Phillies MLR 4/4/19: MiLB Opening Day!

Another MiLB season is upon us...and that means daily Minor League Roundups! Look for these Monday through Friday during the MiLB season from myself (with the occasional fill-in from Cormican, Victor and others). If you have any feature suggestions or other questions for this season, pop them down in the comments below.

Today’s Probables:

LHV: Enyel De Los Santos
REA: Adonis Medina
CLR: Damon Jones
LWD: Jack Perkins

Rochester 4, Lehigh Valley 2

Cole Irvin - 5 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, 2 HR, 3 GB, 1 FB
Edgar Garcia - 2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, BB, K, HR
Austin Davis - 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 K
Jan Hernandez - 0 for 4, 3 K
Dylan Cozens - 0 for 3, R, BB, 2 K
Mitch Walding - 1 for 4, RBI, K
Deivi Grullon - 1 for 3, 2 K
Malquin Canelo - 0 for 3, 2 K

That Cole Irvin guy made his 2019 debut for the Iron Pigs season opener last night. He had a 2.57 ERA with 131 strikeouts in 161.1 innings last year with Lehigh Valley. The 25 year old lefty is repeating AAA until he gets his shot in the majors. Unfortunately he is likely behind Drew Anderson, Enyel De Los Santos and Jerad Eickhoff on the depth chart. Reliever Edgar Garcia gave up the go-ahead runs in top of the 6th inning. The offense was collectively three-hit last night, partly due to their inability to hit Twins prospect Kohl Stewart, who also struck out eight Iron Pigs. Deivi Grullon got a hit in his first AAA game, so that’s something I suppose. The LHV offense is going to be a struggle this season, folks.

Reading 4, Portland 0

Ramon Rosso - 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K, WP, 4 GB, 2 FB
Luke Leftwich - 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 K, HBP
Trevor Bettencourt - 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB, 3 K
Addison Russ - 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 K
Adam Haseley - 1 for 4, 2B, BB
Mickey Moniak - 1 for 4, 2B, RBI, BB, K
Austin Listi - 0 for 5, 3 K
Darick Hall - 1 for 3, R, 2 K, HBP, SB
Cornelius Randolph - 0 for 4, 3 K
Luke Williams - 2 for 4, 2 R, 2 K, SB
Arquimedes Gamboa - 1 for 4, R, 2 K
Grenny Cumana - 2 for 3, R, BB, CS

The crafty Ramon Rosso picks up right where he left off in 2019. Across two levels last season he sported a 2.04 ERA in 123.1 innings with 139 strikeouts. This will be a big season to see if he stuff translates with better hitters in a tougher league. The two-some of Mickey Moniak and Adam Haseley got off to a promising start. Cornelius Randolph, however, struggled in his 2019 debut after a dreadful 2018 where he hit .241 and OPS’d .646 in 410 at-bats with Reading. The offense should be a lot of fun if Darick Hall and Austin Listi replicate what they did last season.

Dunedin 11, Clearwater 2

Spencer Howard - 4.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, BB, 7 K, HR, HBP, 2 GB, 0 FB
Simon Muzziotti - 2 for 4, K
Roman Quinn - 1 for 3, 2B, BB, K
Jake Scheiner - 1 for 4, CS
Rodolfo Duran - 0 for 4, K
Matt Vierling - 1 for 4, R, K (fielding error)
Daniel Brito - 1 for 4, 2 K
Edgar Cabral - 2 for 4, 2B, HR, 2 RBI
Nick Maton - 1 for 4, K

We expect big things from Spencer Howard, heck I expect big things from him this season given my rather bold prediction. He was actually doing quite well up until the 4th inning in which he gave up all three of his earned runs. Howard finished with 52 strikes on 80 pitches and had his fastball up into the mid-90’s. I have a feeling things will only improve for him from here. The offensive might have been able to keep a game of it, but Gustavo Armas and Austin Ross combined to give up eight runs on eight hits in 2.2 innings of work. Roman Quinn was with the Threshers on a rehab assignment before he makes the Phillies roster decisions a bit tougher to figure out when he is ready to return. Edgar Cabral hit a solo homer in 3rd inning. He had six dingers in 2018 with Clearwater.

Hickory 9, Lakewood 4

Colton Eastman - 4 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 6 ER, BB, 5 K, 2 GB, 1 FB
Ethan Lindow - 3.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, BB, 3 K
Luis Garcia - 1 for 4, RBI, K, HBP
Alec Bohm - 0 for 4, BB, SB
Malvin Matos - 1 for 3, HBP, SB
Carlos De La Cruz - 0 for 4, 3 K
Jake Holmes - 0 for 3, BB, 3 K
Rafael Marchan - 1 for 3, R, BB
Jonathan Guzman - 0 for 3, R, RBI, SB

A rough start to the 2019 season for Colton Eastman. Eastman was a 2018 4th round pick who pitched well in fairly limited action after being assigned to Williamsport last season (18 IP, 18 H, 6 ER, 7 BB, 23 K). The dynamic duo of Luis Garcia and Alec Bohm made their season debuts in the BlueClaws opener, playing 2B and 3B, respectively. It will be interesting to see what kind of start Bohm has and the reaction he will get from the fans if he struggles like he did in his injury-riddled 2018.