Here’s the open discussion thread for Phillies’ talk and other topics.
The Phillies are 28-29. They are 2-5 on their current 10-game home stand. They were swept by the Nationals before splitting 4 games with the Brewers. Their next 3 games are against the Cubs. Continue reading Open Discussion: Week of June 6th
Lehigh Valley (30-26) Beat Charlotte, 11-3. Jake Thompson pitched six shutout innings. Edubray Ramos allowed his first earned run in 16.2 AAA innings. And the IronPigs pounded out eight extra base hits. Darnell Sweeney (3), Andrew Knapp (7), Taylor Featherston (7), Max Venable (2), and Nick Williams (7) hit home runs. Williams also had a triple and 4 RBI (28). Former Phillie Phillippe Aumont faced 6 batters, retired none, and gave up 5 earned runs for the Knights. Continue reading Box Score Recap – 6/5/2016
Lehigh Valley
Darin Ruf, 29, Phils 20th round pick in 2009; .267/.305/.507 in 75AB; 5HR 16RBI; 5%BB/20%K; .286 vs LHP; .255 vs RHP; .350 last 10 games; 10 games at 1B without an error; 5 games in the OF without an error; After being sent down due to his early season struggled with the bat, Ruf has been hitting fairly consistently since joining the ‘Pigs lineup, providing good punch.
Brock Stassi, 26, Phils 33th round pick in 2011; .252/.373/.378 in 127AB; 2HR 15RBI; 16%BB/15%K; .219 vs LHP; .263 vs RHP; .333 in last 10 games; 33 games at 1B without an error (8.45R/F). Stassi started the year very slowly with the bat, but even so, his eye at the plate has provided a well above average OBP. Slick with the glove, Stassi has lost time at 1B since Ruf was sent down.
Taylor Featherston, 26, Signed as a free agent in 2016; .274/.314/.468 in 201 AB; 7HR 15RBI; 3%BB/18%K; .226 vs LHP; .295 vs RHP; .190 last 10 games; .186 with RISP; 24 games at 3B with 6 errors (.887); 16 games at SS with 5 errors; 9 games at 2B with 1 error (.971); Featherston came out of the gate very hot but has cooled significantly with the bat recently and has struggled with RISP. Also has made several crucial errors as of late.
Reading
Rhys Hoskins, 23, Phils 5th round pick in 2014; .250/.313/.475 in 204AB; 12HR 36RBI; 8%BB/27%K; .256 vs LHP; .248 vs RHP; .205 last 10 games; .271 with RISP; 49 games at 1B with 5 errors (.988); 8.76 R/F. Hoskins has provided late game heroics through multiple walk off home runs and provided solid consistent power in the middle of the Reading lineup. Like most power hitters, strikeout rate is high. Continue reading Around the SYstem–Corner Infield
Lehigh Valley completes the first leg of a two city eight game road trip with their finale against CHarlotte today, having won two of their first three games. Following todays game, it is onward to Gwinnett for a four game series. After starting the season 15-17, Lehigh Valley is 14-9 since May 12th and 29-26 on the year. The ‘Pigs are currently in 4th place of the Northern DIvision of the International League, 1.5 games behind division leading Buffalo.
News and Notes: C Logan Moore had two starts this week, one where he had four hits and the second where he had three hits including his first homer of the year.
–Over his last 17 games, OF Cedric Hunter is hitting .329 with 3HR and 13RBI. He currently has a six game winning streak.
–Over his last 9 games, 1B Darin Ruf is hitting .371 qith 3HR and 10RBI.
–RP Luis Garcia has been pitching very well as of late, and is unscored upon in 9 of his last 11 games, with 3 wins, a 1.38ERA and 14 K’s in 13IP during that time period.
–RP Edubray Ramos is now unscored upon in all 10 games since he joined Lehigh Valley, spanning 14.2IP. He earned his first AAA save this week. Continue reading Lehigh Valley Report
Lehigh Valley (29-26) Lost to Charlotte, 8-4. David Buchanan imploded for six runs in the second inning. Seve Gonzalez chipped in with 2 runs after the IronPigs closed within 6-4. Logan Moore had 3 hits and his first home run. Cameron Perkins had 2 hits. Continue reading Box Score Recap – 6/4/2016
Lehigh Valley (29-25) Beat Charlotte, 6-4. Zach Eflin allowed only two base runners thru his first five innings, a single and a hit batter. He took a 2-0 lead into the sixth but blew his own victory. Frank Hermann allowed an inherited runner to score, but was awarded the victory when the IronPigs re-took the lead. Mario Hollands and Michael Mariot preserved the lead and Edubray Ramos notched his first save. He struck out three of the four batters he faced, striking out the side in the ninth.
