Phillies MLR 4/24/19: Cole Irvin is dealing and Dylan Cozens keeps hitting dingers

Today’s Probables:

LHV: Tyler Viza
REA: Mauricio Llovera
CLR: TBD
LWD: Colton Eastman

Lehigh Valley 3, Pawtucket 1

Cole Irvin - 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 7 K, 7 GB, 2 FB
Jan Hernandez - 0 for 4, BB, 2 K, SB
Dylan Cozens - 2 for 3, 2 R, 3B, 2 BB, K, CS
Deivy Grullon - 0 for 3, RBI, K
Malquin Canelo - 0 for 4, 2 K, CS

Cole Irvin doing Cole Irvin things last night. The lefty has tossed 23.2 innings this season to a 1.14 ERA. He is major league ready, but likely doesn’t have a ceiling higher than a #5 starter. I do hope he gets a shot at some point though. The offense put across three runs, but were 1 for 10 with RISP. Dylan Cozens is batting .263 in his last 10 games with five homeruns and eight walks to 15 strikeouts (in 38 at-bats). The IronPigs improved to 14-4 and sit atop of the North Division with a three-game lead over the Syracuse Mets.

Reading 7, Richmond 2

Bailey Falter - 4 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 4 GB, 2 FB
Luke Williams - 1 for 4, BB, CS
Mickey Moniak - 1 for 5, RBI, 4 K
Darick Hall - 0 for 5, 2 K
Austin Listi - 0 for 2, 2 R, 2 BB, K (outfield assist, 3B)
Grenny Cumana - 2 for 3, R, 2B, 3 RBI, BB
Arquimedes Gamboa - 0 for 2, R, 2 BB, K (missed catch error)
Josh Stephen - 1 for 1, R, 2B, 2 RBI

Bailey Falter has been a bit lucky this season. Despite the 2.93 ERA, hitters are crushing him with a .317 average. His two unearned runs last night were the result of an Ali Castillo throwing error in the 2nd inning. Falter ran up his pitch count to 76 before being lifted after the 4th inning. The offense behind him produced despite striking out 14 times. Mickey Moniak has 23 strikeouts in 61 at-bats this season. The whole Reading offense is kind of a mess at the moment outside journeyman Ali Castillo.

Clearwater 13, Florida 1

Damon Jones - 4.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 6 K, WP, 4 GB, 3 FB
Dalton Guthrie - 3 for 4, 2 R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, HBP
Jhailyn Ortiz - 2 for 5, R, 2B, RBI, 2 K
Jake Scheiner - 3 for 5, R, 2B, 2 RBI, K
Simon Muzziotti - 2 for 4, 2 R, RBI, BB, CS
Danny Mayer - 0 for 3, R, 2 BB, 2 K
Ben Aklinski - 1 for 5, R, RBI (outfield assist, 2B)
Colby Fitch - 1 for 4, 2 R, RBI, HBP
Jose Gomez - 3 for 5, 2 R, 2B, 2 RBI
Daniel Brito - 1 for 4, R, 2B, 2 RBI, BB

Damon Jones has not had much of a challenge in the Florida State League and if he keeps this up he’ll be in AA by June. He has a 0.96 ERA with 29 strikeouts (great!) to 13 walks (not so great!) in 18.2 innings. I likely could have had a hit against the Florida Fire Frogs last night. Thresher hitters combined for 16 hits and 4 walks. Dalton Guthrie hit his first homer of the season, a solo shot in the 7th inning. The strikeouts for Jhailyn Ortiz are troubling in the early-going. He has 16 strikeouts in just 38 at-bats. Perhaps those “eye issues” are just actually poor pitch recognition.

Rome 1, Lakewood 0

Kevin Gowdy - 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K, 8 GB, 3 FB
James McArthur - 3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 K, 5 GB, 0 FB
Luis Garcia - 1 for 4
Alec Bohm - 1 for 4, K
Ben Pelletier - 1 for 4
Abraham Gutierrez - 2 for 4
Malvin Matos - 0 for 3, BB, K
Carlos De La Cruz - 1 for 4, K
Cole Stobbe - 0 for 4, 3 K
Jonathan Guzman - 2 for 4, SB

Kevin Gowdy’s stuff really isn’t back to pre-draft levels, but the results otherwise (now that he is healthy) are encouraging. His line so far: 14.2 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 13 BB, 13 K. James McArthur gave up the go-ahead run in the bottom of the 8th to take his first loss of the season. The BlueClaw batters could not plate runs against Braves prospect Trey Riley, who has been largely bad leading up to this start. Lakewood outhit Rome 9-4, but were 0 for 4 with RISP. Jonathan Guzman stole his fifth base of the season and Alec Bohm extended his on-base streak to 17 games.