Reading Walks Off Binghamton in Dramatic Fashion

BOX SCORE

(Reading, PA) - The Reading Fightin Phils (17-11: 47-50) shocked the visiting Binghamton Rumble Ponies (9-19; 36-61) with a 7-6 walk-off win. The Fightins take the first game of the series after Tuesday’s contest was postponed.

Binghamton found the first run of the game in the top of the first inning. Nick Lorusso knocked home Mitch Voit to give the guests a 1-0 lead.

The Ponies doubled their lead in the second courtesy of Corey Collins’ second Double-A home run.

Reading responded with runs of their own in the bottom of the second. Hits from Aroon Escobar and Wuilfredo Antunez, his first for the Fightins, set the table. Raider Tello delivered with a two RBI single off the wall in right to tie the game at two apiece.

Binghamton countered with two more runs in the top of the third. D’Andre Smith and Collins both had RBI knocks to push the guests back ahead 4-2.

Channing Austin finished his outing after only two innings for the guests. Austin surrendered four hits and two runs while collecting three strikeouts.

The Fightins bats awoke again in the bottom of the fourth. Luke Ritter knocked a two RBI double off the wall in right field to knot the game up at four. Ponies reliever Felipe De La Cruz finished his outing after 1.2 innings, picking up three strikeouts in the appearance.

Jean Cabrera was removed from his start after four innings. The righty allowed four runs, walked two batters and struck out four.

The fifth inning would see no runs cross the plate, but action would restart in the top of sixth for the guests. Lorusso and Jose Ramos picked up RBIs to take the score to 6-4 for Binghamton.

Reading loaded the bases in the bottom of the frame with zero outs but were unable to push across a run.

Jack Dallas threw two scoreless innings out of the R-Phils bullpen. Dallas picked up one strikeout and only allowed one hit.

The R-Phils trimmed away at the guests lead in the bottom of seventh. Bryan Rincon led off the inning with a double and was later driven in by Raylin Heredia to bring the Ponies' lead down to one.

Reading completed the comeback in improbable fashion in the ninth. Pedro Leon and Rincon populated the basepaths with Heredia up at the dish. Heredia hit a comebacker right at Ponies reliever Garrett Stratton. What seemed to be a routine play turned upside down, as Stratton threw the ball past first base, and allowed for both runners to score to lift Reading to a walk-off win, 7-6.

Estibenzon Jimenez (4-0) collects the win. Jimenez pitched a scoreless ninth inning and picked up a strikeout.

Stratton (1-3) is handed the loss. Stratton went for the six out save and got four of them. He collected two strikeouts during his work.

Voit had an excellent debut for the Ponies, as the Mets' no. 5 prospect went three for five with three extra base hits and also collected some great defensive plays.

Both teams collected double digit hits in the contest, with the Rumble Ponies leaving 13 men on base on the night. The two teams combined to use 11 pitchers on the night.

Antunez picked up two knocks in his first game as a R-Phil and found himself on base three times.

Reading returns to the field on Thursday against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies at 7 p.m. RHP Luke Russo gets the start for Reading, and he will go opposite RHP Dakota Hawkins for Binghamton. Pregame radio coverage is underway at 6:40 p.m. on the Reading Fightin Phils Radio Network. A video stream is available via MiLB TV or the Bally Live App.

The Fightin Phils remain home through Sunday, August 2, against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, the Double-A affiliate of the New York Mets. Thursday and Friday both feature postgame fireworks. Thursday's show is sponsored by Riverfront Federal Credit Union, and Friday's by Tompkins. Saturday is a Harry Potter-themed Carpenter MEGA Blast Fireworks, thanks to International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 429. The series ends Sunday with a R-Phils Mascot Band T-Shirt Celebrating 25 Seasons of the Mascot Band for the first 2,000 kids, sponsored by Ron Procopio Custom Guitars, Asher's Chocolate Co., Reading Fire Department Paramedics and Berks County Department of Agriculture/Bountiful Berks.

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.