Phillies MLR 8/30/17: The Phillies are going to the playoffs!

Today’s Probables:

LHV: Tom Eshelman
REA: Franklyn Kilome
CLR: Edgar Garcia
LWD: Mauricio Llovera
WIL: Kyle Young

Lehigh Valley 7, Syracuse 4

Henderson Alvarez - 7 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, BB, 3 K, 11 GB, 5 FB
Scott Kingery - 2 for 5, R, RBI, K
J.P. Crawford - 1 for 5, R, RBI, K
Cam Perkins - 2 for 5, K
Angelo Mora - 4 for 5, 2 R, 2B, RBI
Dylan Cozens - 0 for 5, 4 K (outfield assist, 2B)
Carlos Tocci - 1 for 1, RBI (pinch hitter)

Henderson Alvarez was sharp in his 2nd outing since joining the Phillies organization. With the injuries to Phillies starting pitching mounting up, I do wonder if Alvarez is added to eat up some innings at the end of the big club’s season. He was even 2 for 3 at the plate last night with a double. The offense lit up Nat’s prospect A.J. Cole, who may not really be a prospect anymore now that I think about it. Dylan Cozens downward spiral has been sad to watch. He is down to hitting .212 with 186 strikeouts in 463 at-bats. Lehigh Valley is 2 games back of the wildcard with 5 games remaining. 4 of those games are against the best team in the International League, Scranton/WB. With the elimination number at 4, they likely need to take 4 of these last 5.

New Hampshire 8, Reading 2

Elniery Garcia - 6.1 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 5 BB, 2 K, 11 GB, 4 FB
Zach Coppola - 2 for 5, K, SB
Jiandido Tromp - 1 for 5
Mitch Walding - 1 for 4, BB, K
Kyle Martin - 0 for 5, K
Deivi Grullon - 1 for 4, RBI, 2 K

Perhaps Elneiry Garcia is not quite back yet. Since returning to Reading, he has walked 17 batters in 25.2 innings. Not good! However, he’ll get some more time to work on it in the Arizona Fall League. He didn’t get help in the field as Drew Stankiewicz/Derek Campbell combined for 3 errors. Ranfi Casimiro also allowed 3 inherited runners to score. Zach Coppola meanwhile keeps on swiping bags, his one last night was number 29 with Reading (39th total this season).

Charlotte 6, Clearwater 4

Seranthony Dominguez - 0.2 IP, 2 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, HR
Jose Gomez - 1 for 4, R
Cornelius Randolph - 1 for 4, 3B, K
Darick Hall - 1 for 4, R, RBI, K
Edgar Cabral - 3 for 4, R, RBI

After spotting a 3-run cushion in the 1st inning, the pressure should have been off for Seranthony Dominguez. However, the following sequence wasn’t pretty. He allowed a lead-off double, then proceeded to strikeout the next two batters. Dominguez then walked the next 3 batters before allowing a grandslam to close out his outing. He’s been so good this season that this disaster only raised his ERA to 3.67.

West Virginia 3, Lakewood 2 (GM1 of DH, 7 innings)
West Virginia 2, Lakewood 0 (GM2 of DH, 7 innings, makeup of 8/29 ppd)

Luis Carrasco - 5 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, BB, K, HR, WP, HBP, 6 GB, 4 FB (pickoff error)
Bailey Falter - 5.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, BB, 7 K, 5 GB, 3 FB (fielding error)
Adam Haseley - 2 for 6, R, 2B
Arquimedes Gamboa - 1 for 3, RBI
Mickey Moniak - 2 for 6, RBI, K
Colby Fitch - 0 for 3, K
Henri Lartigue - 0 for 3
Austin Listi - 0 for 6
Gregori Rivero - 0 for 2, HBP
Daniel Brito - 0 for 6, 2 K
Luke Williams - 0 for 4
Jesus Alastre - 1 for 4, R
David Martinelli - 0 for 2, K
Raul Rivas - 0 for 2, K

Mickey Moniak is 4 for 12 with a HR in his last 3 games, so that’s surely something he can build on. Arquimedes Gamboa has quietly built up a 10-game hitting-streak in which he is batting .436.

Auburn 3, Williamsport 2 (11 innings)

Will Stewart - 6 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, BB, 7 K, 2 HBP, 9 GB, 0 FB
Nick Maton - 2 for 4, RBI, BB, K
Brian Mims - 0 for 5, K
Luis Encarnacion - 2 for 4, R, BB, 2 K
Jake Scheiner - 1 for 5, K
Yahir Gurrola - 0 for 5, 2 K
Malvin Matos - 1 for 5, K
Josh Stephen - 2 for 5, 2B, CS
Rodolfo Duran - 1 for 4, K (two passed balls)
Jesus Azuaje - 0 for 4, R, K (fielding error)

Will Stewart goes a season-high 6 innings in a no-decision. Luis Ramirez gave up the go-ahead and eventual winning run in the top of the 11th. Luis Encarnacion has played sparingly this season, but last night was just his 2nd multi-hit game with Williamsport. Crosscutters games are a lot less exciting when Jhailyn Ortiz isn’t playing in them.

GCL Phillies 3, GCL Yankees East 0

Jhordany Mezquita - 5 IP, 4 H, 0 R, K, 3 GB, 8 FB
Keudy Bocio - 1 for 3, R, 2B, RBI, BB, SB (outfield assist, 2B)
Jake Holmes - 0 for 4, K
Jonathan Guzman - 1 for 4, R, K
Quincy Nieporte - 2 for 4, 2B, RBI
Ben Pelletier - 0 for 2
Edwin Rodriguez - 0 for 2
Rafael Marchan - 1 for 3
Brayan Gonzalez - 0 for 2, BB, 2 K
Jack Zoellner - 0 for 3
Kevin Markham - 1 for 3, R, 2B, K

With the win last night, the GCL Phillies clinched the Northwest Division! They’ll likely play the GCL Yankees East in a one-game playoff before the GCL Championship (which is a 3-game series).