Lehigh Valley IronPigs

Lehigh Valley closed out its 2026 home schedule with an 8-7 loss to the Worcester Red Sox on Sunday afternoon at Coca-Cola Park, a see-saw affair settled by home runs in the late innings.

Trailing 5-2, the IronPigs erupted for four runs in the sixth to grab a 6-5 lead. Worcester’s Allan Castro tied it with a solo homer in the seventh, Lehigh Valley answered to lead 7-6, then Castro struck again in the ninth — a two-run blast off reliever Kirby Snead — that put the Red Sox back in front for good.

Keaton Anthony led the Lehigh Valley offense, going 2-for-4 with a double, a solo home run in the fourth inning, and two RBI. Colby Thomas doubled twice and drove in two runs, and Nick Biddison, who was just added from Double-A Reading following Saturday’s game, added two RBI on a single. Kameron Misner collected two hits and swiped a base, while catcher Payton Henry reached base twice and scored twice. The IronPigs finished with nine hits and seven runs, though they managed to go just 4-for-9 with runners in scoring position.

Starter Casey Lawrence had a difficult afternoon, allowing five runs on nine hits over five innings and giving up three of Worcester’s four home runs. Max Lazar surrendered Castro’s tying homer in the seventh, and Tucker Davidson worked a scoreless eighth to keep the game within reach. Snead took the loss after Castro’s second homer, and Worcester closer Zach McWilliams sealed it with two scoreless innings.

The defeat left Lehigh Valley at 67-76 on the season. The IronPigs now head to Syracuse for a season-closing six-game series against the Mets that will bring the 2026 campaign to an end.

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Reading Fightin Phils

Reading closed out the 2026 regular season in emphatic fashion, pounding out 16 hits and five home runs in a 17-7 rout of the Erie SeaWolves at FirstEnergy Stadium on Sunday. The win pushed the Fightin Phils to 70 victories for the first time since 2019 and capped a season in which Reading finished with 177 home runs, the second-most in franchise history.

The Fightin Phils broke the game open with a five-run fourth inning, highlighted by Bryan Rincon‘s two-run homer and a bases-clearing double from Raider Tello, then blew it open further with an eight-run seventh inning that included a second home run from Rincon, this one a three-run shot. Aroon Escobar also unloaded and launched a two-run home run. Rincon finished 3-for-4 with two home runs and five RBI, while Luis Caicuto matched him with a huge day of his own, going 4-for-5 with a home run, two doubles and four RBI. Carson DeMartini opened the scoring with a solo homer in the second inning, and Austin Murr reached base four times on two hits and two walks.

Ryan Dromboski earned the win despite a rocky final line, allowing four runs on four hits and four walks over five innings while striking out eight. The bullpen wasn’t perfect — Kevin Warunek allowed two unearned runs in his inning — but Sam Carlson, Daniel Harper and Estibenzon Jimenez combined to close out the final three innings. Erie starter Max Alba took the loss after allowing seven runs, including three home runs, over four innings.

Reading finishes the regular season at 70-67 and turns now to the postseason, having already clinched a playoff berth. The Fightin Phils’ first home playoff game is scheduled for Tuesday, September 15 at FirstEnergy Stadium.

Home Runs — September 13, 2026
Lehigh Valley – Keaton Anthony (11)
Reading – Carson DeMartini (9)
Reading – Luis Caicuto (1)
Reading – Bryan Rincon (25),(26)
Reading – Aroon Escobar (12)