Wolves took a 4-0 lead in the top of the third. Bertram doubled for his second hit of the game to lead off the inning. Santo De Leon sacrificed Bertram into scoring position and he came home to score on a sacrifice fly by Casper Wells.
Reading got on the board against Erie starter Jared Gayhart in the bottom of the fourth. Brian Stavisky led off with a double and he was knocked home on a Neil Sellers base hit to make it 4-1.
Erie would get the run back in the top of the fifth. Bertram led off with a triple and he would later come home to score on a single by Wells. Bertram finished a single shy of hitting for the cycle and Wells finished the night 3-for-4 with two RBI.
Reading would strike for a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth against reliever Kris Regas. Steve Susdorf reached on a fielder's choice and scored on a Kevin Nelson home run to make it 5-3.
The 'Wolves would take the lead into the eighth inning. Jason Waddell came out for his second inning of work after shutting down the side in order in the seventh. Susdorf led off and was hit by a pitch. With one out Freddy Galvis singled and pinch hitter Kevin Mahar blooped a single off the glove of second baseman Shawn Roof loading the bases for leadoff hitter Quinten Berry. Berry singled to right, scoring Susdorf and Galvis, tying the game at 5-5. With runners on the corners, Erie brought in reliever Brendan Wise. Michael Spidale was jammed on a Wise pitch down the third base line but the ball hung fair allowing Mahar to score on an infield single, giving Reading a 6-5 lead. The Phillies would score two more runs to make it 8-5.
Erie got a pair on base with two outs in the ninth but could not mount a comeback, falling 8-5.
The 'Wolves now trail Reading by 1.5 games in the Southern Division Wild Card race.