​Reading Fightin Phils 13, Erie SeaWolves 4 (box) SeaWolves pitching held up in the postseason about as well as one could hope as the club had similar issues to their parent club all year. The magic finally evaporated in the sixth inning of Tuesday’s Game 2 of the Eastern League championships, as the Phils launched a pair of grand slams to bury the SeaWolves and claim the title.Things started off with plenty of promise in the must-win elimination game. Peyton Graham drew a leadoff walk and Zyhir Hope blasted a two-run homer before an out had been recorded in this one. Zyhir Hope mashes a 2-run homer during Double-A playoff action for the @erie_seawolves 🚀The @tigers’ top prospect was one of just 3 Minor Leaguers with 25+ HR, 25+ SB, 100+ RBI this year: pic.twitter.com/gEgo3bl36z— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) September 22, 2026The SeaWolves got leadoff singles in the second from Chris Meyers and E.J. Exposito, and after Izaac Pacheco struck out, the Phils turned quickly to their bullpen and got flyouts from Seth Stephenson and Graham to escape the jam.Lucas Elissalt cruised early on, giving up just a leadoff single in the third, which he stranded. Elissalt’s velocity was up nicely much of the summer, but it’s been back down more in the low 90’s recently, suggesting he was running out of gas. In the fourth, he gave up a leadoff single to Dante Nori, and then hung sliders to Aidan Miller who doubled, and Chris Heredia, who singled. With a run in and Miller on the third, Elissalt bounced a breaking ball and Luke Shliger failed to block it. It was ruled a wild pitch and Miller scored to tie the game. Elissalt collected himself and struck out the next hitter, ultimately escaping the jam, but the weak SeaWolves bullpen made that at most the best of a set of bad options. In the top of the fifth, Pacheco singled, and Stephenson bunted him to second base. A Graham ground out moved him to third, and the Phils turned to a lefty to deal with Hope, eventually walking him. Thayron Liranzo pulled a ball to third that went for an error, scoring Pacheco to re-take a 3-2 lead, but that’s all they’d get.Thayron Liranzo hits a 2-out chopper to 3rd, but Aiden Miller’s throw is low and Izaac Pacheco scores to put Erie up 3-2 in the 5th. pic.twitter.com/nZBoXM6BTl— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) September 23, 2026Elissalt got three quick outs in the bottom of the fifth, but Tony Cappuccilli stuck with him in the sixth and it all blew up in their face. Three line drive singles started the inning, and that was the end of Elissalt’s outing. Colin Fields took over and promptly walked in a run. Caleb Ricketts was up next, and he lifted a grand slam just over the right field wall to make it a 7-3 Reading lead. Eventually Zane Barnhart had to take over, and he allowed an inherited runner to score. 8-3 Reading.Yikes. Caleb Ricketts hits a grand slam off a Colin Fields to put Reading up 7-3 in the 6th. The SeaWolves are in trouble. pic.twitter.com/yCSL0