Fightins Fall in Extra Innings Pitchers Duel

BOX SCORE

(Reading, PA) - The Reading Fightin Phils (18-25) fell to the Binghamton Rumble Ponies (23-18) in ten innings on Friday night. With the win, Binghamton holds a 3-1 edge in this week's series.

The game quickly became a pitcher's duel between Lachlan Wells for Reading and Tyler Stuart for Binghamton. Wells silenced the Rumble Ponies bats through six innings, struck out five, and allowed just three hits and one earned run on a solo home run by Wyatt Young. Tyler Stuart pitched an almost identical outing for Binghamton going five innings, allowing three hits, one earned run, walking two, and struck out nine.

Bryce Ball gave the Fightins a 1-0 lead in the fourth with a solo blast to right field, his first home run of the year. Binghamton retaliated in the sixth with a solo home run off the bat of Young to tie the game, 1-1.

In a game where the offense was few and far between, the Fightins brought their A-game defensively. Binghamton threatened to score with a one-out baserunner in the top of the seventh. Ryan Clifford doubled to right-center field and Binghamton waved Nolan McLean home from first base. Right fielder Baron Radcliff fielded the ball quickly and threw it to Casey Martin at second, who gunned down the runner at home plate. The game remained tied. One inning later in the eighth, Casey Martin flashed the leather again, as he threw out another Rumble Ponies runner at home plate on a groundball.

The Rumble Ponies scored the go-ahead run in the top of the tenth on an RBI single by Young, who went 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Reading had an opportunity to walk it off in the bottom of the tenth but did not execute, and stranded the bases loaded to end the game.

The Fightin Phils and Rumble Ponies return to the field Saturday at 6:45 p.m. for game five of this week's six-game series. RHP Robinson Pina will start for Reading, and Binghamton will send RHP Joander Suarez to the mound. Pregame radio coverage gets underway at 6:30 p.m. on the Reading Fightin Phils Radio Network. A video stream is available via MiLB TV or the Bally Live App.

Saturday is the first Carpenter MEGA Blast Fireworks show of the season, thanks to Penn State Health St. Joseph. The series concludes on Sunday with an appearance from Ed's Dinosaurs Live, presented by Pepsi. To buy tickets, call 610-370-BALL, go to rphils.com/tickets, or in person at the Customers Bank Ticket Office. The Fightin Phils Brentwood Industries Team Store is open both in-person and online 24/7 at rphils.com/shop.

The 2024 R-Phils season is presented by Pepsi. Follow the Fightin Phils on Twitter @ReadingFightins, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Instagram @Fightins.