Box Score Recap – 4/5/2018

Box Score Recap

Three teams opened their 2018 seasons last night.  All three lost.  Reading couldn’t recover from the hole Ranger Suarez dug.  Clearwater rallied to tie, but Felix Paulino threw away the lead.  Lakewood deserved better, but throwing errors sealed their fate.

Adam Haseley, Jose Pujols, and Nick Maton provided opening day home runs. Cornelius Randolph, Jake Scheiner, and Maton had 2-hit games.

Here is the box score recap.  And, here’s the affiliate scoreboard from MiLB.

Lehigh Valley begins their season tonight at Pawtucket.  TBD gets the start.

  • #9 Enyel De Los Santos
  • #10 Dylan Cozens
  • #11 Roman Quinn
  • #22 Tom Eshelman
  • #24 Drew Anderson

Reading opened their season with a 7-1 loss to Erie.  Ranger Suarez was tagged for all seven runs.  Edgar Garcia came on in the fourth and pitched 3.0, 2-hit innings with a walk and a K.  Luke Leftwich pitched 2.0, no-hit innings with a walk and 2 K.  Seth McGarry finished with a no-hit inning with one walk.

The Phils struggled to get base runners.  Damek Tomscha had a single and walk and Emmanuel Marrero walked as the Phils were one-hit through five innings.  After a pitching change, the Phils threatened after Tomscha’s second walk, a Kyle Martin single, and a wild pitch, but couldn’t score.

The Phils finally scored in the seventh.  Randolph led off with a double, after Marrero’s second walk, “C” scored on Zach Coppola’s RBI single.  The Phils had one last scoring opportunity in the eighth when Tomscha led off with his third walk.  Randolph singled with two out, but the final four Reading batters were retired.

Ten Phils were retired on strike outs.  Phils pitchers issued 6 walks.

  • #7 Franklyn Kilome
  • #13 Cornelius Randolph: 2-4 with a run scored and double
  • #15 Ranger Suarez: 3.0 IP, 9 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
  • #16 Jojo Romero
  • #29 Edgar Garcia: 3.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
  • #30 Seranthony Dominguez

Clearwater lost their home opener to Dunedin, 5-4.  Connor Seabold got the start and gave up 4 runs on 5 hits in the first three innings.  He threw 64 pitches (36 strikes) with only 5 of 15 first pitch strikes.  The Threshers fought back to tie the game on Jose Pujols HR and Adam Haseley’s 3-run HR.  Felix Paulino took the loss when he wild pitched home the go ahead run.

After his rough start, Seabold rallied to retire the Jays in order in the fourth and fifth innings on just 22 pitches.  

Seabold gave up a run in the first that could have been avoided.  After an excuse me ground single through the middle that ticked off Gamboa’s glove and a line single to left, Seabold advanced the runners on a wild pitch.  He got the batter looking a couple pitches later.  The run came home on a ground ball to first.  Seabold recorded the third out with his second K.

Seabold had set up a pattern that he would follow through the first three innings – a lot of pitches, pitching from behind, and deep counts.

In the second, he fell behind the lead off batter 3-0, and later watched a 3-2 fastball clear the RF wall.  He ended the inning with his third and final K on a 93 mph FB.

Seabold started the third with a four-pitch walk.  He almost escaped that mistake with a fielder’s choice and a batter’s interference call.  But with 2 out and a runner on first, a stolen base, double, and single plated 2 runs.

At his point, Seabold seemed to settle into a better rhythm and retired the final 7 batters he faced.  Seabold threw 86 pitches, 52 for strikes (60.1%).  He ran five, 3-ball counts that resulted in 2 K, a HR, BB, and FC.  He threw 8 of 21 first pitch strikes.  (He threw 0-6 in the 2-run third.)  His 48 FB sat 91-93 mph.  He touched 94 mph twice. His 38 off-speed pitches ran the gamut from 87 to 78 mph.  He was probably running out of gas after the fourth, his FB topped out at 92 mph in the fifth.

Of his 52 strikes, 14 came swinging (26.9%).  All three Ks came on FB – looking at 94 and swinging at 92 and 93 mph.  Four of the five hits he allowed came off FB.

