The affiliates won three of five games played last night including Clearwater’s first win of the season. Lehigh Valley split a doubleheader. And, Reading won in a blow-out.
I was at the Complex again this morning. Watched some running drills and BP before an afternoon scrimmage. I tweeted out the following, exciting news.
It was difficult following balls in the air to RF (he was batting on Roberts Field for those familiar with the layout) but it appeared, by the shaggers actions, that one of the balls cleared the RF fence.
Later, in a scrimmage …
Yemal Flores is a young outfielder making his first XST appearance stateside. He is 18-years-old and doesn’t turn 19 until November. He’s right-handed and was reported to have power when signed in 2021. This ball easily cleared the CF fence just to the left of the batter’s eye. A prodigious shot by anyone let alone a teenager.
Scott Kingery is still recovering from shoulder surgery during the offseason (or was it maybe last summer?). It wasn’t until this afternoon when he lobbed a ball underhand from the on deck circle that I realized that he wasn’t making throws earlier this week when he and Brito were taking ground balls at second. There wasn’t a first baseman and they were both rolling balls to a bucket. The Phillies are showing a lot of care as they rehab his shoulder. He DH-ed today. He was taking hard swings while on deck. That led me to wonder doesn’t that action put any stress on his shoulder. Physically, he reminds me more of Clearwater Kingery than post-Clearwater Kingery.
Five pitchers got work. Jordy Martinez looked strong in his two innings logging 3 Ks. Jonas De La Cruz and Austin Ross threw two innings each. Carlos Bettencourt went three innings and got stronger each inning. He struck out four. Jose Pena was a pleasant surprise. He throws hard and gets some explosive movement at the plate. He walked his first batter but he was erased on a nifty DP started by second baseman Nikau Pouaka-Grego. He got a strikeout and some soft contact fly balls to LF in his second inning. Leandro Pineda made a nice catch on a sinking line drive in RF.
We spend a lot of time at the Complex. We see a lot of players. It becomes increasingly difficult to remember the names that go with the faces. So, this year we have a pair of doppelgangers.
To our tired, old eyes, these guys bear a remarkable likeness. On the left, is Chris Burke. On the right, Scott Kingery. Or is it the other way around? No, that’s right. The irony is that Kingery does have an identical twin.
Clearwater (1-6) beat St. Lucie, 6-5. link
The Threshers picked up their first victory of the season. Rafael Marcano started and tossed four innings allowing 3 runs on 6 hits.. Victor Lopez allowed the lead to be pared down to one allowing 2 runs on 2 hits and a walk. Alex Garbrick struck out 3 in two scoreless innings. Tommy McCollum picked up his first save with a scoreless inning.
The Threshers pulled ahead briefly with 2 runs in the second inning on a wild pitch and a Marcus Lee Sang RBI single. They pulled ahead with 4 runs in the fifth on Lee Hao Yu’s RBI double and Kendall Simmons’ 3-run HR. After allowing the Mets to creep back within one run, the bullpen tossed four scoreless innings.
Odubel Herrera had 2 hits including a double. Felix Reyes had 2 hits in 4 ABs. Yhoswar Garcia stole his third base. Arturo De Freitas picked a runner off first. Rixon Wingrove went 0-4 with 4 Ks. And, the team struck out 13 times.
Lehigh Valley (4-6) split a doubleheader with Worcester, winning 7-3 and losing 7-5. link
Game One: Ricardo Sanchez started and gave up 2 runs on 5 hits in 2.1 innings. Jake Newberry gave up 2 runs in 1.2 innings. Tyler Cyr, Kyle Dohy, and Nick Duron combined to throw three scoreless innings while the IronPigs rallied to win.
The IronPigs began their comeback with 2 runs in the fifth on Dalton Guthrie’s 2-run single. They took the lead with 2 runs in the sixth on Nick Maton’s 2-run HR. And continued to tack on with 3 runs in the seventh on Ronald Torreyes’ RBI double, Guthrie’s RBI double, and a wild pitch.
