Reading Falls to Portland in Low Scoring Contest
BOX SCORE (Portland, ME) - It was a quiet night offensively as the Reading Fightin Phils fell 4-2 to the Portland Sea Dogs on Saturday night. Portland has won two straight games, but Reading still leads this week's series 3-2. The Sea Dogs wasted little time getting the offense started
(Portland, ME) - It was a quiet night offensively as the Reading Fightin Phils fell 4-2 to the Portland Sea Dogs on Saturday night. Portland has won two straight games, but Reading still leads this week's series 3-2.
The Sea Dogs wasted little time getting the offense started as Ceddanne Rafaela blasted an opposite-field home run to right field as the first batter of the bottom of the first. Nick Yorke then reached on an error from Madison Stokes at shortstop, then Marcel Mayer singled. With two runners on, Nathan Hickey grounded out to second to score Yorke and make it 2-0 Sea Dogs.
Reading responded with a run in the top of the third. Matthew Kroon led off the inning with a double and scored on an RBI single from Johan Rojas to make it 2-1.
Both offenses remained quiet until the bottom of the sixth when Alex Binelas hit a solo home run to right-center field to make it 3-1 Sea Dogs. Then in the seventh, Tyler McDonough led off with a single and moved to second when Raffaela reached on an error. With two outs in the inning, Mayer lined a double to score McDonough and put Portland up 4-2. That was all the Sea Dogs needed as they held on for the win.
Brian Van Belle got the start and was excellent. He earned a win to improve to 6-3, marking his fourth-straight start with a winning decision. Van Belle also went six innings or more for the eighth consecutive start. Cristian Hernandez suffered the loss for Reading to fall to 3-1. Hernandez pitched two-plus innings and allowed two runs, but only one was earned. The save went to Luis Guerrero, who pitched a scoreless ninth. It was Guerrero's 12th save of the season.
Additionally, Oliver Dunn's 22-game on-base streak came to an end tonight as he did not reach base. With the win, Portland improves to 40-28 on the season and Reading falls to 27-40 with the loss.
Reading and Portland are back in action Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. to close this week's six-game series and the first half of the season. RHP Tyler Phillips is scheduled to start for Reading and RHP CJ Liu will go for Portland. Radio coverage is underway at 12:40 p.m. at rphils.com/radio. A video stream is also available on MiLB TV or the Bally Live App.
The Fightin Phils return home on Wednesday, June 28 to begin a series against the Richmond Flying Squirrels (Giants), that runs through Monday, July 3. Tickets to all games are still available at rphils.com/tickets, by calling 610-370-BALL or in person at the Customers Bank Ticket Office.
The 2023 R-Phils season is presented by Pepsi. Follow the Fightin Phils on Twitter @ReadingFightins, like us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram @Fightins.