Phillies Minor League Roundup - July 18-20, 2014

Syracuse 10, Lehigh Valley 2 (July 18, 2014)

Sean O'Sullivan - 4.1 IP, 12 H, 9 R, 9 ER, BB, K, 4 HR, 5 GB, 2 FB, WP
Ethan Martin - 2.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 K
BJ Rosenberg - 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, K
Cesar Jimenez - 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, K
Maikel Franco - 1 for 4, 2 K
Darin Ruf - 1 for 4
Leandro Castro - 0 for 4, K

Sean O'Sullivan has given up 36 earned runs in his last 10 starts (57 innings). By all standards of baseball statistics, that is probably pretty bad. Is Ethan Martin's arm not dead anymore? He hasn't given up a run in his last 8 innings while only allowing 3 hits, 2 walks and striking out 8. Iron Pig offense was shut down by a top Nationals prospect, AJ Cole.

Lehigh Valley 4, Syracuse 2 (July 19, 2014, Game 1 of doubleheader, 7 innings)

Brad Lincoln - 7 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 2 ER, BB, 7 K, 4 GB, 8 FB
Tyler Henson - 1 for 1, R, RBI
Maikel Franco - 1 for 3, 2B, RBI
Darin Ruf - 0 for 3, K
Leandro Castro - 1 for 3, HR
Cam Perkins - 1 for 3, R
Sebastian Valle - 1 for 3, R

Brad Lincoln, despite some bad peripherals (including two HBP), was able to get the win and strand baserunners. Castro added his 6th HR of the year and remains red hot at the plate. He is seeing a bit of a resurgence this season after a disappointing 2013.

Lehigh Valley 5, Syracuse 0 (July 19, 2014, Game 2 of doubleheader, makeup of 6/25, 7 innings)

Hector Neris - 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K, 2 GB, 3 FB
Jeremy Horst - 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, K
Cesar Jimenez - 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 K
Freddy Galvis - 2 for 4, R, 2B
Maikel Franco - 2 for 4, 2 R
Darin Ruf - 1 for 4, 2B, RBI
Leandro Castro - 2 for 3, R, 2 RBI

Hector Neris started the 2nd game of the doubleheader, but left with a no-decision. It's been feast or famine for the 25 year old Dominican Republic native. He is either really bad or really good, with no in-between. Horst earns his 4th win and Jimenez has an 8 scoreless inning streak. Galvis returns to Lehigh with a couple of hits and Franco gets his first multi-hit game since July 9.

Lehigh Valley 6, Syracuse 5 (July 20, 2014, Game 1 of doubleheader, 7 innings)

Jason Marquis - 6.1 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 K, 2 HR, 8 GB, 6 FB
BJ Rosenberg - 0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB
Freddy Galvis - 0 for 3, 2 R, BB
Maikel Franco - 2 for 4, 2 R, 2 2B, 2 RBI
Darin Ruf - 2 for 4, 2 2B, 3 RBI
Leandro Castro - 1 for 4, K
Tyler Henson - 1 for 1, R, 2B, 2 BB
Sebastian Valle - 1 for 3, R, RBI

Jason Marquis was lights out for 6 innings, so pushing for 7 is really playing with fire. Marquis would give up 5 hits, before being replaced by Rosenberg, including 2 homers, 2 doubles and a single. Franco with his 2nd multi-hit game in as many days.

Syracuse 6, Lehigh Valley 4 (July 20, 2014, Game 2 of doubleheader, makeup of 6/24, 7 innings)

Greg Smith - 4 IP, 9 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, K, HR, 3 GB, 5 FB
Phillippe Aumont - 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 K
Tyler Henson - 1 for 3, RBI, BB, K
Maikel Franco - 1 for 3, RBI
Leandro Castro - 1 for 3, R, 2B, K
Cam Perkins - 1 for 2

Greg Smith surprisingly has had an outstanding June/July by Greg Smith standards, but this outing wasn't one of them. Aumont pitched a perfect couple innings of relief and is quietly having a nice year at AAA if you discount his 30 walks in 44.1 innings. He's given up only 1 HR in AAA all season and is holding opponents to a .238 batting average. Maikel Franco extends his hitting streak to 5 games, all over the course of a 3 day weekend. He is batting .308/.333/.513 in his last 10 games.