Guthrie (.364) went 2-4 with a double and 3 RBI. Roman Quinn (.200) went 1-3 and was caught stealing.
Game Two: Hans Crouse couldn’t get out of the first and gave up 4 runs on 2 hits and 2 walks in 0.2 innings. Joe Gatto came in and allowed 3 inherited runners to score. Then gave up 3 runs on 4 hits and a walk in 1.1 innings. Jonathan Hennigan stranded 2 inherited runners and held the Red Sox to one hit in three innings while striking out four. Dillon Maples walked one and struck out two in one inning.
The IronPigs scored a run in the second on Yairo Munoz’ RBI single, 2 runs in the fifth on Guthrie’s RBI single and Donny Sands’ SF, and 2 runs in the seventh on Sands’ 2-run double.
Guthrie (.378) went 2-4 with an RBI and SB. Sands went 1-3 with a double and 3 RBI.
Reading (3-4) beat Akron, 12-3. link
Adam Leverett pitched five innings and allowed 2 runs on 3 hits and a walk. He struck out six. Matt Seelinger gave up an unearned run in two innings. Nate Lackney pitched two scoreless innings.
The Phils pushed across a tying run in the second on Vito Friscia’s SF. They blew the game open with 11 runs in the middle innings. They scored 5 runs in the fifth on Kevin Vicuna’s RBI triple, Hunter Markwardt’s go-ahead RBI single, Madison Stokes’ RBI double, and Jhailyn Ortiz, 2-run HR. They added 6 runs in the sixth on Vicuna’s bases-loaded walk, Logan O’Hoppe’s 2-run double, and Ortiz’ 3-run HR.
Ortiz (.241) went 2-5 with 2 HR (3) and 5 RBI. Jonathan Guzman (.250) went 2-4 with a triple. Wendell Rijo stole 2 bases in 2 attempts.
Jersey Shore (1-5) lost to Brooklyn, 4-1. link
Griff McGarry pitched one inning and struck out 2 batters. He threw 15 pitches, 10 strikes. Matt Russell went four innings and gave up 2 runs on 4 hits. Ethan Lindow pitched two scoreless innings and struck out three. Andrew Baker gave up 2 unearned runs in one inning, striking out two.
The BlueClaws took a brief lead with a run in the fourth inning on Nick Matera’s RBI single. Baron Radcliff (.250) went 2-3 with a stolen base. Johan Rojas (.280) went 1-4 with his 8th stolen base.
Rosters and Stuff
Not up to date, yet.
Transactions
4/15/2022 – Phillies sent LHP Jeff Singer outright to Lehigh Valley
4/15/2022 – Reading activated LHP Nick Lackney
4/15/2022 – Jersey Shore activated RHP Jonathan Hughes
4/14/2022 – Phillies signed IFA C Angel Mata to an MiLB contract
Phuture Phillies 
Maybe the affiliates and their players are getting heated up now.
Ortiz one HR behind the EL leaders….and what has got into Dalton Guthrie!….7th in IL among BA leaders.
Hope McGarry is not injured coming out after 15 pitches in the first inning.
No, Romus, it was planned. He was injured earlier this spring. He’ll ramp up in games rather than at the Complex.
I was wondering the same so it’s good to hear that explanation. McGarry is one of the more intriguing prospects in the system right now.
Thanks Jim for that info.
Kingery is a wild card. If he can somehow find his way back, it would be a huge deal. He looks much smaller (and I bet quicker) in the picture. That’s how I remember he looked in the minors when he was successful. Fingers crossed!
I know hope springs eternal but Kingery is a 28 year old with next to no track record of ML success. I’d rather not go through year 5 of “I hope Kingery puts it together”.
Then don’t. The team certainly isn’t counting on him – why should you or anyone else for that matter?
I’m definitely not; I mostly wrote him off after his rookie year so I was really talking about the fanbase at large. Murray seems to be thinking there might still be a chance that he turns into something and I’m not sure if he’s the last one or if there might be others.