Squirrels swept in doubleheader by Fightin Phils
RICHMOND, Va. – The Richmond Flying Squirrels lost a pair of late leads and were swept in a doubleheader by the Reading Fightin Phils, 6-4 and 8-3, on Thursday night at CarMax Park.
RICHMOND, Va. – The Richmond Flying Squirrels lost a pair of late leads and were swept in a doubleheader by the Reading Fightin Phils, 6-4 and 8-3, on Thursday night at CarMax Park.
The Flying Squirrels (61-42, 18-17 second half) were handed their first doubleheader sweep of the season by the Northeast Division-leading Fightin Phils (52-53, 22-14).
Game 1
The Flying Squirrels allowed four late runs and lost to the Fightin Phils, 6-4, in the first game of Thursday’s doubleheader.
Richmond led, 3-2, entering the fifth before an error, two walks and a wild pitch tied the score.
In the top of the sixth, Caleb Ricketts hit an RBI single and Luis Caicuto drove in two runs with a single for a 6-3 Reading lead against Richmond reliever Mitch White (Loss, 3-4).
Ty Hanchey closed the score to 6-4 in the bottom of the sixth with a sacrifice fly.
Estibenzon Jimenez (Save, 2) covered the final five outs to finish the game.
Reading took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Alex Binelas brought in a run on a groundout and Aroon Escobar plated Raylin Heredia with a sacrifice fly.
Sabiiiiiin for the leaaaaaad! pic.twitter.com/IRzJM8OkT2
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) August 6, 2026
In the bottom of the first, Gavin Kilen belted his first Double-A homer to close the score to 2-1.
Sabiiiiiin for the leaaaaaad! pic.twitter.com/IRzJM8OkT2
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) August 6, 2026
Sabin Ceballos hit a two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the third to give the Flying Squirrels a 3-2 lead against Fightin Phils starter Luke Russo (Win, 9-6).
Trystan Vrieling started for the Flying Squirrels and allowed three runs, all unearned, over five innings with a season-high eight strikeouts. Since June 30, Trystan Vrieling has gone 3-0 with a 2.56 ERA (9 ER/31.2 IP) over six starts.
Game 2
The Flying Squirrels allowed seven runs over the final two innings and lost to the Fightin Phils, 8-3, in the second game of Thursday’s doubleheader.
Reading took a 1-0 lead in the second inning with a solo homer by Aroon Estrada.
A homer in Game 1 was just the warm-up for Gavin Kilen 👏
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) August 7, 2026
His two-run single puts us in front in Game 2! pic.twitter.com/yrmBudmC2u
In the bottom of the third, Gavin Kilen gave the Flying Squirrels the lead with a two-out, two-run single.
Back-to-back RBI knocks thanks to Jancel Villarroel! pic.twitter.com/xDM3MkunC8
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) August 7, 2026
Jancel Villarroel followed with an RBI single for a 3-1 Richmond lead.
Reading’s Alex Binelas hit a solo homer in the top of the sixth, his league-leading 23rd of the year, to close the score to 3-2. Later in the inning, Wuilfredo Antunez hit a two-run single to give the Fightin Phils a 4-3 lead against Richmond reliever Logan Martin (Loss, 2-1).
The Fightin Phils added four runs in six hits in the top of the seventh to extend the lead to 8-3.
Reading starter Adam Seminaris (Win, 10-7) allowed three runs, all in the third, over six innings to become the first Eastern League pitcher to reach double-digit wins this year.
The series continues on Friday night. Left-hander Charlie McDaniel (3-2, 4.85) will start for the Flying Squirrels against Fightin Phils right-hander Gage Wood (0-1, 4.32). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at CarMax Park.
Friday is Camping and Outdoors Night presented by VA 811. Tickets are available online at SquirrelsBaseball.com/Tickets, by phone at 804-359-FUNN (3866) or in person at the CarMax Park ticket office. Tickets for the Flying Squirrels’ home playoff games at CarMax Park on sale now at SquirrelsBaseball.com/Playoffs.