Phillies Minor League Roundup - April 25, 2016

Today's Probables:

LHV: Adam Morgan
REA: Ricardo Pinto
CLR: Tom Eshelman
LWD: Tyler Gilbert

Scranton/WB 5, Lehigh Valley 2

Jake Thompson - 5 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 6 K, 2 HR, WP, HBP, 3 GB, 5 FB
Colton Murray - 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 K
Darnell Sweeney - 0 for 4, K
Nick Williams - 1 for 4, HR, 2 K
Andrew Knapp - 1 for 4, R, 3B, 2 K (passed ball)
Brock Stassi - 0 for 4, K
Tommy Joseph - 2 for 3, RBI
Cam Perkins - 1 for 3, 2B, K

Jake Thompson's rollercoaster season continues. Positives, he struck out a season-high 6 batters and didn't walk anyone. Negatives, he allowed a season-high 8 hits and 5 earned runs. He also gave up his first two homeruns of the season (one from former major leaguer Nick Swisher). He threw 64 of his 92 pitches for strikes. Thompson clearly isn't quite ready for the big leagues just yet. The offense was stagnant despite scoring two runs. Nick Williams provided half of the runs with his first HR of the season (a solo shot in the 6th). Collectively, the IronPigs produced just 5 hits, no walks and struck out 10 times. They were 1 for 3 with RISP and left 3 on base. Andrew Knapp hit his first triple of the season and added his 4th passed ball. Tommy Joseph's two hits bumped his triple slash to .405/.432/.738 in 42 at-bats.

Reading 7, Akron 4

Nick Pivetta - 5 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 4 K, 4 GB, 5 FB
Joely Rodriguez - 1.1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, K, HR
Severino Gonzalez - 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 K
Edubray Ramos - 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, K
Roman Quinn - 1 for 5, R, K
J.P. Crawford - 0 for 3, 2 R, BB, K
Dylan Cozens - 1 for 4, R, 2B, RBI
Jake Fox - 3 for 3, HR, 3 RBI
Jesmuel Valentin - 2 for 4, R, 2B, RBI, SB
Aaron Brown - 2 for 3, R, 3B, RBI, K, HBP
Harold Martinez - 0 for 3, RBI

Nick Pivetta will always have games like this where he'll commit a lot of free passes. It's hard to tell though without watching the game if he was truly wild or if the homeplate umpire was squeezing him. Nevertheless, he hadn't allowed any runs before he left the game in the 6th inning with one out and runners on 2nd and 3rd. Joely Rodriguez has been a disaster thus far, allowing 10 hits, 5 earned runs and 9 walks in just 10.2 innings of work (only 6 K's). The divisive SP/RP (obtained in the Antonio Bastardo trade) might not be long for the organization if this continues. Thankfully, Jake Fox is a hero we probably don't deserve. He banged out 3 hits, including a 2-run HR in the 7th to give two insurance runs (his 5th HR of the season). Aaron Brown continues to struggle, but has shown signs of life in his last two games, going 3 for 6 with a walk. Jesmuel Valentin improved his season line to .271/.306/.373 with two stolen bases. J.P. Crawford's AA K/BB ratio is now sitting at 63:55.