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READING -- Catcher Derek Berg knocked a two-run homer in the sixth inning, the third home run of the game for the Altoona Curve Sunday, however, Reading hit four home runs of its own in a 10-6 Eastern League victory.
Ryan McCarty started the day offensively with a two-run homer off Fightin Phils righty Gage Wood in the second inning. It was one of two baserunners the Curve could manage against Wood; who struck out a career-high nine batters over four innings.
Ivan Brethowr slammed a solo homer off the first Fightin Phils reliever in the fifth inning to make it an 8-3 game. Altoona continued to rally after a two-run homer from Berg in the sixth inning, stranding two on base after the home run. Berg picked up six hits over three games in the weekend series with the Fightin Phils after matching his career-high with four hits on Saturday night.
Reading got a three-run homer from Alex Binelas in the first inning and a three-run shot from Pedro Leon in the fourth inning to take a commanding lead in the early going. Righty Matt Ager took the loss for the Curve, surrendering eight runs on seven hits and two walks over 3.2 innings.
Brandon Neeck bridged the gap in the middle innings with 2.1 scoreless frames of relief, earning five strikeouts and not permitting a baserunner. Josh Loeschorn was tagged for two runs in the eighth inning to give Reading a 10-5 lead.
The Curve nearly completed a miracle comeback in the ninth. Using two walks and a hit batsman, they loaded the bases with nobody out.
Keiner Delgado then reached on a fielders choice to make it a 10-6 game, however, Reading reliever Estibenzon Jimenez set down both Berg and Callan Moss to strand the bases loaded and end the game.
Saturday's game
Berg picked up four of Altoona's 14 hits, but Reading picked up a 9-5 win over the Curve on Saturday night.
Curve starter Peyton Stumbo picked up a career-high eight strikeouts despite suffering the loss. Stumbo struck out three in the second and two batters in each of his final two innings before departing in the fourth.
Altoona never led after a full inning as Reading answered with multiple runs each time it took the lead or tied the game. The Fightin Phils scored four times in the sixth against Emmanuel Chapman and added another run off Cy Nielson in the seventh to put the game away.
Berg doubled twice and swatted his seventh homer of the season in the loss, marking his second four-hit game of the season. Berg scored three of Altoona's five runs as eight of the nine hitters in the Curve lineup picked up at least one hit. Will Taylor (two hits) and Matt King (three hits) each had strong nights at the plate. King drove in single runs in the fourth and sixth innings and doubled in his first trip to the plate.
Curve pitchers combined for 14 total strikeouts in the loss with Cristhian Tortosa, Chapman and Nielson contributing to the effort.
Up next
Altoona continues its road trip at Akron on Tuesday at 12:05 p.m. Righty Kyle Robinson is slated to start for Altoona in the series opener.