Erie’s relief pitchers blew a save opportunity for the third straight game Thursday morning. Unlike the previous two, though, the SeaWolves couldn’t recover from it.

The Reading Phillies rallied from a five-run deficit with a six-run seventh inning off Mark Sorensen and Michael Morrison. Their 8-6 victory resulted in a split of the teams’ four-game series at Jerry Uht Park.

The SeaWolves’ disappointing loss left them 22-23 going into a Memorial Day weekend series against Akron, the Eastern League’s Western Division leaders. Reading was 26-19 after their only northwestern Pennsylvania series appearance.

– Mike Copper

Leandro Castro opened the Phillies’ monster rally with a solo home run, and Sebastian Valle ended it with a two-run homer onto the roof of Erie Insurance Arena. In between, Reading also benefited when Erie left fielder Rawley Bishop misplayed a fly ball on the warning track.

That error negated Bishop’s two hits and two RBIs for the SeaWolves. Jordan Lennerton also drove in two runs with a single during Erie’s four-run fifth.

**

The SeaWolves competed Thursday with only 23 players on their roster.

The Detroit Tigers have yet to fill the open berth in Erie pitching staff after Sunday’s promotion of reliever Ryan Robowski to Triple-A Toledo. Outfielder Ben Guez joined Robowski in the Mud Hens’ dugout after his call-up late Wednesday.

Detroit summoned Wade Gaynor, 24, from Single-A Lakeland (Fla.) to take Guez’s spot in Erie. However, the infielder didn’t arrive in time for Thursday’s 11:05 a.m. first pitch.

When Gaynor does arrive, it will be the start of his second assignment with the 2012 SeaWolves. He went 3-for-10 with a home run and six RBIs over his first stint with them.

**

Thursday’s Erie-Reading game actually was the front half of a doubleheader at Uht Park. A District 10 non-region game between Girard and Central Tech was scheduled to follow at 4 p.m.

**

A reminder that starting Friday, Erie switches to a regular starting time of 7:05 p.m. for all but four Monday-through Saturday home games.

The only games currently scheduled to vary from that are Memorial Day against Akron (1:35); June 21 against Bowie (12:05); July 18 against Bowie (12:05) and Labor Day against Altoona (1:35).

Erie’s remaining Sunday home games will maintain first pitches at 1:35.

**

McDowell graduate Chad Oberacker was hitting .235 for the Single-A Stockton Ports going into Thursday night’s California League home game against Visalia.

Oberacker has hit two home runs and driven in nine for the Oakland Athletics’ affiliate since his May 2 promotion from Burlington (Iowa) of the Midwest League.

Stockton is struggling at 14-31, the league’s worst record.

Reading Phillies (25-19): 1. Tyson Gillies CF, 2. Cesar Hernandez 2B, 3. Darin Ruf 1B, 4. Miguel Abreau 3B, 5. Sebastian Valle C, 6. Jiwan James RF, 7. Leandro Castro LF, 8. Jeremy Barnes DH, 9. Troy Hanzawa SS.

Starting pitcher: Julio Rodriguez RH (3-0, 1.88 ERA).

Erie SeaWolves (22-22): 1. Jamie Johnson CF, 2. Brandon Douglas 2B, 3. Niuman Romero SS, 4. Jordan Lennerton 1B, 5. Rawley Bishop LF, 6. Rob Brantly DH, 7. John Murrian C, 8. Tony Plagman RF, 9. Corey Jones 3B.

Starting pitcher: Kelvin De La Cruz LH (2-5, 4.35 ERA).

– Mike Copper

Bishop scored the winning run when the Erie SeaWolves beat Reading in the bottom of the ninth inning Tuesday. Wednesday saw him line a two-run single in the bottom of the eighth, which scored Niuman Romero and Ben Guez.

Reliever Austin Wood made those runs hold up for the SeaWolves’ 4-2 victory at Jerry Uht Park.

Erie (22-22) ended its tie with the Phillies (25-19) when Romero and Guez reached against reliever J.C. Ramirez. They recorded a double steal and then raced home when Bishop sliced an opposite-field single to right.

– Mike Copper

Romero finished the game with two hits and a run scored, while Guez accounted for two runs in his last immediate appearance for the SeaWolves. The outfielder was summoned to manager Chris Cron’s office when he returned to their clubhouse, where he learned of his promotion to Triple-A Toledo.

Infielder Wade Gaynor of Single-A Lakeland (Fla.) will fill Guez’s roster spot.

Erie and Reading conclude their only series at Uht Park with Thursday’s 11:05 a.m. first pitch. It’s the SeaWolves’ last school-kids game this season.

Reading Phillies (25-18): 1. Tyson Gillies CF, 2. Cesar Hernandez 2B, 3. Tug Hulett 3B, 4. Darin Ruf 1B, 5. Brandon Tripp DH, 6. Jiwan James RF, 7. Leandro Castro LF, 8. Steve Lerud C, 9. Troy Hanzawa SS.

