Maikel Franco is having a good July. He’s OPSing 1.286 in six games, with six XBH and five multi-hit games. He was 2-4 with a triple on Tuesday, and Grady Sizemore also had two hits for Lehigh Valley, as Jason Marquis went five scoreless, striking out six, while allowing three walks and three hits. Aaron Altherr had three hits, as did Jake Fox. Ryan O’Sullivan is working out of the Reading rotation right now – he allowed two runs on five hits, walked none, struck out none, but did induce nine ground ball outs. That’s his game. Doubt it plays in the rotation long-term. MAG blew the save there, though there’s no way he was coming in to get a save in the fifth inning. Dumb stat. All we need to know is he struck out three and allowed a home run in two innings of work, and reports on Twitter had his fastball sitting in the mid 90s again.

Be sure to check out Jim’s report from the CLR game. Zach Green and Andy Knapp had two hits a piece for Lakewood. Willamsport’s Derek Campbell was a triple or a home run short of getting a thing named after him – he went 3-5 with two doubles and a homer. About 80 PAs into the year, and he’s OPSing over 1.000. Feliberto Sanchez threw five no-hit innings, striking out three and walking two to take the W for the Cutters. Luis Encarnacion had two hits including a triple for the GCL, while Austin Davis got roughed up in his two innings. Jose Taveras with his second monster start in a row, struck out 11 in eight innings for the DSL. And Ranger Suarez had a big game himself for the VSL – he struck out seven in six innings. The 18-year-old has 56ks and 1BB in 53.2 IP on the year. That’s a 56:1 K:BB ratio, in case you don’t want to have to do the math yourself. Those are video game/Severino-Gonzalez-in-the-VSL-type numbers. H/T to Jay Floyd ( @phoulballz )for pointing that insane ratio out on Twitter last week.

Continue reading Box Score Recap – 7/8/2014 →

Aaron Nola allowed just one hit and struck out five in five scoreless innings relieving Cliff Lee from last night’s rainout. Maikel Franco was 2-3 for Lehigh Valley, and Roman Quinn was 2-3 with a triple in the second game of the CLR double header. Quinn was hit by a pitch in both games, though one was yesterday before the rain.

Larry Greene and Dylan Cozens had three hits a piece, but the Claws earned a pair of Golden Sombreroes – Andrew Pullin and Samuel Hiciano both struck out four times. Not sure I recall a time when two of or guys managed that in the same game. Matt Imhof pitched really well for WIL – surrendering two hits and a walk with five Ks in four scoreless innings. Derek Campbell and Rhys Hoskins each put up four hits in that one.

Continue reading Box Score Recap – 7/7/2014 →

Another good line from Severino Gonzalez, though he allowed another longball – his HR/9 rate is something like 1.25. That’s quite bad. And before we “Hey, doesn’t he pitch in a bandbox” this one, I’ll note that his rate on the road is almost twice as bad as it is at home. Nefi Ogando has been horrendous lately, but he threw 9/12 pitches for strikes and struck out two men in a clean inning of work. Speaking of…Phillippe Aumont threw 12 of his 13 pitches for strikes en route to an identical result to Ogando. Aumont had a stellar June, walking just two men and striking out 13 in 9.2 IP. His July was of to an inauspicious start, as he walked four men in his first two appearances. Hopefully Sunday’s turn is a precursor to more success.

J.P. Crawford hit his third A+ home run, (matching his A- total in far fewer PAs), and Cliff Lee worked two scoreless innings before the skies opened up over Brevard County. Zach Green had three hits and Yacksel Rios pitched well again as a starter, going seven strong innings for Lakewood. Frank Rivas is having a fine year out of the WIL bullpen in his stateside debut. The soon-to-be-22-year old has 13K to just five walks in 13.1 IP. Jia Tromp hit his sixth home run of the year, second in the league to State College’s Rowan Wick’s 11. Wick’s been in a bit of a slump lately, though, he’s only OPSing 1.182 over his last 10 games. Weak.

Continue reading Box Score Recap – 7/6/2014 →

Lehigh Valley outlasted Rochester. Maikel Franco had three hits including a double and a home run, (albeit in 8 ABs over 16 innings). Russ Canzler hit two homers. Cam Perkins 1-7 – he’s really scuffling. Kelly Dugan 2-4 for Reading, and MAG allowed one hit and walked one while striking out four over 2 scoreless innings. Carlos Tocci and Mitch Walding both had two doubles, while Dylan Cozens had two steals for Lakewood. Cozens has 15 on the year. Not bad for a monstrously large human being.

Aaron Brown and Emmanuel Marrero with multi-hit games in support of a good start for Alejandro Arteaga in Williamsport. The GCL squad walked seven times versus Yankees pitching, though they managed just four hits. Denton Keys worked four scoreless innings after Jeff Manship worked the first as the opening test of his rehab assignment.

Continue reading Box Score Recap – 7/5/2014 →

Maikel Franco was 2-5 with a double and a triple after a 4-4 on Thursday. He’s absolutely mashing in July. It’s just those two games, but still. Reading I don’t really want to talk about. Ok, same with Clearwater. Way to honor your nation’s birthday, dudes. Except the Latin guys. They get a pass.

Williamsport’s Mitch Gueller tossed a seven inning complete game shutout. Mitch Rupert mentioned he was sitting at 89 with his FB, but says he’s looking pretty comfortable with his slider. Encouraging. Jia Tromp hit his fifth homer of the year in game two of the double header. It’s the first time he’s hit just one home run in a game, and I guess one’s nice, but it does seem like kind of a letdown. Two’s better. He should try that again next time.

Big lefty Austin Davis earned his first pro save for the GCL, and Hugo Arrocha was 2-5 with two doubles in the DSL. Edwin Rodriguez also collected two hits in that game. Luis Mendoza had two hits, giving him multi-hit games in three of his last for in the VZL.

Continue reading Box Score Recap – 7/4/2014 →