New Britain 6, Reading 3 (July 18, 2014)

Severino Gonzalez - 6.2 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 5 ER, BB, 5 K, 2 HR, 7 GB, 4 FB
Matt Hoffman - 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 K
Kyle Simon - 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, K
Kelly Dugan - 1 for 4, R, 2B, BB, K
Jake Fox - 3 for 4, 2B, HR, 2 RBI
Aaron Altherr - 1 for 3, HR, K, HBP
Carlos Alonso - 1 for 3, BB, K
Peter Lavin - 0 for 4

Severino loses his 10th game of the season. Of his last 10 starts, 5 of them have been quality starters. The good? He isn't really walking anyone (only 8 in his last 62.1 IP), but guys are just hitting him and he is very close to the league lead in homeruns allowed. He is getting a little exposed in AA and will need to become a smarter pitcher if he is going to succeed. Altherr smacks HR number 8 and AA superhero Jake Fox hits his 9th.

Reading 1, New Britain 0 (July 19, 2014, Game 1 of doubleheader, 7 innings)

Ryan O'Sullivan - 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K, 9 GB, 4 FB
Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez - 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB
Kelly Dugan - 0 for 2, HBP
Aaron Altherr - 0 for 2, K
Carlos Alonso - 0 for 2
Zach Collier - 0 for 2

Ryan O'Sullivan has been stellar in his last 3 starts and seems to be making the adjustment well in transitioning to the rotation. He has given up only 12 hits and 4 earned runs in 17 innings in those starts. MAG once again gives a scoreless inning of relief. The offense won via a RBI single from Wil Nieves to score Albert Cartwright.

Reading 3, New Britain 2 (July 19, 2014, Game 2 of doubleheader, makeup of 6/12, 7 innings)

Colton Murray - 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, K, WP
Mike Nesseth - 2 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, HR
Seth Rosin - 2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, BB, 2 K
Nefi Ogando - 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, K
Peter Lavin - 1 for 2, R, K
Carlos Alonso - 2 for 4, SB
Kelly Dugan - 1 for 2, 2 BB
Aaron Altherr - 2 for 3, R, 2B, SB

I'll just say it again, Colton Murray deserves a chance at AAA, if nothing else because of the fantastic year he is having. I'd much rather him a shot at reliving with Lehigh than Rosenberg. Alonso and Altherr both steal their 8th bases of the season. Kelly Dugan continues to be an on-base machine.

New Britain, 6, Reading 5 (July 20, 2014)

Adam Loewen - 6.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 3 ER, BB, 7 K, 11 GB, 2 FB
Matt Hoffman - 0.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, BB, K
Tyler Knigge - 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 K
Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez - 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 2 K, HR
Carlos Alonso - 1 for 4, R, K
Jake Fox - 1 for 3, HR, 2 RBI, BB
Aaron Altherr - 1 for 2, R, BB, HBP
Kelly Dugan - 1 for 3, 2 RBI, BB

The wheels came off for Loewen in the 7th when he loaded the bases after a run had already scored in the inning off an error. Matt Hoffman would come in with 2 outs and give up a grandslam. Reading would tie it the next inning, but MAG allows the go-ahead run to score in the top of the 9th to eventually lose the game. Altherr is batting .324/.410/.618 in his last 10 games. Believe it or not, he has only walked once in his last 10 games, with his on-base % mostly being boosted by HBP. I'd imagine after the trade deadline we will see Kelly Dugan in an Iron Pigs uniform. He is batting .282/.387/.405 on the season (131 AB). The only thing missing from his game recently is his power (only 3 XBH in his last 10 games).

Clearwater 7, Bradenton 2 (July 18, 2014)

Miguel Nunez - 6 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, 8 GB, 6 FB
Cody Forsythe - 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 5 K
Lee Ridenhour - 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 K
Roman Quinn - 0 for 4, R, RBI, K, 2 SB, HBP
Freddy Galvis - 1 for 5, HR, 2 RBI, K
Carlos Ruiz - 1 for 3, 2 R, BB, K, SB
Reid Brignac - 2 for 3, RBI (fielding error)
Harold Martinez - 1 for 2, 2B
Brian Pointer - 0 for 3, RBI, BB
Art Charles - 1 for 4, HR, K
Gabriel Lino - 1 for 4, R, K

Miguel Nunez with his best start since May 31 in which he went 6 scoreless in a win against Bradenton. Cody Forsythe with nearly 2 perfect innings. He is a guy who is too old for the league and nothing left to prove in High-A. Quinn steals bases 10 and 11. Clearwater was host to rehab central on Friday.