The offense was pretty lame through the early innings.  Jose Pujols got the team’s first hit on a gargantuan HR to dead center.  The Threshers got their lead off hitter on the next two innings on singles by Arquimedes Gamboa and Edgar Cabral.  But double plays erased both runners.  After Felix Paulino entered the game, the home team tied the game on walks by Pujols and Mickey Moniak and a 3-run HR by Adam Haseley deep into the RF berm.

Paulino continued into the seventh where he struck out the side but surrendered the lead on a one-out triple and a two-out wild pitch.  He registered 97 mph on his first pitch.  He must have two FB.  He sat 94-95 mph and 90-91mph.  He struck out four and walked one.

Aaron Brown pitched the final two innings.  He gave up 3 hits and a walk, but struck out a batter and kept the Jays off the board.  His FB sat 92-94 mph.

After Haseley’s HR, the Threshers managed just one base runner, a Jose Gomez walk.

The Jays stole 2 bases off Cabral/Seabold.

Gamboa made a heads up play on a ground ball with a runner on second.  The runner broke one of the cardinal rules of baseball when he tried to advance to third on a ball that passed in front of him.  Gamboa cut the ball off in the hole easily and froze the runner with a shoulder fake.  He walked the runner back to second and tossed to Raul Rivas who attempted to apply the tag.  The runner was ruled out when he left the base path.

Mickey Moniak made a running, sliding catch on a ball headed for the right center field gap.  He had been shading the batter toward left and covered a lot of ground to make the catch.  He moved with confidence toward the ball.  He reminded me of Carlos Tocci the way he ranged toward the ball.  A measured pace with no panic.

  • #1 Mickey Moniak: went 0-3 with a run scored and walk
  • #6 Adam Haseley: went 1-4 with a 3-run HR
  • #8 Adonis Medina
  • #17 Jose Gomez: went 0-2 with a walk
  • #23 McKenzie Mills
  • Arquimedes Gamboa: went 1-4 with 2 K
  • Darick Hall: went 0-4 with 2 K and 2 hard hit balls to the first baseman
  • Jose Gomez: went 0-2 with a walk
  • Conner Seabold: 5.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 1 HR

Lakewood lost their opener to Kannapolis, 3-2.  Ramon Rosso started and went 4.2 innings.  He gave up 2 runs (1 ER) on 3 hits and 3 BB.  he struck out four.  Zach Warren stranded an inherited runner and pitched 1.1 innings.  Luis Ramirez blew the save and took the loss.  he pitched 2.0 innings and gave up 2 runs (1 ER) on 3 hits and a walk.  He struck out two.

Jake Scheiner got the Claws first hit with a lead off double in the third.  After a Rodolfo Duran walk, Nick Maton moved both runners into scoring position with a single. Scheiner scored on Simon Muzziotti’s force out.  Two Ks ended the threat.

Maton homered in the fifth to give the Claws their first lead.

They took the lead in the sixth when Nieporte walked with two outs and scored on Malvin Matos’ triple.

Duran threw out an attempted base stealer.

Ortiz notched an assist.  DO NOT RUN ON HIS ARM.

Two throwing errors led to two unearned runs.

  • #14 Cole Stobbe: went 0-4
  • #18 Daniel Brito: went 0-3 with a sacrifice
  • #20 Jhailyn Ortiz: went 0-4 with 3 K
  • #21 Spencer Howard:
  • Simon Muzziotti: went 0-4 with an RBI and BB
  • Quincy Nieporte: went 0-2 with a run scored, BB, HBP
  • Malvin Matos: went 1-3 with a triple, RBI, and BB
  • Jake Scheiner: went 2-4 with a run scored and double
  • Nick Maton: went 2-4 with a run scored, RBI, HR

These prospects aren’t on any official rosters, yet.  Or they are with the big club. Prospect rankings are from MLB.

