Reading's Late Rally Not Enough against Akron

BOX SCORE - Reading 4, Akron 5

The Reading Fightin Phils rallied hard on Tuesday night but ultimately fell to the Akron RubberDucks 5-4. Solid relief pitching did not allow Akron to score after the fourth, while late bats put the Fightins within reach.

Down by 5 in the eighth, Josh Ockimey got on base on a fielder's choice and Madison Stokes singled to reach. Then, Wendell Rijo sliced a ball into right to score two. Rijo scored on a throwing error in the same play. Reading trailed 5-3.

Matt Seelinger struck out the side in the bottom half to keep Reading in the game.

Kevin Vicuna led off the the ninth with a walk down to first. Jhailyn Ortiz reached on an error which sent Vicuna to third. Logan O'Hoppe drove in a run with his RBI single to make it 5-4 Akron and that's where it ended.

Jack Perkins (L, 0-1) got his first start of the 2022 campaign. The righty four innings of four hit, five run ball. Julian Garcia walked three in his inning but held them on for a clean frame. Mike Adams threw two scoreless innings striking out three. Seelinger had a quick 1-2-3 eighth.

First pitch at Canal Park on Wednesday, April 13 is set for 6:35pm. Reading will send out righty Noah Skirrow for his 2022 debut.

The Double-A affiliate of the Phillies will return home on April 19 with a 6:45 start against the Harrisburg Senators (Nationals). Come celebrate the beginning of a great summer with us! Visit rphils.com/tickets, the Weidenhammer Ticket Office, or call 610-370-BALL to secure your tickets to a game!

The 2022 season is presented by Pepsi.

America's Classic Ballpark is proud to be a part of Pennsylvania's Americana Region and was voted the #1 stadium in all of Double-A by MiLB's Ben Hill. Follow the R-Phils at rphils.com, on Twitter and TikTok at @ReadingFightins, on Instagram @fightins, and like them on Facebook via www.facebook.com/fightins for all information.