Bradenton 4, Clearwater 2 (July 19, 2014)

Aaron Nola - 5 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 5 K, HR, 5 GB, 4 FB
Ethan Stewart - 2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 2 K
Roman Quinn - 1 for 4, HR
JP Crawford - 1 for 3, BB, CS
Carlos Ruiz - 1 for 4, K
Reid Brignac - 2 for 3, 2B, RBI
Brian Pointer - 0 for 4
Harold Martinez - 1 for 3, RBI, K, picked off (fielding error)

Aaron Nola with a solid outing, throwing 53 of his 69 pitches for strikes. However, it was his 4th HR allowed in 5 starts. Roman Quinn hits his 3rd HR since returning to Clearwater. Crawford is caught stealing for the 3rd time in Clearwater and is only 14 for 24 on the season across two levels.

Clearwater 5, Bradenton 0 (July 20, 2014)

Mark Leiter - 9 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 8 K, 5 GB, 9 FB
Roman Quinn - 1 for 4, RBI, CS
JP Crawford - 3 for 4, R, RBI
Brian Pointer - 1 for 3, 2B, 2 RBI, BB, K
Harold Martinez - 1 for 4, K

Mark Leiter outduels a rehabbing Jeremy Hellickson and has 3 quality starts out of 4 with Clearwater thus far. Check out Jim Peyton's report over at Phuture Phillies for a nice breakdown of the game. JP Crawford hits 3 singles in this one and has his batting average up to .275. Just about all the national prospect experts are in love with his game. I think we should all be too.

Lakewood 5, Kannapolis 4 (July 18, 2014)

Ranfi Casimiro - 5 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 3 HR, 4 GB, 6 FB
Julio Reyes - 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB, K
Daniel Child - 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 K
Carlos Tocci - 0 for 5
Andrew Pullin - 2 for 4, R, BB, K
Andrew Knapp - 2 for 5, R, K
Zach Green - 1 for 5, R, 2 RBI, 3 K
Dylan Cozens - 2 for 5, R, 2B, 2 K, CS
Willians Astudillo - 2 for 4, 2B, RBI  (passed ball)
Samuel Hiciano - 1 for 4, HR, K
Mitch Walding - 1 for 2, 2B, 2 BB, K

Casimiro pitches well when he wasn't giving up bombs, but doesn't factor into the decision. Hiciano hits his 8th HR and first since June 23. Lakewood outhits Kannapolis 12-4 and barely hold on to win. They were 1 for 10 with RISP. Cozens would lead the top of the 8th with a double and eventually come around to score on a wild pitch. It proved to be the eventual game-winner.

Kannapolis 8, Lakewood 4 (July 19, 2014)

Matt Imhof - 3 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, BB, 3 K, HR, 2 GB, 4 FB, WP
Matt Hockenberry - 1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, BB
Carlos Tocci - 2 for 4, RBI, BB, SB
Andrew Pullin - 0 for 3, 2 RBI, K
Andrew Knapp - 2 for 3, R, 2 2B, 2 BB
Dylan Cozens - 0 for 4, R, BB, K (fielding error)
Zach Green - 1 for 5, R, K
Willians Astudillo - 0 for 4
Larry Greene - 0 for 3, BB, 2 K

Matt Imhof's Lakewood debut wasn't pretty and fellow 2014 draftee Hockenberry was equally terrible. Andrew Knapp continues to be a steady presence both at and behind the plate since returning from TJS. Cozens commits his 7th error of the year and Tocci steals his 9th base.

Kannapolis 7, Lakewood 6 (July 20, 2014)

Tyler Viza - 5 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 3 K, 8 GB, 3 FB
Aaron Baker - 1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, BB
Joey Denato - 2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, BB, 2 K
Carlos Tocci - 2 for 5, 3B, 2 K, picked off
Andrew Pullin - 2 for 5, R, RBI
Andrew Knapp - 1 for 4, RBI, BB, K (throwing error)
Zach Green - 0 for 5, K
Dylan Cozens - 2 for 3, 2 R, RBI, BB
Willians Astudillo - 2 for 4, 2B
Mitch Walding - 1 for 3, R, RBI
Samuel Hiciano - 1 for 4, R, 2B, RBI

Viza doesn't walk a batter and also doesn't receive help from his defense. Tocci hits his 6th triple of the season. Cozens seems to be making some big adjustments at the plate as he seems to be hitting and walking (!!!) a bit more. The strikeouts are still high, but as long as he keeps getting on base its all a plus.

