Gage Wood Fans Four as Fightins are Downed by Curve

BOX SCORE

(Altoona, PA) - Four strikeouts from Gage Wood and a four-hit night from Pedro Leon were not enough as the Reading Fightin Phils (0-2; 30-41) fell to the Altoona Curve (2-0; 33-38) 8-4 on Wednesday night from People's Natural Gas Field.

Wood ultimately did not earn a decision in the outing, as the Phillies top pitching prospect allowed two runs on two hits across 3.2 innings, while adding four-more strikeouts. Wood's lone blemish came in the bottom of the first inning when Lonnie White Jr. clubbed his seventh homer run of he season, a two-run shot, to put Altoona up 2-0.

The Fightin Phils responded with a pair of runs in the top of the third. Bryan Rincon lifted a sacrifice fly to score Luke Ritter, then Leon followed with a single to plate Jordan Dissin to even the score at two. Reading tacked a run on in the fourth thanks to a Luke Ritter double that scored Bryson Ware to grab a 3-2 edge.

From there, it was all Altoona. The Curve tied the game a three when Konnor Griffin, rehabbing with Altoona, hit a triple to center field to score Will Taylor. The home team then grabbed a 4-3 lead when Griffin scored on a passed ball. Altoona broke the game open with four runs in the seventh to take a commanding 8-3 advantage. The frame was highlighted by a solo home run from Griffin and a two-run blast from Jack Brannigan.

The Fightin Phils tacked on a run in the top of the ninth to make it 8-4, thanks to a single from Aroon Escobar that scored Rincon, but it was not enough for the R-Phils.

Kyle Brnovich (L, 1-7) followed Wood and surrendered one-earned run over 2.1 innings pitched, along with three strikeouts. Saul Teran was tagged for four runs over one inning of work and Alex McFarlane struck out a pair in a perfect eighth inning.

Connor Oliver started for Altoona and allowed three runs across four innings of work. Former Fightin Phil Cristhian Tortosa (W, 2-0) struck out three over two-scoreless innings in his Altoona debut. Landon Tomkins (S, 1) fired three innings, allowing one run, to wrap up the second win of the week for Altoona.

The Fightin Phils return to the field on Thursday against the Altoona, Double-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, at 6:30 p.m. RHP Luke Russo will start for Reading, and he will go against LHP Connor Wietgrefe for Altoona. A video stream is available via MiLB TV or the Bally Live App.

The Fightin Phils return home from Tuesday, June 30, through Sunday, July 5, against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays.

On Tuesday night, the first 1,500 adults 21 and older receive a Yuengling R-Phils T-Shirt, thanks to Yuengling. Wednesday night is a Princess Tribute, along with Military Appreciation Night, presented by Savage Auto Group. Friday night features fireworks, sponsored by PA Virtual Charter School, A Stone's Throw LLC, and Island Pizza. Friday night is a Carpenter MEGA Blast Fireworks Show, thanks to the Pennsylvania Lottery. Saturday features another Carpenter MEGA Blast Fireworks Show, sponsored by Dog Training Elite. The series ends on Sunday with a Trey Yesavage Hometown Hero Bobblehead for the first 2,000 kids, thanks to AD Moyer Lumber and Hardware.

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.