Reading Blasts Hartford 21-4, Wins First Playoff Game Since 2016

BOX SCORE

(Reading, PA) - The Reading Fightin Phils (Philadelphia Phillies, Double-A) blew out the Hartford Yard Goats (Colorado Rockies, Double-A) by a score of 21-4 at FirstEnergy Stadium for a playoff-opening win to kick off the Eastern League Divisional Series. This marks the team’s first playoff win since beating the Trenton Thunder on Sept. 9, 2016. It was also the team's first playoff appearance since the 2019 campaign.

Neither side scored in a first inning that featured just one baserunner between the two teams, as a Dante Nori (Phillies No. 7 prospect) walk was the lone exception.

Hartford drew first blood in the top of the second inning, putting up the first three runs on just a single hit. After Gage Wood (Phillies No. 1 prospect) tossed just nine pitches in the first inning, he walked the bases loaded with nobody out to begin the second inning. Wood recorded three straight outs, but at a cost.

Roynier Hernandez (Rockies No. 30 prospect) grounded a ball up the right side of the infield, trading his out to send Braylen Wimmer across the plate. Jack O’Dowd plated Zach Kokoska on a groundout, and a Cole Messina RBI single (scoring Jacob Humphrey) pushed the Yard Goats out in front by a score of 3-0.

Reading responded with one of its best innings in team history. Aroon Escobar (1), the Phillies No. 6 prospect, started the party on a screaming line drive over the left field wall. His two-run homer scored Carson DeMartini (1), the Phillies’ No. 24 prospect. Caleb Ricketts and Pedro León parlayed back-to-back doubles, as Ricketts scored to tie up the game.

The Fightins then pulled away and rattled off a remarkable lead-changing sequence to continue the second. Bryan Rincon (Phillies No. 4 prospect) singled to right field, scoring León to take the lead. Rincon has had a career-year, pacing Double-A with a .410 on-base percentage. Raylin Heredia, the Eastern League hits leader, singled up the left side to score Austin Murr. The Fightin Phils, with the bases loaded, then showed off their patience. Escober walked home Rincon, and Ricketts sent Heredia trotting on a free pass as well.

León stepped up for his second plate appearance of the inning, this time sending a line drive single to center field to push Escobar across the plate.

Austin Murr walked into the batters box next, and a man who has won back-to-back Minor League Baseball titles (2024 with the Erie SeaWolves, 2025 with the West Michigan Whitecaps) roped a two-run triple to build on the lead (scoring both Ricketts and León). Nori then stepped up for his second at-bat, and an RBI single up the middle (plating Murr) concluded the 12-run inning.

The 12-run onslaught is the most the R-Phils have scored in an inning this season, and it's one run shy of a 13-run inning for the 2007 team. This historic performance gave the Fightin Phils a 12-4 cushion.

Reading kept its foot on the gas pedal in the third frame, loading the bases before Caleb Ricketts grounded into a fielder’s choice to send Heredia across as the 13th run. Al Pedrique’s squad loaded the bases again, this time for Rincon to swat a bases-clearing double down the right field line to score Ricketts, León and Murr. This pushed the R-Phils’ advantage to 16-3.

Neither side scored in the fourth or fifth stanzas before a Wimmer double sent Rockies No. 15 prospect Andy Perez home to make the score 16-4.

The Fightins’ final act in the seventh stamped another record in the history books, Murr walked with the bases loaded (scoring DeMartini), Rincon grounded into a fielder’s choice, sending Escobar striding home, Miller’s bases-loaded walk scored León and Heredia reached on a fielding error that allowed both Rincon and Nori to score runs no. 20 and 21.

The 21 runs marks the most the Fightin Phils have scored since they put up the same mark against the Bowie BaySox (Baltimore Orioles, Double-A) on July 8, 2016. It’s also the first time since 2016 they’ve scored 12 or more runs in back-to-back games.

6,422 fans showed out on Thursday night to see the Fightin Phils take a 1-0 lead in the ELDS.

Evan Gates (1-0) got the win for Reading, tossing 1.1 innings of shutout baseball while allowing a hit, walking two and fanning two.

Wood finished with a no-decision, firing four innings of three-run ball with three walks and four punchouts.

Rincon, Heredia, Escobar, León and Murr all logged multi-hit performances for the Fightins.

Connor Staine (0-1) took the loss for the Yard Goats. Hartford’s starter entered the second inning, but he allowed six runs on six hits with a walk before exiting the game.

With a win, the Fightins can advance to the Eastern League title game for the first time since 105. This would also get them one step closer to the team’s first championship since 1995.

Reading returns to the field on Thursday at the Hartford Yard Goats at 6:30 p.m. for game two of the Eastern League Divisional Series. RHP Cody Bowker is scheduled to start for Reading, and he will go opposite RHP Jackson Cox for Hartford. Pregame radio coverage is underway at 6:10 p.m. on the Reading Fightin Phils Radio Network. A video stream is available via MiLB TV or the Bally Live App.

If the Fightin Phils make the Eastern League Championship Series, they will return home on Tuesday, September 22, and Wednesday, September 23 (if necessary) against either the Erie SeaWolves or Richmond Flying Squirrels. Both games will begin at 6:45 p.m and tickets for all Fightin Phils postseason 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.