Trio of Homers Gives Reading Season Best Sixth Straight Win

BOX SCORE

(Reading, PA) - After a come-from-behind victory on Tuesday morning, the Reading Fightin’ Phils (61-60, 31-21) defeated the Binghamton Rumble Ponies (54-68, 27-26) 6-2 in the second game of this week's six-game series.

The Fightin’ Phils, looking to extend their win streak to six games, entered the contest with a 2.5-game lead in the Eastern League after their lead shrunk to just half a game last week. After a scoreless top of the first by Reading starter Cody Bowker (W, 2-0), leadoff man Bryan Rincon (21) jumped on Rumble Ponies starter Noah Hall (L, 1-3) right away, with the switch-hitting shortstop sending the fourth pitch of the game over the left field wall to give Reading an early 1-0 lead.

It did not take Binghamton long to respond, however, as Rumble Ponies left fielder Eli Serrano III (5) scorched a knee-high Bowker fastball around the right field foul pole for his second homer in as many days to tie the game at one. With the wind blowing out, Reading turned to the long ball twice more to pull ahead the following inning. First, it was center fielder Pedro Leon, who sent an offspeed pitch high and deep to left field for a three-run shot and his 13th homer of the year, and his second extra-base hit of the game after a first-inning double. Three batters later, it was Aroon Escobar's turn to leave the yard (9) when he crushed a ball 435 feet that would give Reading a five-run lead.

For a team with their sights set on a playoff run, the power stroke’s emergence for Escobar is a welcome sign. His 106 mph rocket on Wednesday was his third homer in August after hitting none in July. Reading would add an insurance run the following inning on a Bryson Ware sac fly.

Bowker, making his First Energy Stadium debut, settled in after surrendering the early long ball. The Phillies No. 15 prospect retired the last seven batters he faced and didn’t give up a hit after the second batter of the third inning. Bowker would go five innings for the second start in a row, scattering three hits, walking one and striking out four. After two starts with Reading, the 22-year-old right-hander's ERA sits at 1.80.

The Reading bullpen was strong in relief of Bowker following the fifth. 22-year old southpaw Mavis Graves was first out of the pen for the Fightin’ Phils. Following a rough four-game stretch in July, Graves has been excellent in August, which continued on Wednesday when Graves struck out two of three batters he faced, bringing his season ERA down to 1.54. For the lefty, Wednesday marked his eighth straight outing without allowing an earned run. In that stretch, opponents are hitting .094 off Graves and have struck out 16 times in 10.2 innings.

Binghamton center fielder John Bay would get to Reading reliever Wen-Hui Pan in the seventh when he homered for the second straight game (2), but Pan responded by retiring the next three batters. Reading reliever Christian McGowan was tasked with finishing out the game. McGowan would pitch the last two innings without allowing a baserunner and striking out two. In all, the Reading bullpen would combine for four innings, one hit, five strikeouts and no walks.

Following tonight's win and Somerset's loss to Akron, Reading's lead is now 3.5 games over the Patriots and 4.5 over the Rumble Ponies with 16 games to play in the regular season.

Reading returns to the field on Thursday against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies at 6:45 p.m. RHP Jean Cabrera is scheduled to start for Reading, with Binghamton's starter yet to be announced. Pregame radio coverage is underway at 6:25 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 against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, Double-A affiliate of the New York Mets. Thursday and Friday both feature fireworks. Thursday's show is presented by PA Virtual Charter School, Alvernia University, Members 1st Federal Credit Union, Berks Technical Institute, and Firetree Ltd. Saturday is a Post-Game Drone Show (Blue Ridge Remodeling) celebrating 60 Seasons of Phillies Affiliation and Celebrating "Swifties." The series ends Sunday with an appearance by the Phillie Phanatic (Berks County Intermediate Unit).

Tickets to all games are available at rphils.com/tickets, by calling 610-370-BALL, or in person at the Customers Bank Ticket Office.

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.