Fightins Fall Short, 16-11, Despite Eight-Run Comeback

BOX SCORE

(Binghamton, NY) - The Reading Fightin Phils (24-29) dropped an offensive arms race to the Binghamton Rumble Ponies (19-34) by a score of 16-11 at Mirabito Stadium. The Fightins trimmed an eight-run deficit at one point, but the Ponies pulled away to claim their first win of this series.

Reading opened up the scoring in the first inning, as Raylin Heredia swatted home the first run (scoring Austin Murr) on an RBI single.

Binghamton snapped back in the bottom half of the frame with a four-spot. JT Schwartz smacked a single to center field to score Jose Ramos. Vincent Perozo followed him up, pulling a single to right field to plate Nick Lorusso. Jaylen Palmer kept the line moving, rolling into an RBI groundout to score Schwartz. Wyatt Young’s RBI single, sending Palmer home, made the game 4-1 through the first stanza.

The Rumble Ponies kept churning out runs in the second inning, as Schwartz clubbed a line-drive, two-run single to center field to score both Kevin Villavicencio and Chris Suero. Perozo laced a double to left field to bring home two more, as Lorusso and Schwartz both crossed home plate. The New York Mets’ Double-A affiliate held an early 9-1 lead after rattling off nine straight runs.

The Fightin Phils would start their own scoring run in the third inning, as Murr’s sacrifice fly plated Dante Nori to cut into the lead. Dylan Campbell stepped up shortly after, swatting his 11th double of the season down the left field line to score Aroon Escobar, the Phillies’ fourth-ranked prospect. Alex Binelas and Dylan Campbell both sprinted home on a wild pitch, as the Fightins cut the lead to 9-5 through the first third of regulation.

The R-Phils kept the foot on the gas pedal in the fourth inning, as Nori hit a ball up the middle that Gabriel Rodriguez yanked into center field on a throwing error. This scored Bryson Ware. Murr took a fastball off of his hands with the bases loaded to score Jordan Dissin, but the Fightins’ Rule 5 (AAA Phase) draft acquisition exited the game shortly after. Heredia then logged a sacrifice fly to center field to score Nori and bring the Fightins within a run after three and a half frames.

In the sixth inning, Cade Fergus, who took over for Murr, smacked an RBI single to left field to score Escobar and tie up a game where Reading once faced a 9-1 hole.

Nori’s RBI knock in the seventh then gave the R-Phils their first lead (10-9) since opening up the scoring in the first frame.

Binghamton stormed back on the other end of the stretch, as Suero knocked home Heredia on an RBI single to knot the game back up. Schwartz (6) then broke the game wide open with a grand slam to push the Ponies back ahead 14-10.

The Fightins answered in the top of the eighth inning, as Heredia scored on a wild pitch. This made the game 14-11. TT Bowens (1) socked a two-run shot in the bottom half of the inning to extend the lead to 16-11 with a frame to spare.

Carlos Guzman (2-1) got the win, allowing one earned run on two hits with a strikeout in an inning of relief.

Colin Peluse (2-1) took his first loss and blown save of the season, allowing four earned runs on four hits with a strikeout in one inning of work.

Schwartz finished his day off going 3-for-7 with three runs scored and a team-best seven runs batted in for the Ponies.

Nori paced all Reading hitters, logging a 3-for-6 performance with a pair of runs and a run batted in.

The Fightin Phils return to the field on Thursday at the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, Double-A affiliate of the New York Mets, at 6:07 p.m. RHP Gage Wood is set to start for Reading, and he will go against RHP Brendan Girton for Binghamton. A video stream is available via MiLB TV or the Bally Live App.

The Fightin Phils return home for a two-week homestand from Tuesday, June 9 through Sunday, June 21, opening with a six-game series against the Portland Sea Dogs (June 9–14).

The first 2,000 adults on Tuesday will receive an R-Phils T-Shirt celebrating 60 years of Phillies affiliation, thanks to Berks County Mental Health & Developmental Disabilities Program. Wednesday features “Seinfeld” Tribute Night, highlighted by an appearance from Actor John O’Hurley. Thursday and Friday both include fireworks, sponsored by PA Virtual Charter School and Firetree LTD. (Thursday), and Silverline Trailers – Pottstown (Friday). Saturday night brings the first postgame drone show of the season, celebrating America’s 250th Anniversary, presented by Penn State Health St. Joseph. The series wraps up Sunday with a Crazy Hot Dog Vendor Costume T-Shirt giveaway, thanks to Berks Packing.

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.