Chesapeake Baysox baseball fell 9-5 to the Reading Fightin Phils on Tuesday, August 11, at FirstEnergy Stadium in Reading, Pennsylvania, despite scoring the game’s first four runs. Aron Estrada drove in two runs and hit his 17th home run of the season, tying Ethan Anderson for the Chesapeake Baysox team lead. Chesapeake entered the game 22-18 in the second half and 51-57 overall.
Chesapeake Baysox Take Early Lead
After Brandon Butterworth doubled and Victor Figueroa walked in the first inning, Wehiwa Aloy hit a three-run homer to give the Chesapeake Baysox an early 3-0 advantage. The home run was Aloy’s third in his first 14 Double-A games and his 18th of the minor league season, which ranked second among players in the Baltimore Orioles farm system according to the source.
Aron Estrada added the fourth run in the second inning with a groundout that scored Tavian Josenberger, who had tripled earlier in the frame. Chesapeake starter Caden Hunter struck out six of the first seven batters he faced, with a leadoff walk in the second inning accounting for the only exception.
Reading Fightin Phils Rally in Third Inning
The Reading Fightin Phils changed the game with a six-run third inning. Reading scored twice before Alex Binelas hit a grand slam that put the Fightin Phils ahead 6-4. Caden Hunter completed the inning but allowed six runs on three hits and four walks while striking out six in three innings, taking the loss and moving to 1-2.
Reading added an unearned run in the fourth inning before Estrada hit an opposite-field solo homer in the fifth. The home run was Estrada’s 17th of the season and tied him with Ethan Anderson for the Chesapeake Baysox team lead. Alex Binelas answered in the bottom of the inning with his second homer of the game, a two-run shot that gave Reading a four-run advantage.
Daniel Harper earned the win for the Reading Fightin Phils with two scoreless innings, while Reading relievers combined for five scoreless innings. The Reading Fightin Phils are the Double-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies, and the Chesapeake Baysox are the Double-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles.
Chesapeake Baysox Leave Ten Runners on Base
Frederick Bencosme went 3-for-4 for Chesapeake and recorded his sixth game with three or more hits. Wehiwa Aloy reached base three times, including two walks after his first-inning homer, while Brandon Butterworth recorded two doubles.
The Chesapeake Baysox went 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position and left 10 runners on base. Those missed opportunities prevented Chesapeake from mounting a late comeback.
Chesapeake Baysox Schedule
The Chesapeake Baysox were scheduled to continue the series against the Reading Fightin Phils on Wednesday, August 12, at FirstEnergy Stadium. Joseph Dzierwa was scheduled to start for Chesapeake against Luke Russo at 7 p.m. Dzierwa was listed at 2-1 with a 2.07 ERA, while Russo was listed at 9-6 with a 4.28 ERA.
The Chesapeake Baysox were scheduled to return home Tuesday, August 18, to open a six-game series against the Richmond Flying Squirrels. The scheduled first pitch was 6:35 p.m. ET.
Maryland Sports Blog Take
The Chesapeake Baysox built an early four-run lead through home runs from Wehiwa Aloy and Aron Estrada, but Reading’s six-run third inning determined the outcome. Estrada’s 17th homer tied Ethan Anderson for the team lead, while Chesapeake’s 1-for-11 performance with runners in scoring position limited its ability to recover.
Source: Original report
