Caleb Ricketts hit a grand slam in the fourth inning and a two-run homer in eighth, and the Reading Fightin Phils overcame an early three-run deficit Tuesday night in a 7-5 Eastern League victory over the Portland Sea Dogs in Reading, Pennsylvania.
Sea Dogs starter Anthony Eyanson, the top pitching prospect in the Boston Red Sox farm system, was removed after he walked five batters in 2 2/3 innings. He struck out four and allowed one hit and one unearned run.
Patrick Halligan got the final out of the third inning but surrendered the grand slam by Ricketts that made it 5-3 an inning later.
The Sea Dogs jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Brooks Brannon drove in Franklin Arias with a ground-rule double, Johanfran Garcia followed with an RBI single, and Marvin Alcantara added a sacrifice fly.
Brannon and Arias each finished with three of Portland’s 10 hits. Caden Rose led off the ninth with a home run, and Nate Baez drove in a run with a groundout.
