Phillies Minor League Roundup - June 26, 2014

Lehigh Valley 1, Rochester 0

Greg Smith - 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 5 K, 5 GB, 5 FB
Hector Neris - 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 K
Tyler Knigge - 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R
Luis Garcia - 1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, K
Leandro Castro - 0 for 4, K
Tyler Henson - 0 for 3, R, BB, 2 K
Maikel Franco - 1 for 1, 2 BB

The only run scored in the game came unearned via a throwing error in the 5th. Greg Smith, Hector Neris and Tyler Knigge were dominant. Garcia ran into some trouble in the 9th, but a caught stealing took a potential game tying run off the basepaths before Garcia would allow two more hits. Maikel Franco with another solid day at the plate, a patient one at that. The walks are surely a welcome sign.

Portland 9, Reading 4

Hoby Milner - 6.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, K, 5 GB, 9 FB
Colton Murray - 0.1 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 0 ER, BB
Mike Nesseth - 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 K, HR
Nefi Ogando - 0.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER
Carlos Alonso - 0 for 2, R, 2 BB (fielding error)
Peter Lavin - 2 for 4, 2 R, HR, 2 RBI (outfield assist, home)
Aaron Altherr - 2 for 4, HR, 2 RBI, 2 K
Kelly Dugan - 0 for 0, BB
Zach Collier - 0 for 4, K

Another uneven start from Milner, but he actually left the game with a 4-3 lead. Murray, in what has been a terrific season for him, takes the loss. He struggled to get 1 out in the 6th inning, though a costly Alonso error would load the bases before Murray allowed a bases clearing double. Peter Lavin folks! He has shown some surprising power this season and has been praised as a very good athlete. I suppose some of those tools are showing up, although as a 26 year old in high-A and AA. He has been a feel good story this season if nothing else. Aaron Altherr doesn't appear to be letting up either as his bat has been on fire. .390/.390/.854 slash in his last 10 games, though he also has a 32% K-rate in those games as well. Dugan makes a pinch hitting appearance after colliding with a teammate last Friday.

Clearwater 4, Tampa 3

Colin Kleven - 7 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 5 K, 9 GB, 5 FB, WP
Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez - 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 3 K, WP
Lee Ridenhour - 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 K
Roman Quinn - 2 for 4, 2 R, RBI, K, SB
JP Crawford - 2 for 4, 2 RBI, BB
Harold Martinez - 1 for 4, 2B, K
Gabriel Lino - 1 for 4, R, K

Colin Kleven rebounds with a solid effort after two uneven appearances. He has a 5.09 ERA and has given up 99 hits and only 13 walks in 81.1 IP, while striking out 55. MAG makes his 3rd relief effort since returning from the DL. He strikes out the side, but not in order and actually makes 4 outs in the inning. He allows the leadoff batter to go to first on a wild pitch after he had struck him out, then allows an RBI double before getting a groundout and 2 additional strikeouts to end the inning. JP Crawford's bat is starting to round into form. He gets an line drive single to left field in the 9th to score Roman Quinn and win the game. I hope these two guys are doing this for the Phillies in a couple years.

Greensboro 8, Lakewood 6

Yacksel Rios - 4.2 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, 2 K, HR, 7 GB, 3 FB
Carlos Tocci - 0 for 4, R, BB
Andrew Pullin - 1 for 4, 2 RBI
Andrew Knapp - 1 for 4, 2 R, 3B
Dylan Cozens - 0 for 2, R, RBI, 2 BB
Zach Green - 1 for 3, 2B, RBI, K
Willians Astudillo - 2 for 4, R (passed ball)
Larry Greene - 1 for 4, R
Emmanuel Serra - 1 for 3, BB (fielding error)
Drew Stankiewicz - 0 for 4, K

It wasn't a great start for Rios and Shane Martin in relief gave up the additional 4 runs in his 2/3 inning of work. The offense however, had contributors all around. Cozens picks up 2 free passes in a game for the 2nd time in 4 days. The more patience at the plate, the better the pitches he is going to start crushing. Zach Green continues to impress me. He struggled at the beginning of the season and was sent to XST. Ever since returning he seems like a batter reborn. Astudillo gets behind the plate for the first time in awhile, but commits his 5th passed ball. Andrew Pullin has himself a nice little 9 game hitting streak.

State College 3, Williamsport 2

David Whitehead - 7 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 2 ER, BB, 2 K, 11 GB, 8 FB
Delvi Francisco - 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, K
Calvin Rayburn - 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, K
Cord Sandberg - 0 for 2, 2 BB, K
Jiandido Tromp - 0 for 3, BB, K
Rhys Hoskins - 1 for 4
Derek Campbell - 1 for 4, K, CS
Jan Hernandez - 1 for 4, 2B, 3 K
Herlis Rodriguez - 0 for 4, K
Deivi Grullon - 4 for 4, R, RBI, SB

David Whitehead limits his damage, but the offense couldn't bail him out. The big righthander is probably a start or two away from being promoted to Lakewood. Cord Sandberg sadly sees his 12 game hitting streak come to an end. However, he now has a 13 game on base streak to maintain. Herlis Rodriguez finally cracks the lineup, but disappoints. Deivi Grullon was "the man" at the plate last night and steals his first base of the season. With Williamsport, Grullon is batting .342/.405/.477 through 38 at bats. He is all of 18 years old.

GCL Phillies 6, GCL Pirates 2

Luis Morales - 5 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 5 K, 6 GB, 3 FB
Alexis Rivero - 2 IP 1 H, 0 R, K
Edubray Ramos - 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R
Everett Williams - 2 for 2, 2 R, 2B, RBI, BB, SB
Chase Harris - 2 for 4, R, SB
Trey Williams - 0 for 3, RBI, BB, K
Damek Tomscha - 0 for 4, 2 K
Luis Encarnacion - 1 for 4, 2B, RBI, K
Venn Biter - 0 for 3
Jared Fischer - 2 for 2, 2 R, 2B, HR

Luis Morales follows up a bad debut with a solid outing. The bullpen shut it down and the offense provided adequate run support. Jared Fischer, a 2014 15th-rounder, made his pro-debut and mashes his first homer. He caught all 9 innings of the game. Luis Encarnacion isn't hitting all that well, but when he does he makes it count. Both of his only hits are for extra bases (2B & HR). Everett Williams on the comeback trail and without any chance at this time to move up to Williamsport. 2014 14th-rounder, Chase Harris, is batting .316 with 3 stolen bases through the first 5 games.