Starting pitcher: David Buchanan RH (1-5, 5.24 ERA).

Erie SeaWolves (21-22): 1. Jamie Johnson CF, 2. Niuman Romero SS, 3. Ben Guez DH, 4. Jordan Lennerton 1B, 5. Rawley Bishop LF, 6. Rob Brantly C, 7. Brandon Douglas 2B, 8. Tony Plagman RF, 9. Corey Jones 3B.

Starting pitcher: James Avery RH (5-3, 3.13 ERA).

– Mike Copper

mike.copper@timesnews.com

Dave Dombrowski holds elite job titles like president, chief executive officer and general manager for the Detroit Tigers.

But when it comes to Justin Verlander, Dombrowski has often watched with the same kind wonder that many of the fans have at how dominant the former Erie SeaWolves pitcher has become.

“Verlander is a rare, rare talent,” said Dombrowski, who spoke to the Erie media before Wednesday’s Eastern League game between the SeaWolves and Reading at Jerry Uht Park. “You rarely see guys like that come along, and I’m so glad he’s part of our organization. I don’t think there’s anything he could do on a consistent basis now that would surprise me. He’s a threat any time he goes out there to throw a no-hitter.”

Like last Friday.

Verlander, who briefly played for Erie in 2005, came within two outs of his third career no-hitter in Detroit’s 6-0 interleague victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates at Comerica Park. The right-hander is the American League’s reining Most Valuable Player and Cy Young award winner.

Dombrowski, 55, arrived in Erie shortly before Tuesday’s game in his first appearance at Uht Park since 2010. He was scheduled to watch Wednesday’s game and then double back to Cleveland Thursday, when the Tigers will conclude their series with the Indians.

Dombrowski also commented on the Tigers’ short-term and potential long-term commitment to Erie as their Double-A affiliate. The parent club extended its player development contract with the SeaWolves through 2014, which was made shortly after the franchise reached an agreement to extend its lease with the Erie County Convention Center Authority for that same duration.

“The Eastern League is really the Double-A league we would prefer to be in,” Dombrowski said. “Erie is only four hours away (from Detroit), so it’s not a very far drive from there or (Triple-A) Toledo. If we had to get somebody up to the big leagues from here, we could quite easily.”

The extended question-and-answer session with Dombrowski will appear in Sunday’s Erie Times-News sports section.

Plagman, with Detroit Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski in attendance Tuesday night, became the first Erie player to single, double, triple and homer in a game since 2008. He completed that feat with a ninth-inning single, one that also drove in Rawley Bishop for the winning run in the SeaWolves’ 8-7 victory over Reading at Jerry Uht Park.

Erie moved to 21-22 after a game that saw the team squander an early 7-0 lead. Reading (25-18) eventually tied it with a three-run seventh, but the SeaWolves took advantage of their last at-bats for Bishop to double and Plagman to single off Phillies reliever Juan Morillo.

– Mike Copper

Niuman Romero added three hits and a run scored for the SeaWolves. Ben Guez had an RBI single during Erie’s six-run first inning, and then hit a solo homer in the second off Reading starter Trevor May, considered the top prospect in the Philadelphia Phillies’ minor league system.

Reading Phillies (25-17): 1. Tyson Gillies CF, 2. Cesar Hernandez 2B, 3. Darin Ruf LF, 4. Miguel Abreau 3B, 5. Sebastian Valle C, 6. Tug Hulett 1B, 7. Leandro Castro RF, 8. Jeremy Barnes DH, 9. Troy Hanzawa SS.

Starting pitcher: Trevor May RH (5-2, 2.91 ERA).

Erie SeaWolves (20-22): 1. Jamie Johnson CF, 2. Niuman Romero SS, 3. Ben Guez RF, 4. Jordan Lennerton 1B , 5. Rawley Bishop DH, 6. Rob Brantly C, 7. Brandon Douglas 2B, 8. Tony Plagman LF, 9. Bryan Pounds 3B.

Starting pitcher: Jared Wesson LH (4-2, 5.49 ERA).

**

Detroit Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski arrived at Jerry Uht Park roughly 30 minutes before Tuesday’s game between the SeaWolves and Reading.

Dombrowski is scheduled to remain in Erie for Wednesday’s game, as well as hold a press conference beforehand.

– Mike Copper

New Hampshire pitchers Brett Cecil, Danny Farquhar and Ronald Uviedo combined for a no-hitter in Monday’s 6-0 Eastern League victory over Portland at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium.

“I’ve been a Buffalo Bills fan my whole life,” the 29-year-old Erie native said. “I’ll have to look at that trophy knowing that Super Bowl (XXVI) loss was the second of their four.”

Tuesday’s Erie SeaWolves game at Jerry Uht Park was Foor’s last as its assistant groundskeeper. The Bethel Christian graduate officially joins the National Football League franchise this weekend.

Check Wednesday’s Erie Times-News for more details on Foor’s  hire.

– Mike Copper

They still are after Monday’s game at Jerry Uht Park. Only now, it’s for the lesser.

