SeaWolves Fall to Fightin' Phils Despite Early Offensive Explosion

READING, PA - The Erie SeaWolves (43-25, 79-57) scored nine runs on twelve hits in the first three innings but couldn't hang on in a 13-10 loss to the Reading Fightin' Phils (39-28, 69-67) on Saturday night.

The SeaWolves offense jumped out to an early lead as Peyton Graham led off the game with a double, Zyhir Hope worked a walk and Thayron Liranzo smashed a three-run homer to open the scoring.

Reading's bats came out just as hot with the Fightin' Phils scoring four first-inning runs on RBI singles from Raider Tello and Carson DeMartini along with a two-run single from Caleb Ricketts to chase SeaWolves starter Carlos Peña from the game. Dariel Fregio closed the inning with a strikeout after entering from the bullpen.

Erie's offense picked right back up in the second. Luke Shliger led off the inning with a home run to tie the game before Seth Stephenson followed with a triple. After Graham singled home Stephenson, Hope hit his 29th home run of the season to push the SeaWolves lead to 7-4.

Stephenson, Graham and Hope teamed up again to add to the lead with two outs in the third inning. Stephenson singled and scored on a triple from Graham while Hope knocked a base hit into right field to bring in Graham and give Erie a 9-4 lead.

The Fightin' Phils responded quickly with a leadoff shot from Pedro Leon in the bottom of the third. Three batters later, Bryson Ware launched a three-run home run to pull Reading within a run.

The bullpens settled in for the middle innings. Fregio retired the final six that he faced after the home runs in the third and worked 3.1 innings in relief of Peña. Jack Dallas pitched two scoreless innings for Reading after starter Braydon Tucker exited the game for the fourth.

Yoniel Curet pitched the fifth for Erie and punched out the first two hitters he faced. The Fightin' Phils worked Curet for three walks in the inning with two outs before a flyout helped Erie escape the frame unscathed.

Curet wasn't as lucky in the sixth when back-to-back doubles from the top of the Reading order tied the game at nine and forced Erie back to the bullpen. Tanner Kohlhepp entered and retired the first two hitters he faced before Carson DeMartini poked a single into right field to give Reading its first lead since the first inning.

Neither team managed runs in the seventh inning, but it was the SeaWolves who broke through in the eighth. Shliger worked a walk against Fightin' Phils reliever Mavis Graves and scored on an error from Graves attempting to field a spinner off the bat of Hope.

The deadlock didn't last long. Wandisson Charles got the eighth inning on the mound for the SeaWolves and loaded the bases on a strikeout with a wild pitch and a pair of singles. Reading plated three runs in the frame with runners scoring on a passed ball, a walk and a hit-by-pitch. Colin Fields centered and got the final two outs of the inning.

The SeaWolves went 1-2-3 in the ninth inning and will need a victory tomorrow in the regular season finale to earn the series split with the Fightin' Phils. Max Alba is scheduled to start for Erie with first pitch at 1:15 PM.

The 2026 Eastern League Playoffs are presented by UPMC. Single-game tickets, group experiences, and hospitality areas, including ballpark suites, picnics, The Club by Synchrony, and the Bud Light Party Deck, are now available for playoff games by visiting SeaWolves.com, calling 814-456-1300, or visiting the UPMC Park Ticket Office.