Phillies MLR 5/20/21: Cornelius Randolph gets the headline for the second day in a row

Syracuse 5, Lehigh Valley 3

Cristopher Sánchez 4 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, HR, Pickoff
Cornelius Randolph 1 for 4, 2 K, HR
Ryan Cordell 1 for 3, 2 K, HR, SB
Mickey Moniak 0 for 4, 2 K
Austin Listi 0 for 4, 2 K

Jay wrote yesterday about Cornelius Randolph’s hot start to the season, and that hot start continued as he hit his third homer of the year. Ryan Cordell added his first homer of the season, a two-run shot in the third. That was all the offense the IronPigs could manage, though. Taking after their major league affiliate, they struck out a combined 12 times- one for Rubén Tejada, two each for Cordell, Moniak, Listi, and Randolph, and a sombrero for Jack Conley.

Akron 5, Reading 3

Mark Appel 1.2 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, WP
Madison Stokes 2 for 4, 2 RBI
Arquimedes Gamboa 0 for 5, 2 K
McCarthy Tatum 1 for 4, 2B, K
Nick Matera 1 for 3, BB, runner caught stealing
Luke Miller 1 for 2, 2 BB, K

The offensive struggles continue for the Fightin Phils. Just four players combined for Reading’s five hits in this game, and the top of the lineup (Gamboa, Guthrie and Brito) went 0-fer. The bullpen managed to shut the Rubber Ducks down after the fourth inning, but by then the damage had been done.

Reading has now lost 9 of their last 10 games and has just three wins on the season. It’s definitely past the time to start worrying about Reading’s complete inability to win games. In their 12 losses, they’ve scored 45 runs, though that includes the statistical outlier of their 13-12 loss to Bowie. Defensively, they’ve already given up 6+ runs nine times. Of course, with the nature of the minors, their struggles could change when more players start moving around. Until then, though, someone may need to check in on them to figure out what is going on.

Jersey Shore 4, Winston Salem 2

Dominic Pipkin 3 IP, 2 H, 3K
Jack Perkins 3.1 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 5 K
Hunter Markwardt 1 for 4, RBI
Bryson Stott 0 for 3, BB
Logan O’Hoppe 1 for 4, K, RBI, caught stealing
Jhailyn Ortiz 1 for 3, BB, K, 2 runs scored
Keaton Greenwalt 1 for 4, K, RBI
Nate Fassnacht 1 for 3, 2B, 2K, fielding error

A late attempt at a rally for the Dash was cut short as the Claws took this one by the skin of their teeth. It was Jersey Shore’s third consecutive win. Pipkin and Andrew Brown combined to keep the Dash scoreless for the first 5 innings. Aneurys Zabala got the save, his first.

Dunedin 6, Clearwater 2

Jordi Martinez 3 IP, 3 H, BB, 2 K
Rodolfo Sanchez 2 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
Gabriel Yanez 2 IP, 1 H, 4 K
Tyler Burch 0.2 IP, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
Johan Rojas 0 for 4, K
Luis García 0 for 4, throwing error
Matt Joyce 2 for 2, BB
DJ Stewart 0 for 4, 3 K
Rixon Wingrove 2 for 4, 2B, 2 K
Ben Pelletier 1 for 4, 2 K, RBI

This game was a classic pitcher’s duel until the Blue Jays broke it open with a four-run fifth inning. Despite collecting eight hits, the Threshers only managed to score two runs – both in the bottom of the ninth. The only bright spots for Clearwater were the start by Martinez and the relief effort by Yanez, who combined to allow just four hits and strike out seven.