Fightin Phils Drop Wild Back and Forth Contest to Somerset
EL Reading Fightin Phils

Fightin Phils Drop Wild Back and Forth Contest to Somerset

Published on April 16, 2026 under Eastern League (EL)
Reading Fightin Phils News Release


(Bridgewater, NJ) - The Reading Fightin' Phils (5-7) dropped game three of their six-game set with the Somerset Patriots (5-6) by a final score of 9-8.

It was the Reading offense that was kick-started early once again, this time in the second inning, when Raylin Heredia lifted a hanging slider from Somerset starter Cade Smith (NYY's No. 16 prospect) over the left-field wall for a solo home run, his second of the season. Four pitches later, Alex Binelas took a trip around the bases as he shot a fastball over that same wall, giving the Fightins a 2-0 lead on just two swings. Heredia and Binelas connected on Reading's second pair of back-to-back homers in as many nights.

The bottom half of the second inning began with a six-pitch walk to Somerset left fielder Jace Avina (NYY's No. 19 prospect). Following a strikeout and a groundout that moved Avina, right fielder DJ Gladney singled into center field to score Avina and cut Reading's lead in half.

Phillies No. 6 prospect Dante Nori led off the third inning with another solo homer off of Smith, the third Reading long ball of the evening, to increase their lead to 3-1. The next batter, Bryan Rincon (PHI No. 29 prospect), was hit on the first pitch of his at-bat before swiping second base for his ninth stolen bag on the season. A pair of strikeouts sandwiched in between two walks would load the bases with two outs for Binelas, who worked a five-pitch walk from Smith to bring home Rincon to increase the Fightins' lead to 4-1.

The Patriots would put one on the board in the fourth inning, thanks to a solo shot off the bat of second baseman Marco Luciano, once again slicing Reading's lead in half. The Fightins immediately responded in the top of the next inning, as the duo of Heredia and Binelas once again connected for a pair of extra-base knocks, this time for a triple and an RBI double, respectively. The score sat at 5-2, Reading.

Somerset began to claw back in their half of the fifth with a leadoff single from Gladney. Reading starter Kyle Brnovich was then called for a balk, which advanced Gladney to second before moving over to third later on a wild pitch. Brnovich retired the next two hitters to get within one out of stranding his runner at third but would face the Yankees' top prospect (MLB No. 27 overall) George Lombard Jr. Brnovich would jump ahead of the infielder 1-2 before Lombard would slap a swinging bunt down the third base line to beat out an RBI single and inch the Patriots a run closer, at a 5-3 ballgame.

Lombard's infield single would be the final run allowed on the night for Brnovich. The veteran righty battled through five full frames, surrendering three runs on six hits, while issuing a walk and striking out five Patriots. His opposition, Cade Smith, would last for three and a third innings, allowing four runs on eight hits, issuing three walks and punching out eight batters. Both starters would earn no decisions on the night.

After Brnovich was lifted, Saul Teran entered the ballgame in the bottom of the sixth and was rudely greeted by a trio of Somerset round-trippers. The first coming on a solo shot from Avina, which was immediately followed up by another long ball from Luciano, his second homer of the night, which knotted the game at 5 apiece. Three hitters later, with two on and one away, catcher Miguel Palma took a 0-1 pitch in the heart of the zone and deposited it over the center field wall, gifting Somerset an 8-5 lead, shortly before a sacrifice fly off the bat of Garrett Martin would give them a four-run cushion with a score of 9-5.

The other lone reliever that would make an appearance out of the Reading bullpen was Tristan Garnett, who began his outing by retiring the first three hitters faced, each via strikeout in the bottom of the seventh inning. Garnett finished his night tossing two scoreless frames, issuing a single free pass and picking up four total strikeouts.

Reading began to inch their way closer to another come-from-behind rally, starting in the top half of the 8th when Binelas would club his second homer of the night and his fifth of the young season. That gave Binelas his game-high fourth RBI on the night and was also just the fifth time of his career with a multi-homer performance. Just an inning later, Carson DeMartini (PHI's No. 18 prospect) sent a screamer over the Patriots' scoreboard in right field for a two-run shot to cut Somerset's lead to just a run at 9-8.

Two batters later, Hayden Merda would get Binelas to send a grounder over to second for the final out of the ballgame. Matt Keating (1-0) earned the win for Somerset, his first victory of 2026, while Merda picked up his first save on the year. The Somerset pitching staff combined to rack up 18 punchouts against the Reading offense on the evening. Saul Teran (1-1) took the loss for Fightin' Phils.

The Fightin Phils continue a six-game series at the Somerset Patriots, Double-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, on Friday at 6:35 p.m. RHP Chuck King will start for Reading, with RHP Gerrit Cole set to go for Somerset. A video stream is available via MiLB TV or the Bally Live App.

The Fightin Phils return home from Tuesday, April 21, through Sunday, April 26, against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. Tuesday is an Unused Ticket Game, thanks to Baseballtown Charities. On Wednesday, the first 1,000 fans receive a Mystery Recycled Giveaway in recognition of Earth Day. Thursday night is a Storybook Tribute with "Winnie the Pooh" Cobranded Merchandise Available. On Friday, the first 2,000 kids will receive a Nick Singleton Hometown Hero Penn State Bobble Head, thanks to Klee Funeral Home & Cremation Services. Saturday night features fireworks, presented by Adams & Associates, along with a Tribute to "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles." The series ends Sunday with an appearance from the Phillie Phanatic, sponsored by Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center, Honoring our Community's First Responders.

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.

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Eastern League Stories from April 16, 2026


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