Phillies Minor League Roundup - April 17-19, 2015

Today's Probables:

LHV: Jason Berken
REA: TBD (but probably Tom Windle)
CLR: David Whitehead
LWD: Elneiry Garcia

Buffalo 5, Lehigh Valley 1 (April 17, 2015)

Adam Morgan - 5 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 3 ER, BB, 2 K, 6 GB, 7 FB
Hector Neris - 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, K
Adam Loewen - 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB
Cesar Jimenez - 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R
Tyler Henson - 1 for 4, R, SB
Maikel Franco - 3 for 4, 2B
Russ Canzler - 1 for 1, RBI, 2 BB
Jordan Danks - 2 for 4 (outfield assist, 2B)
Tommy Joseph - 0 for 4

Not a great effort all-around for the IronPigs. Big League hopeful, Adam Morgan, is out-dueled by former Phillie Randy Wolf. I'm not saying #shouldfofkept but...anyway. Maikel Franco's 3-hit game is already his 2nd this season. Everything is coming up Millhouse for Mr. Franco.

Buffalo 2, Lehigh Valley 1 (April 18, 2015)

Paul Clemens - 3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 7 BB, 3 K, 2 GB, 2 FB
Adam Loewen - 2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 K
Seth Rosin - 2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, HR
Colton Murray - 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, K
Cord Phelps - 1 for 3, HR, BB, K
Domonic Brown - 0 for 4
Maikel Franco - 2 for 4, K

According the boxscore, the IronPigs only managed 1 RISP all night. Clemens meanwhile couldn't find the strikezone, which isn't all that uncommon. The positives out of this one is Franco with another two hits (.385 AVG), Murray still hasn't given up a run (6.1 IP) and so has Loewen (6.2 IP).

Buffalo 5, Lehigh Valley 4 (April 19, 2015)

Joely Rodriguez - 5.2 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, K, 8 GB, 6 FB
Tyler Knigge - 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB, K, HBP
Cesar Jimenez - 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB
Colton Murray - 0.2 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB
Brian Bogusevic - 1 for 3, R, 2 BB, K, SB
Domonic Brown - 0 for 4, R, BB, 2 K, SB
Maikel Franco - 2 for 5, R, 2 2B, RBI

No Colton! Murray implodes for 4 runs in the bottom of the 9th inning for the loss. Dom Brown with a stolen base and should be a week or so away from rejoining the Phillies. Maikel Franco is just putting on a show now and begging to be the new 1B/3B for the big club. In 2 months that could be a reality at this rate.

Reading 7, Richmond 1

Aaron Nola - 6 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, BB, 5 K, 7 GB, 2 FB
Elvis Araujo - 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, K
Nefi Ogando - 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 K
Roman Quinn - 2 for 4, 2 R, RBI, BB, K, 3 SB
Carlos Alonso - 1 for 3, 2 R, 2B, 2 BB, K, SB
Aaron Altherr - 2 for 3, R, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 BB, K (outfield assist, 2B)
Brock Stassi - 2 for 4, 3 RBI, BB, K
Cam Perkins - 1 for 4, RBI
Gabriel Lino - 2 for 4, 2B, K
KC Serna - 2 for 4, R

I think Nola is alright after this twice-delayed 2015 debut didn't go all that well. On Friday he was in midseason form and showed why most see him as MLB ready. Roman Quinn steals our heart 3 more times (giving him 7 steals in 7 games to this point). Altherr makes it back onto the field and shows off his arm and patience at the plate. There is a good chance he moves to AAA rather quickly.

Reading 6, Richmond 5 (April 18, 2015, 10 innings)

Jesse Biddle - 6 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, BB, 8 K, 6 GB, 2 FB
Ethan Stewart - 1.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, BB, 2 K, HR
Mike Nesseth - 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB, K
Stephen Shackleford - 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 K
Roman Quinn - 0 for 5, 3 K
Carlos Alonso - 0 for 3, 2 R, 2 BB, K
Aaron Altherr- 1 for 4, 2B, BB, 2 K, SB
Art Charles - 1 for 3, RBI
Gabriel Lino - 1 for 1, 2 R, BB
Brock Stassi - 2 for 2, 3 RBI

Jesse Biddle matches the SF Giants No. 1 prospect, Kyle Crick, but leaves with a no decision. Biddle has been fantastic to open the season in two starts. Brock Stassi didn't even start the game, but wound up delivering the RBI single for the walk-off win. He leads the Eastern League with 16 RBI's and is batting .387 up to this game. Shackleford strikes out the side (not in order), all swining. Altherr steals his first base of the season and Quinn with his first disappointing game.

Reading 6, Richmond 0 (April 19, 2015)

Zach Eflin - 8 IP, 3 H, 0 R, BB, 5 K, 11 GB, 4 FB
Roman Quinn - 1 for 5
Aaron Altherr - 0 for 2, R, 3 BB
Brock Stassi - 1 for 4, R, BB
Cam Perkins - 2 for 3, R, 2B, RBI, HBP
Gabriel Lino - 2 for 3, 2 R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, BB
Harold Martinez - 3 for 3, 2B, HR, 3 RBI

Hey, Zach Eflin, that's some mighty fine pitching you got there. When the Reading rotation was being boasted preseason, one could only feel like that hype would never be met. Here we are a couple weeks into the season and we are getting performances like these. If you are in and around the Reading area, go out an see a game. You can't go wrong with any Nola, Biddle, Eflin, Windle or Lively. Big game from Gabriel Lino, who could be seeing the "Reading jump" on offense.  Also, that guy Harold Martinez is still around and hit a HR as well.