Williamsport 6, Staten Island 3 (July 18, 2014)

Chris Oliver - 3 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 5 BB, K, 6 GB, 3 FB
Bryan Sova - 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, K
Frank Rivas - 1.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 K
Emmanuel Marrero - 0 for 5, K
Drew Stankiewicz - 2 for 5, RBI, K (2 fielding errors)
Aaron Brown - 2 for 5, R, 2B, K
Matt Shortall - 1 for 5, R, RBI, K
Rhys Hoskins - 1 for 3, HR, K, HBP
Jan Hernandez - 1 for 4, 2B, 2 K (fielding error)
Chase Harris - 2 for 2, R, RBI, BB, HBP

Chris Oliver threw a 1 hitter and gave up no earned runs! Oh he walked 5 batters in the process?....Hoskins hits his 3rd homer of the season and 2nd in as many games. Aaron Brown just keeps hitting and has me remaining cautiously optimistic. If/When he gets to Lakewood is when we will get a better sense of Brown as a hitter.

Brooklyn 8, Williamsport 4 (July 19, 2014)

Alejandro Arteaga - 5 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 3 ER, BB, 3 K, 5 GB, 6 FB (fielding error)
Richard Bielski - 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R
Cord Sandberg - 0 for 4, 2 K
Jiandido Tromp - 2 for 4, 2 K, CS
Aaron Brown - 2 for 4, R, 2B, K
Derek Campbell - 1 for 4, R, K (throwing error)
Deivi Grullon - 0 for 3, K, HBP
Rhys Hoskins - 1 for 4, HR 3 RBI
Jan Hernandez - 0 for 4, 2 K
Robinson Torres - 0 for 3, R, SB
Chase Harris - 1 for 3, RBI, K, CS

That Hoskins kid sure is heating up, huh? 3rd homer in as many days. Cord Sandberg is doing what he did in 2013, cooling off after a very good start to the season. Arteaga's time with the organization should be on thin ice at this point.

Brooklyn 6, Williamsport 0 (July 20, 2014)

Ricardo Pinto - 3 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 3 ER, BB, K, 6 GB, 2 FB (throwing error)
Manny Martinez - 2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 K
Mark Meadors - 2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 4 K
Calvin Rayburn - 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB, K
Emmanuel Marrero - 0 for 4 (2 fielding errors)
Jiandido Tromp - 1 for 2, 2B, K, CS, HBP (fielding and throwing error)
Aaron Brown - 1 for 3, K
Rhys Hoskins - 0 for 4, K
Derek Campbell - 0 for 3, K
Cord Sandberg - 0 fof 2, 2 K
Deivi Grullon - 0 for 3
Drew Stankiewicz - 0 for 3

Williamsport is 2 hit and work no walks in an embarrassing loss. Pinto made his 3rd start this season and wasn't particularly good. He has given up 4 earned runs, 9 hits and walked 5 in 11.2 IP while striking out 12. Cord Sandberg is hitless in his last 5 games and 0 for 16.

GCL Braves 3, GCL Phillies 2 (July 18, 2014)

Sam McWilliams - 4 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 K, 5 GB, 1 FB
Tim Zier - 2 for 4, K, SB
Damek Tomscha - 2 for 3, 2 R, 2B, HR, BB (throwing error)
Jesus Posso - 0 for 3, K
Jose Pujols - 1 for 4, 2B, 2 K
Trey Williams - 2 for 4, RBI, K
Luis Encarnacion - 0 for 3, BB, 2 K

GCL Phillies 3, GCL Braves 1 (July 19, 2014)

Lewis Alezones - 4 IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB, 4 K, 6 GB, 1 FB
Elneiry Garcia - 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R
Gregorio Santos - 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, K
Edubray Ramos - 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 K
Venn Biter - 1 for 4, R, K
Grenny Cumana - 1 for 3, R, RBI, K, SB (throwing error)
Tommy Joseph - 1 for 3, HBP
Damek Tomscha - 0 for 3, HBP (fielding error)
Jesus Posso - 1 for 4, RBI
Jose Pujols - 0 for 3, K
Trey Williams - 1 for 3
Olvy Marte - 1 for 3, 2 CS
Jake Sweaney - 1 for 3, R, 2B