The Chesapeake Baysox squandered an early four-run lead Tuesday night, falling 9-5 to the Reading Fightin Phils at FirstEnergy Stadium as Alex Binelas homered twice, including a go-ahead grand slam.
Chesapeake wasted no time building a cushion. Wehiwa Aloy launched a three-run homer to deep left-center in the first inning, his 18th of the minor-league season and second-most in the Orioles system, giving the Baysox a 3-0 lead. Aron Estrada added an RBI groundout in the second to make it 4-0.
Left-hander Caden Hunter matched the offense’s fast start on the mound, striking out six of the first seven hitters he faced. But Reading turned the game around in the third: an infield single, three straight walks that forced in a run, and a bloop single cut the deficit to 4-2 before Binelas cleared the bases with a grand slam, putting Reading ahead 6-4. Hunter (L, 1-2) was charged with all six runs in a three-inning outing.
Reading tacked on an unearned run in the fourth, and Chesapeake answered with an Estrada solo homer in the fifth — his 17th of the season, tying him for the team lead. Binelas answered right back with a two-run shot the following half-inning, pushing Reading’s lead to four runs for good. Chesapeake had chances late but finished just 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position and stranded 10 baserunners, despite a 3-for-4 night from Frederick Bencosme and multi-hit efforts from Aloy and Brandon Butterworth.
Reading starter Jean Cabrera and reliever Daniel Harper (W, 1-2) combined with a scoreless bullpen to hold Chesapeake in check over the final innings.
The series continues Wednesday in Reading at 7 p.m., with left-hander Joseph Dzierwa (2-1, 2.07 ERA) starting for the Baysox against Reading right-hander Luke Russo (9-6, 4.28 ERA). Chesapeake returns home Aug. 18 to open a six-game series against the Richmond Flying Squirrels, the Double-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants.