Lehigh Valley amassed 16 hits and five walks. Williams, Ruf, and Sweeney had 3-hit games. Crawford, Knapp, and Hunter had 2-hit games. Williams hit his 6th HR. Ruf had 2 RBI. Our old friend, Phillippe Aumont, allowed 2 of 2 inherited runners to score and blew his second save for Charlotte.
Reading (37-18) Beat Portland, 5-4 in a walk off. Ricardo Pinto turned in a quality start, one earned run and seven strike outs in six innings. Hoby Milner blew his second save. Miguel Nunez earned the win. Hoskins hit his 10th home run. Cozens led off the 9th with his 15th home run to tie the game. Marrero’s 6th HR won the game with 2 outs.
Clearwater (31-22) Beat Jupiter, 8-2. Elniery Garcia celebrated the birth of his first son with a 2-run, 31-pitch first inning. He shut the Hammerheads down after the first. Garcia didn’t have his good curve ball. In fact, he only induced 6 swing-and-misses, all at his fastball. But he only allowed two singles after the first inning. Joe DeNato pitched the final 3.1 innings and recorded his first save.
The Threshers rallied with crooked numbers in the third, fourth, and fifth innings. Kingery and Green had 3-hit games. Pullin, Walding, and Canelo had 2-hit games. Kingery, Pullin, Green, and Canelo had 2 RBIs each.
Garcia may have needed 31 pitches to complete the first, but 22 of them were strikes. He threw 11 pitches in the second, 12 in the third, and 14 in the fourth. He allowed a one-out single in the fourth. Of the 37 pitches in those innings, 28 were strikes. Garcia faced 5 batters in the fifth inning. His throwing error and Kingery’s fielding error extended his pitch count to 23 (15 strikes) in the inning, and 91 thru 5 innings.
Garcia answered the bell for the sixth and faced three batters. He threw 24 pitches in the inning. His night ended after a two-out single culminated an 11-pitch at bat. He was permitted to throw 115 pitches, 81 strikes. His pitch count was extended by 37 foul balls.
Garcia threw predominantly fastballs, I had him at 82 total, 91-94 t95 mph. he dipped to 90 mph four time, too. He threw an off-speed pitch (I had 18) 82-88 mph, which was mostly 83-86 mph. His curve ball (I had 15) was mostly 74-77 mph.
Garcia’s curve ball is his out-pitch. He hung several both in and out of the strike zone. He got 2 across for called strikes, but none for a swing-and-miss. Four were fouled off, three were hit for singles, and six were balls. Due to his lack of command of his CB, he relied more heavily on his fastball.
Joe DeNato relived Garcia with two outs and a runner on first in the sixth inning. He retired the Hammerheads without throwing a pitch. He notched his third pick off of the season on his second throw to first base. He allowed two singles over the next three innings both in the ninth. He ended the game with a ground ball into an around-the-horn double play.
Lakewood (20-34) Lost to Hickory, 8-3. Drew Anderson pitched well – one hit, 3 walks, and six strike outs in five innings. Skylar Hunter was activated and pitched one inning before blowing the save in his second inning. Jake Waguespack came in and couldn’t stop the bleeding. The BlueClaws scored three runs on seven hits. Hernandez had 2 hits. Tromp hit a solo home run, his sixth.
Here’s the affiliate scoreboard from MiLB.
Extra Innings –
Lehigh Valley (28-25) Beat Charlotte, 4-2. James Russell pitched five shutout innings, Severino Gonzalez blew the save, Luis Garcia was the pitcher of record when the IronPigs rallied, and Edward Mujica got his 14th save. Andrew Knapp and Brock Stassi had two hits. Cedric Hunter two RBI. Stassi hit his second home run. J.P. Crawford stole his first AAA base. Darin Ruf had an outfield assist at home. Knapp threw out a base runner. Continue reading Box Score Recap – 6/2/2016
Most of the box score discussion yesterday seemed to be centered on the Phillies’ latest and possible future roster moves. I have a pinched nerve in my shoulder and typing is aggravating it. So here’s a condensed version of Wednesday’s box scores. Continue reading Box Score Recap – 6/1/2016
Lehigh Valley (26-25) Lost to Norfolk, 8-6. Jake Thompson had a rough night, failing to finish the fourth inning. Three relievers shutout the Tides the rest of the way. J.P. Crawford, Cody Asche, and Brock Stassi had two-hit games. Andrew Knapp was ejected after arguing a called third strike in the seventh inning. Continue reading Box Score Recap – 5/31/2016
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