The loss marks the third in six games on the homestand for the Portland.
Mookie Betts began the charge with a single, which extended his streak to 52 straight on base, and 17 in a row with a hit. Deven Marrero followed with a double to the warning track in leftcenter, with Betts scoring for a 1-0 Sea Dogs lead.
Portland’s Mickey Pena took the 1-0 lead and delivered five scoreless innings. He scattered four hits across the five frames, left the tying run stranded at third in the fourth. He struck out seven and tossed 92 pitches, 63 for strikes.
Reading tied it up with one out in the sixth. Brock Stassi began the charge for the Phils with a single to center and moved to second on a walk issued by Robby Scott to Logan Moore. Albert Cartwright followed with a single to center that scored Stassi with the tying run.
Reading took the lead for good with an unearned run in the seventh. Carlos Rivero booted a ball at third and Cesar Hernandez walked, which put two on with nobody out. Scott induced a line out to right, but the lead runner tagged and moved to third with one out. Aaron Altherr hit into a force out that scored Carlos Alonso from third. The visitors struck for another in the eighth, on three hits to up the lead to 3-1.
Severino Gonzalez stymied the Sea Dogs over his seven frames. The righty retired the final eight hitters in a row. Gonzalez (3-1) gave up the one run on five hits, walked two and struck out five.
Hector Neris pitched a perfect eighth before and Reading closer Kenny Giles allowed a run in the ninth before shutting the door. Stefan Welch worked a lead-off walk against the closer and mover to second on a groundout to first. Henry Ramos plated the Aussie with two down and cut the deficit to 3-2, but Giles struck out Derrik Gibson and earned his league-high seventh save of the season.
The teams were slated to play at 11 a.m. today.
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