Only two games last night as two were postponed.  Lehigh Valley lost while Clearwater won.  Clearwater had the benefit Taijuan Walker starting and Orion Kerkering dominating the ninth inning.

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Lehigh Valley (4-5) couldn’t hold onto a lead and lost to Durham, 10-6, after allowing a five-run eighth inning.  Early pitching was victimized by shoddy fielding as errors led to 4 of the first 5 runs scored by the Bulls.  Max Castillo lasted 5.0 innings and was touched for 4 runs (1 ER) on 6 hits and a walk.  He struck out eight.  Tyler McKay followed with 1.0 inning and gave up an unearned run on just one hit.  He walked none and struck out one.  Taylor Lehman pitched 1.0 inning and gave up 3 runs on 2 hits and 2 walks.  Andrew Bellatti pitched 1.0 inning and gave up 2 runs on 3 hits and a walk with one K.  David Parkinson pitched a perfect ninth with a K.

The IronPigs started the scoring with David Dahl’s leadoff HR in the second inning.  They fell behind the next inning and began their comeback with a run in the third on Weston Wilson’s one-out RBI single that plated Cal Stevenson who had led off with a double.  The ‘Pigs pulled ahead briefly in the fifth.  Esteban Quiroz and Cal Stevenson started the inning with singles.  With two outs, Darick Hall provided a one-run lead on a 3-run HR (1).  They retook the lead in the seventh on Quiroz‘ lead off HR (1).  But, a leadoff walk in the top of the eighth led to a run and an error and wild pitch led to the final run of the inning.  Lehigh Valley couldn’t respond.

Quiroz (.333) went 2-4 with 2 R, HR (1), RBI.  Stevenson went 2-3 with 2 R, 2B, BB.

#2 Mick Abel – DNP

#6 Orion Kerkering – struck out the side in a rehab ninth in Clearwater

#11 Griff McGarry – DNP

#19 Simon Muzziotti – went 0-4

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Reading (3-2) v.Portland, rain.  Makeup on April 13th.

#1 Andrew Painter – rehabbing from TJ surgery

#10 Gabriel Rincones – .188/.409/.625/1.034, 3-16 with 5 R, 2B, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 6 BB, 7 K, SB

#13 Carlos De La Cruz – .150/.227/.200/.427, 3-20 with a R, 2B, 2 RBI,2 BB, 5 K

#16 Christian McGowan – development list

#21 Caleb Ricketts – .222/.429/.222/.651, 2-9 with 2 R, RBI, 3 BB, 2 K

#26 Robert Moore – .429/.600/.429/1.029, 3-7 with a R, RBI, BB, K

#28 Jose Rodriguez – .364/.500/.727/1.227, 4-11 with 3 R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, 3 BB, 2 K, 2 SB

Carson Taylor – .375/.375/1.00/1.375, 6-16 with 3 R, 2B, 3 HR, 8 RBI, BB, 3 K

Jim Haley – .250/.333/.250/.583, 2-8 with a BB, 3 K

Kendall Simmons – .143/.200/.143/.343, 2-14 with 2 R, BB, 8 K, 2 SB

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Jersey Shore (3-2) v.Hickory, wet field.  Makeup on April 12th.

#4 Justin Crawford – .211/.375/.368/.743, 4 for 19 with 3 R, HR, RBI, 5 BB, 6 K, 4 SB

#8 Bryan Rincon – .118/.211/.176/.387, 2 for 17 with 2 R, 2B, RBI, 1 BB, 6 K, SB

#12 William Bergolla – .286/.313/.357/.670, 4 for 14 with 3 R, 2B, RBI, BB, K, 2 SB, CS

#14 Pan Wen-hui is on the IL

#17 Emaarion Boyd – .222/.250/.389/.639, 4 for 18, with a R, 2B, 3B, 3 RBI, 2 K, SB

#23 Hendry Mendez – .444/.583/.444/1.027, 4 for 9 with 3 BB, K

#24 Samuel Aldegheri –

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Clearwater (4-2) beat Fort Myers, 10-5.  Taijuan Walker made a rehab start and threw 47 pitches, 32 strikes in 4.0 innings.  He gave up 2 runs on 2 hits and a hit batter. He walked none and struck out four.  Jake Eddington followed with 3.0 innings.  He gave up 3 runs on 3 hits and 4 walks while striking out four.  Ethan Chenault got a hold pitching a clean eighth and striking out one.  Orion Kerkering came in to pitch the ninth.  He took up right where he left off when he last pitched in the Florida State League in 2023.  He struck out the side on 11 pitches.  He got ahead on two 97 mph fastballs then missed with a couple of sweepers before getting the batter on a called third strike on another 97 mph FB.  He followed that with a 3-pitch K on two sweepers and a 94.8 mph sinker.  He polished off the final out on 3 4-seasm fastballs – 98, 97.8, 98.1 mph.

Exciting back-and-forth in the middle innings until the Threshers finally pulled away.  Fort Myers scored first with 2 runs in the third off Taijuan Walker.  The Threshers tallied a run in the bottom of the inning.  Keaton Anthony reached on an infield single, took second on a one out single by Aidan Miller, and scored on a double by Otto Kemp.  Devin Saltiban walked to load the bases, but the rally fizzled.  The Threshers took the lead in the fifth on back-to-back solo HRs by Aidan Miller (1) and Otto Kemp (1) to open the frame.  After losing the lead in the top of the sixth, the Threshers tied the score in the bottom half when Avery Owusu-Asiedu who had singled scored on Keaton Antony’s RBI single.  Fort Myers took a one-run lead again in the seventh.  The Threshers came back with a four-spot.  Otto Kemp opened with a walk and Devin Saltiban singled him to second.  TJayy singled to left to load the bases.  Kehden Hettiger put the Threshers back in front with a 2-run single.  Avery Owusu-Asiedu grounded into a force out that plated Walton.  AOA stole second base.  Anthony came through with an RBI single to complete the scoring in the seventh.  They tacked on 2 more runs in the eighth.  Miller reached on a throwing error and advanced to second.  He stole third and scored on a throwing error.  Otto Kemp walked and stole second.  Devin Saltiban reached on a throwing and Kemp scored.

Keaton Anthony (.385) went 3-3 with a R, 2 RBI, BB, SB.  Otto Kemp (.350) went 3-3 with 3 R, 2B, HR (1), 2 RBI, 2 BB, SB.

#3 Aidan Miller – 2-5 with 2 R, HR (1), RBI, SB (5)

#7 Devin Saltiban – 1-4 with a R, BB

#15 Alex McFarlane – DNP

#18 TJayy Walton – 1-4 with a R, BB

#20 Raylin Heredia – 0-4 with an outfield assist

#22 Kehden Hettiger – 1-5 with 2 RBI

#29 George Klassen – DNP

#30 Nikau Pouaka-Grego – DNP

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Gameday Link for Lehigh Valley.

Gameday Link for Reading.

Gameday Link for Jersey Shore.

Gameday Link for Clearwater.

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Other Prospects:

#5 Starlyn Caba, Rookie Level

#9 Eduardo Tait, Rookie Level

#25 Alexis De La Cruz, Rookie Level

#27 Jalvin Arias, Rookie Level

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Transactions

4/11/2024 – Phillies sent RHP Orion Kerkering on a rehab assignment to Clearwater
4/11/2024 – Phillies sent RHP Taijuan Walker on a rehab assignment to Clearwater