  • #2 Sixto Sanchez: expected to debut for Clearwater when healthy
  • #3 Scott Kingery: with Phillies
  • #4 J.P. Crawford: with Phillies
  • #5 Jorge Alfaro: with Phillies
  • #28 Victor Arano: with Phillies
  • #12 Kevin Gowdy: not expected to pitch this season
  • #19 Elniery Garcia: not on a roster
  • #25 Luis Garcia: not on a roster
  • #26 Abrahan Gutierrez: not on a roster
  • #27 Eliezer Alvarez: traded to Texas

 

35 thoughts on “Box Score Recap – 4/5/2018”

  2. Matos and Maton were the offense for LKW last night. Matos has had some really nice things said about him by some scouts. I’m not sure we’ve seen them on the field yet but this could be his welcome-to-the-party year. Maton is a guy I haven’t taken any time to notice. He’s a SS, who has only played there and looks like he’ll continue to only play there. He’s got on base skills (.352 OBP in Wmsprt last year). He’s listed at 165 lbs but I’ll bet he’s put on a little more muscle to his 6’2″ frame. He could pop a few HRs, even in the SAL. I’ll be watching him this year to see if the 7th round pick is going to stick around a while and maybe a long while.

    1. Maton is a nice looking player. I expect we’ll see all the middle infielders play both sides of the base to get them experience.

    2. Bellman Maton has a brother that pitches for San Diego Padres . He’s listed at 220 pls so there’s hope Maton might get bigger.

    2. Philly paper reported that Sixto is two weeks behind since he had the flu. No big deal since they plan on limiting his innings this season.

    3. Nothing is wrong, they’re just going slow with him since they’ll have an innings max with him anyway. This way Llovera will get a few starts before he goes back to the pen. Fanti is getting a similar treatment as we just have so many arms at Cwater.

  4. Nowhere in the minor league system you can find a report such as this put together by Jim. For that, I thank you. Today will be a better day for the farm.

  5. Keith Law was in Reading last night. It was very cold ! Hopefully, the weather was a factor in Ranger Saurez’s results.

    1. He gets to personally see his share of the local Eastern League, SALLY and Carolina league games, being living in the area. So his take on many of the AL/NL East prospects, playing in those leagues, are probably more accurate than most analysts. And of course KC’s Blue Rocks is almost right in his back yard.

      1. oh how I wish our org played the Blue Rocks. I live in Swedesboro – 25 min away.

        2. Justin D….do not get why Wilmington is not in the Northern SALLY but rather be in the Carolina league.

  6. Jim, I envy you for getting to watch that Clearwater team every day. Talk about a collection of talent.

  7. I was so excited to follow boxscores last night. And then the games started… oh well, it’s just one night. Ranger will bounce back. He’s definitely a bit of a feel pitcher and that cold was brutal last night. It’s hard for the hitters too though. The Haseley homer was the highlight of the night although Randolph starting the year with 2 hits was nice also. Maton looks like a very nice player to me although his ceiling might not be that high. The reading bullpen could be a real strength this year, good first night.

  8. Talk about a sleeper! Ramon Rosso put up some decent results last year and no one noticed, except the Phillies. Kudos to the Latin American scouting operation!

  10. It’s exciting that C is in Reading (I think he’s gonna have a huge year… .310 avg 20 2Bs 20 HRs) and Haseley and MM are both in Clearwater.

    1. how is the son of yours ?
      hopefully still chasing a dream that most on here had at one point, wish him well.

  11. Wasn’t to excited about Lehigh’s roster until I noticed the rotation: Eflin, Eshelman, de Los Santos, Anderson and Irvin make a compelling group, and hopefully two of them step up and contribute sooner than later. We’ll likely need them.

      1. Jim, nice observation on Moniak. Wouldn’t mind if he were Tocci with some pop.

        Jose Pujols had the kind of opener we want to see: home run, walk that played a part in a run scoring and no strike outs. If he can stop the strike outs, he could be special.

        1. Frank….Jose has the power bat….but you just cannot keep repeating each level to get up the ladder. He signed with Grullon in that ’13 international class….and Grullon could end up in LHV later this season….maybe Jose will show enough to get to Reading. He turns 23 right after the season…time not on his side now.

          1. Romus,

            Yes, Pujols is getting older, but there’s still a window, though I’m more hoping than hopeful.

            1. Sorry. Pujols is my Tocci of ’18. No interest or desire to hear him touted as another “well, maybe, if only…” candidate ALL season. We’ve way too many compelling, legitimate prospects to pump up.

            2. power is hard to find!!
              so pujols gets a little more slack than most would, but good athlete and deserves some time to see if he can come around

  12. If you want to talk about someone who put up literal video game number yet isn’t talked about much, look no further than Jhordany Mezquita.

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