Phillies youngsters have big days in split-squad action

Two games for the price of one today, guys.

The Phillies played two split-squad games on Thursday. The one that was televised was their match-up against the Houston Astros, in which the Phils fell 3-2.

The game got off to a bit of an uneven start after outfield prospect Nick Williams made a mess of a line drive in right field.

Ouch. Hey rook, let's try not to kill ourselves in Game 3 of the Grapefruit League season, mmkay? Luckily, George Springer was doubled off second base right after, and Williams is a terrific prospect so we ain't mad at ya, Nick.

The rest of the Phillies young guys had some very good moments in this game, and the crew that played against the Yankees fared even better. Against Houston, Jake Thompson took the hill and allowed an unearned run in two innings of work on three hits with one walk and one strikeout.

You see? I told you he pitched today. Also, Zach Eflin also got two innings in, allowing one run in his brief outing.

The Phils' top three hitters in the lineup all had multi-hit games. Odubel Herrera was a hitting machine, going 2-for-3 with a double and a triple in this one.

Peter Bourjos, as noted by our own Paul Boye, the second coming of Tris Speaker, went for 2-for-4 with a walk in the No. 2 hole, while Andrew Knapp, the Phils' young catching prospect, went 2-for-3 with two singles hitting third. Williams also added a single and two walks in five plate appearances.

However, it was the second game, the one against the Yankees in which the Phils won 13-4 that was not televised, in which some of the young Phils stars of tomorrow really played well.

Roman Quinn, slated to start the season in Lehigh as the Iron Pigs' center fielder and leadoff man, went 2-for-5 with two runs scored, two RBIs, with a triple and a homer. J.P. Crawford (you've heard of him, right?), went 1-for-5 with two runs and an RBI. Maikel Franco went 1-for-2 with a homer and Darin Ruf went 2-for-3 with three RBIs, including a double.

But that's not all. The Phils' Rule 5 pick, Tyler Goeddel, went 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI, and Jorge Alfaro, the young catching prospect who will start the season in Reading, went 2-for-2 with a run and two RBIs.

And pitching-wise, the team got their first look at Mark Appel in game action. The big right-hander pitched two innings and gave up one run on one hit, but walked four and struck out no one.

Of course, this is one day of Grapefruit League action against a lot of pitchers who won't see much Major League action this year.

But it's still fun.

Subscribe to The Felske Files!!!

Click here to subscribe on iTunes. - don't forget to leave a review!

Click here to subscribe on Stitcher.