Fightin Phils Stifle Senators, Take Series Opener 4-1
EL Harrisburg Senators

Fightin Phils Stifle Senators, Take Series Opener 4-1

Published on July 21, 2026 under Eastern League (EL)
Harrisburg Senators News Release


HARRISBURG, Pa. - The Fightin Phils took an early 2-0 lead over the Senators Tuesday night, leading the rest of the way en route to a 4-1 win. Despite the loss, Harrisburg out-hit Reading 6-5.

RHP Thomas Schultz (L, 1-4) tossed a one-two-three first inning to begin the game. Then the Fightins plated two in the second.

With a man at second and two outs, Reading's Kehden Hettiger singled off Schultz to score a run. Luke Ritter, the next hitter, reached on an error by the third baseman Devin Ortiz to put men on first and second.

On a pickoff attempt at first, Caleb Lomavita threw behind Ritter going back to the bag, but the throw sailed wide of first and rolled into rightfield. Hettiger scored from second on the play to take a 2-0 lead.

Meanwhile, the Fightin Phils' Jean Cabrera put together his best outing of the season with six shutout innings, allowing only four hits, one walk and striking out four to keep the Harrisburg bats in check.

After Schutlz, RHP Kyle Luckham came on for four shutout innings, scattering two hits, two hit batsmen and a walk while striking out five.

RHP Sandy Gaston added a scoreless seventh inning. Gaston's not allowed a run in his last six outings.

In the eighth, Reading plated two unearned runs against RHP Jhancarlos Lara. The first batter reached on Lomavita's second error of the game. After a strikeout of the next hitter, Lara surrendered a single and hit a batter to load the bases.

Lara struck out Hettiger for the second out, then issued a walk to Ritter to bring in a run. A wild pitch with the bases loaded scored the second run of the inning to stretch the Phils' lead to 4-0.

The Sens got their lone run in the ninth. Devin Fitz-Gerald singled in the infield to lead off the inning. Then Branden Boissiere doubled to put men on second and third with no outs.

A Lomavita groundout scored Fitz-Gerald. The next two hitters struck out to end the game, and Reading won 4-1.

Harrisburg aims to bounce back Wednesday at 12:00 p.m. RHP Riley Maddox (1-0) is scheduled for the start.

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Eastern League Stories from July 21, 2026


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