Reading Bashes Season-Best Six Home Runs In 14-5 Throttling

BOX SCORE

(Altoona, PA) - The Reading Fightin Phils (33-41) smacked six home runs in a 14-5 blowout win over the Altoona Curve (33-41) at Peoples Natural Gas Field. The team’s six homers was the most in a single game since they logged the same amount on May 25, 2018 against the Portland Sea Dogs.

Reading drew first blood with a pair of first-inning runs. Raylin Heredia’s RBI single scored Pedro León for the first run of the contest. Alex Binelas followed up with an RBI single of his own, scoring Phillies no. 4 prospect Aroon Escobar to give the Fightin Phils an early 2-0 advantage. The single extended Binelas’ on-base streak to 18 games, the second best mark on the team.

The R-Phils kept the scoring on in the second inning, as Luke Ritter (1) swatted a solo home run to center field for his first long ball in a Reading uniform. Rincon (11) smacked a solo shot of his own later in the inning, extending his on-base streak to a team-best 23 games and giving the Fightins a 4-0 lead.

Altoona answered in the bottom half of the frame, as Will Taylor laid down a perfect bunt to take first base and score Jack Brannigan in the process. This drew the Curve closer, making the game 4-1.

Neither side scored in the third or fourth stanzas before Raylin Heredia (14) hit a frozen rope to right field for a solo home run in the fifth inning. This bolstered Reading’s lead to 5-1.

R-Phils starter Jean Cabrera’s day ended in the bottom of the fifth, but it wasn’t on the Fightin Phils’ terms. After backing off Will Taylor on an inside fastball, he plunked the Altoona hitter a couple of pitches later before home plate umpire Brandon Spevak ejected him. Field Manager Al Pedrique and bench coach Marty Malloy were also tossed in the encounter.

The Curve struck again in the bottom of the sixth inning, as Lonnie White Jr. doubled home Derek Berk to make the score 5-2.

Reading’s offense answered in the seventh stanza in the form of another long ball. Binelas (18) smacked a two-run home run to left field, bringing home Heredia. This home run put Binelas alone atop the Phillies minor league hitters leaderboard and gave him more homers than any active Eastern League hitter.

The R-Phils then kept their foot on the gas pedal in the form of a seven-run explosion in the eighth inning. Ritter (2) swatted his second home run of the night, a solo home run, to build the lead. Binelas then came up to hit again, and with the bases loaded, he dribbled the ball up the first base side to plate Riley Tirotta on an infield single. Caleb Ricketts kept the inning rolling with a two-RBI double, sending both León and Escobar sprinting home to push the Fightins past double digit runs. Bryson Ware (13) supplied the nail in the coffin, bashing a three-run home run to lift the R-Phils to a 14-2 advantage.

Altoona wouldn’t go down without a fight, as they chipped away at the lead in the bottom half of the inning. Titus Dumitri lined a triple down the right field line to score Brannigan. Taylor then scored Dumitru on a line drive single to left field. Matt King supplied a single of his own, sending Callan Moss trotting across the plate to make the score 14-5 through eight innings.

Tristan Garnett (2-0) got the win for the Fightin Phils. The southpaw allowed one unearned run on a hit with three punchouts in two innings of relief.

Peyton Stumbo (1-6) took the loss for the Curve. Stumbo relinquished five runs on nine hits with a walk and three strikeouts in five innings of work.

Binelas led all Reading hitters with a 4-for-6 performance, scoring a pair of runs and driving in four on a night where he hit his team-best 18th home run of the year. The Louisville alum was just a triple shy of the cycle.

Taylor paced Altoona’s bats, going 2-for-3 with a pair of runs batted in on the night.

The Fightin Phils return to the field on Sunday against the Altoona, Double-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, at 1 p.m. RHP Braydon Tucker will start for Reading, and he will go against RHP Matt 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.