Phillies MLR 6/20/18: Austin Listi homers as Reading topples Portland

Today’s Probables:

LHV: Cole Irvin
REA: JoJo Romero
CLR: Connor Seabold
LWD: Kyle Young
WIL: Ethan Lindow

Scranton/WB 5, Lehigh Valley 3

Ben Lively - 6.2 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 7 K, HR, 7 GB, 2 FB
Hector Neris - 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB
Joey Meneses - 2 for 4, HR, K
Trevor Plouffe - 1 for 4, HR, K
Damek Tomscha - 1 for 3 (throwing error)

Ben Lively was throwing a 1-hitter entering the 7th inning before giving up two no-out walks and then allowing 3-run HR to relinquish their 2-0 lead. The IronPigs would tie it at 3 again in the top of the 9th via a Danny Ortiz RBI double, however Zac Curtis then gave up a 2-out 2-run walk-off HR in the bottom of the 9th to lose the game. Joey Meneses (13) and Trevor Plouffe (7) had back-to-back solo homers in the 4th inning.

Reading 12, Portland 3

Harold Arauz - 6 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, BB, 6 K, HR, 8 GB, 4 FB
Jiandido Tromp - 0 for 4, 2 R, BB
Jan Hernandez - 1 for 4, 2 R, RBI, BB, K
Austin Listi - 2 for 4, 2 R, HR, 4 RBI, HBP
Darick Hall - 2 for 5, 2 R, 2 RBI
Zach Green - 2 for 5, 2 R, 2B, 3B, 3 RBI, 2 K (fielding error)
Cornelius Randolph - 1 for 3, RBI, BB
Malquin Canelo - 1 for 4, 3 K
Austin Bossart - 3 for 4, RBI
Drew Stankiewicz - 1 for 4, 2 R, 2 K, SB

Harold Arauz held on after a rocky start to improve to 4-4 on the season. The Reading offense exploded for 6 runs in the 5th inning and 4 runs in the 6th. Austin Listi blasted his 1st AA HR last night and improved his line with Reading to .364/.385/.636 in 11 at-bats. Darick Hall is also enjoying a hot streak as he sports a 6-game hitting streak of which 4 of those games have been multi-hit efforts.

Bradenton 9, Clearwater 1

Nick Fanti - 1.1 IP, 5 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 3 BB, K, HR, HBP, 0 GB, 2 FB
Luke Williams - 1 for 4
Henri Lartigue - 0 for 4, 2 K
Jose Pujols - 2 for 2, R, 2 BB
Grenny Cumana - 2 for 4
Jose Gomez - 0 for 3, RBI, BB

Clearwater never had a chance after Bradenton put together a 9-run 2nd inning. Fanti’s start is certainly a qualifier for one of the worst by a Phillies org pitcher this season. The Threshers offense was only out-hit 9-6 believe it or not, but were 1 for 5 with RISP and left 7 on base. Jose Pujols continues to amaze in recent weeks with his 3rd multi-walk game of the season. He had just two in 90 games last season. His line is up to .304/.363/.479 with 9 HR and 85 strikeouts in 217 at-bats.

Williamsport 2, Auburn 0

Jhordany Mezquita - 5 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 6 K, 4 GB, 2 FB
Matt Vierling - 2 for 4, R, 3B
Keudy Bocio - 0 for 4, K
Rafael Marchan - 2 for 4, R, 3B, RBI, SB
Danny Mayer - 0 for 4, K
Ben Pelletier - 2 for 4, 2B, RBI
Seth Lancaster - 2 for 4, 2B, 2 K
Jonathan Guzman - 0 for 3
Jesus Henriquez - 1 for 3, K
Edwin Rodriguez - 0 for 3, K

Jhordany Mezquita doesn’t seem to be missing a beat after an impressive 2017 with the GCL last season (0.72 ERA with 35 K’s in 37.2 IP). You can see Mitch Rupert’s velo reports here with some video. Rafael Marchan has been equally impressive to start the 2018 season. After last night’s game he is 12 for 22 with 4 stolen bases to begin the season. Also showing promise is 2018 5th Rounder Matt Vierling (8 for 15 w/ 2 SB) and 2018 8th Rounder Seth Lancaster (9 for 15).

GCL Phillies East 5, GCL Yankees East 0

Carlos Francisco - 5 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K, HBP, 3 GB, 4 FB
Simon Muzziotti - 0 for 3
Nicolas Torres - 1 for 2, 2B
Jose Rivera - 1 for 3, R, K (fielding error)
Carlos Oropeza - 3 for 3, 2 R, 2B, RBI
Juan Arapicio - 1 for 2, 2B
Jack Zoellner - 1 for 3, R, 2 BB
Jake Holmes - 1 for 4, R, RBI
Luke Miller - 1 for 2, BB
Carlos De La Cruz - 0 for 3, RBI, BB, K
Ben Aklinski - 2 for 4
Jose Mercado - 2 for 4, CS

GCL Blue Jays 3, GCL Phillies West 2

Ben Brown - 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 5 K, WP, 5 GB, 2 FB
Yerwin Trejo - 2 for 3, R, CS, HBP
Alec Bohm - 1 for 3 (fielding error)
D.J. Stewart - 1 for 1, 2B, 2 RBI
Abraham Gutierrez - 1 for 4
Greg Pickett - 0 for 4, 2 K
Rixon Taylor-Wingrove - 0 for 4, K (fielding error)
Luis Garcia - 1 for 4, K
Christian Valerio - 1 for 3, BB, K
Luis Matos - 0 for 4, K
Corbin Williams - 2 for 3, R