The SeaWolves, whose previous homestand comprised part of a six-game victory binge, lost their fourth straight overall after Reading beat them 5-3. Erie (20-22) totaled 11 hits, including home runs from Jordan Lennerton and Rawley Bishop, but still stranded 10 bases runners.

Of those 10, eight were in scoring position.

– Mike Copper

Reading (25-17) accounted for all of its runs over the first five innings off Erie starter Zack Segovia. The top three batters in the Phillies’ order, Tyson Gillies, Cesar Hernandez and Tug Hulett, combined for five hits, four runs and three RBIs.

Darin Ruf also doubled for his Eastern League-leading 32^nd RBI.

Lennerton’s solo homer was his 10^th overall. That temporarily tied him with Trenton’s Cody Johnson for the league lead.

Reading Phillies (24-17): 1. Tyson Gillies CF, 2. Cesar Hernandez 2B, 3. Tug Hulett 3B, 4. Darin Ruf 1B, 5. Brandon Tripp LF, 6. Sebastian Valle C, 7. Miguel Abreau SS, 8. Leandro Castro RF, 9. Jeremy Barnes DH.

Starting pitcher: Drew Naylor RH (2-1, 6.60 ERA).

Erie SeaWolves (20-21): 1. Jamie Johnson CF, 2. Niuman Romero SS, 3. Rob Brantly C, 4. Jordan Lennerton 1B, 5. Ben Guez RF, 6. Rawley Bishop DH, 7. Tony Plagman LF, 8. Brandon Douglas 2B, 9. Bryan Pounds 3B.

Starting pitcher: Zack Segovia RH (4-3, 5.27 ERA).

– Mike Copper

The Erie SeaWolves begin their longest homestand of 2012 when they host the Reading Phillies in Monday’s opener of the teams’ four-game series. It’s this only time this season that the Eastern League’s Eastern Division contenders will meet at Jerry Uht Park.

Erie (20-21) returns home after a futile weekend at Altoona. The Curve swept the SeaWolves in three straight of their Western Division series.

The Phillies (24-17) make their cross-Pennsylvania trip one-half game behind New Britain in their division.

Trevor May is Reading’s probable starting pitcher for Tuesday’s game. May, the league’s player of the month for April, was ranked as the Philadelphia Phillies’ top prospect according to Baseball America’s 2012 handbook.

The series includes Erie’s final 6:35 p.m. starts. That’s the scheduled time for first pitches Monday through Wednesday, with Thursday’s finale an 11:05 a.m. school-kids game.

Probable starters for the series are: Reading RH Drew Naylor (2-1, 6.60 ERA) vs. Erie RH Zack Segovia (4-3, 5.27 ERA) on Monday; RH Trevor May (5-2, 2.91) vs. LH Jared Wesson (4-2, 5.29) on Tuesday; RH David Buchanan (1-5, 5.24) vs. RH James Avery (5-3, 3.13) on Wednesday; and RH Julio Rodriguez (3-0, 1.88) vs. LH Kelvin De La Cruz (2-5, 4.35).

**

The Detroit Tigers did not assign a player to fill the Erie SeaWolves’ rosters spot opened by reliever Ryan Robowski’s Sunday promotion to Triple-A Toledo.

Robowski only allowed one earned run in 21 innings over 12 games for Erie. He departed with a 0.43 earned-run average.

**

Villa Maria graduate Kayla McBride, who helped the Notre Dame women’s basketball team reach the NCAA Division I championship game in March, was in attendance for Monday’s game at Uht Park.

McBride averaged 11.6 points as a sophomore for the Fighting Irish, who finished the 2011-12 season 35-4 after Baylor beat them 80-61 in the title game.

“It was definitely a learning experience,” McBride said of her season season for head coach Muffet McGraw. “I think I grew up a lot this (season), as a person and on the basketball court. It was a lot of fun to be able to help my team be able to get back to the Final Four.”

McBride said she’ll be back in Erie until June 11, when she returns to the South Bend, Ind., campus to assist with summer basketball camps.

**

T.J. McFarland blanked the SeaWolves on three hits over the first seven innings of Akron’s 8-1 victory at Jerry Uht Park on May 15. That effort helped him gain the Eastern League’s latest pitcher of the week honors.

Aeros’ teammate Ryan Bellows was simultaneously named the league’s player of the week. It’s the second straight week that teammates have swept those honors.

Reading slugger Darin Ruf and pitcher Julio Rodriguez, who are expected to see action over the teams’ current series at Erie, swept the league’s previous awards.

**

C. Wolf, the SeaWolves’ main mascot, is a contestant in milb.com’s 2012 Mascot Mania contest. On-line voting in the March Madness-style bracketing begins Monday and will culminate with the winner being named June 14.

First-round voting runs through May 29. C. Wolf is currently paired against Homer, mascot for the Peoria (Ill.) Chiefs in the Single-A Midwest League. Prizes are possible for those who vote.