Clearwater 4, Lakeland 3 (April 17, 2015, 17 innings)

Miguel Nunez - 5 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, 2 GB, 8 FB, WP
Lino Martinez - 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 K
Lee Ridenhour - 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 K, WP
Edubray Ramos - 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, BB, 4 K
Cody Forsythe - 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 6 K, 5 GB, 1 FB
Andrew Pullin - 2 for 5, HR, 2 RBI, 2 BB, HBP, CS
Andrew Knapp - 0 for 5, BB, 3 K, HBP
Dylan Cozens - 2 for 6, RBI, 2 BB, K, 2 SB, CS
Zach Green - 2 for 6, BB, 3 K
Aaron Brown - 2 for 7, HR, K, picked off
Willians Astudillo - 2 for 7, 2B
Drew Stankiewicz - 1 for 7, R, 2B, 4 K (2 throwing errors)

Hats off to the Thresher bullpen, who combined for 12 innings, 16 strikeouts and NO runs. Dylan Cozens was the hero, with a walk-off groundball single in the bottom of the 17th to win the game. He also had 2 steals in the game. Both Pullin and Brown hit their first homers of the season. Forsythe has 7 shutout innings, 10 strikeouts and no walks to begin the season.

Clearwater 7, Lakeland 3 (April 18, 2015)

Colin Kleven - 6 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 5 K, HR, 9 GB, 3 FB, WP, HBP
Reinier Roibal - 3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, BB, 4 K
Andrew Pullin - 1 for 2, R, RBI, BB
Willians Astudillo - 1 for 3, R, 2 RBI
Dylan Cozens - 2 for 4, 2 R, HR, 2 RBI
Zach Green - 1 for 4
Aaron Brown - 0 for 4, 2 K

Colin Kleven pitches about as well as he probably will all season. A combination of Cozens, Astudillo and a Jiwan James throwing error allowed for a 4-run 7th inning which broke open a 3-3 tie. Cozens with a 2-run homer that inning, his first of the season. Aaron Brown no-BB watch is now at 10 games (42 at bats). I'm soliciting wagers on his first walk of the season.

Lakeland 7, Clearwater 4 (April 19, 2015)

Yacksel Rios - 4 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 2 HR, HBP, 4 GB, 3 FB
Andrew Pullin - 0 for 5, RBI, 4 K
Andrew Knapp - 1 for 5, RBI, 2 K
Dylan Cozens - 0 for 4, R, 3 K, HBP
Willians Astudillo - 1 for 4, R, 2B, RBI
Zach Green - 0 for 4, K

Despite outhitting Lakeland 11-10, the Threshers fall. Pullin with the un-coveted golden sombrero and Cozens fairs no better. Yackel Rios with a disappointing 2015 debut.

Lakewood 9, Hagerstown 3 (April 17, 2015)

Tyler Viza - 5 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, HR, 7 GB, 1 FB
Austin Davis - 3 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 K
Matt Hockenberry - 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, K
Malquin Canelo - 2 for 5, R, 2 2B, RBI (throwing error)
Jiandido Tromp - 2 for 4, 2 R, 2B, BB, SB
Carlos Tocci - 1 for 5, 2B, RBI, K
Rhys Hoskins - 2 for 5, 2 R, RBI, K
Damek Tomscha - 0 for 4, 2 R, K, HBP
Deivi Grullon - 1 for 5, 2B, K
Herlis Rodriguez - 1 for 4, 3B, 3 RBI (outfield assist, 2B)
Derek Campbell - 2 for 4, RBI, CS
Grenny Cumana - 0 for 3, R, BB, K (throwing and fielding error)

Viza seems to be a bit more comfortable in this go-around with Lakewood. As always, he need to keep the ball down in the zone or he will get hurt. There were 8 combined errors in this game. Cumana committed his 4th and 5th of the season and is still adjusting to second base. It's good to see Tromp get going at the plate and has a lot of promise as a potential corner outfield power-bat.

Hagerstown 6, Lakewood 4 (April 18, 2015)

Ranfi Casimiro - 4.2 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, HR, 7 GB, 2 FB
Alexis Rivero - 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, K
Calvin Rayburn - 1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, BB, K
Malquin Canelo - 0 for 3, R, BB, K, SB
Jiandido Tromp - 1 for 4, K
Cord Sandberg - 2 for 3, R, RBI, BB, CS
Rhys Hoskins - 1 for 4, R, 2B, K
Damek Tomscha - 1 for 2, R, BB, K
Deivi Grullon - 1 for 4, 2B, RBI, K (passed ball)
Tim Zier - 2 for 4, CS (throwing error)
Derek Campbell - 1 for 4, 2 RBI, K (throwing error)
Herlis Rodriguez - 1 for 4, 2B

Ranfi Casimiro's bad start was too much to overcome despite a late surge in the top of the 9th. Something tells me Casimiro is relegated to the bullpen following the draft. Not much to note from this game, other than a nice day at the plate for Sandberg.

Hagerstown 5, Lakewood 0 (April 19, 2015)

Chris Oliver - 5 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, BB, 2 K, 2 WP, HBP, balk...(pickoff error)
Jesen Therrien - 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 K
Herlis Rodriguez - 0 for 4
Jiandido Tromp - 0 for 4
Carlos Tocci - 3 for 4, 2 2B
Rhys Hoskins - 0 for 4
Cord Sandberg - 0 for 4, K (fielding error)
Damek Tomscha - 1 for 4
Grenny Cumana - 1 for 2, BB

Chris Oliver with a very shaky start and a far cry from his one last week. The offense was equally as woeful, held to 5 hits and went 1 for 8 with RISP. Tocci hit his 4th and 5th double of the season and is batting .400/.467/.600 in 40 at bats with 4 steals. He remains the big ticket in Lakewood to begin the season.