The Phillies affiliates (APhilliates?) posted a 2-2 record last night, with plenty of offense: 25 runs scored in the games with the Single-A clubs (most of them scored against the good guys, unfortunately), and an extra-innings thriller for the IronPigs that saw them enter the ninth with one run and end the game with eight.
Lehigh Valley 8, Scranton-Wilkes Barre 5
Heading into the ninth, the visiting IronPigs were in a bind. Down by three (two homers allowed in the fourth, no runs allowed otherwise),
they had scored just a single run to that point (Otto Kemp, scoring on a Gabriel Rincones Jr. groundout). With two outs and two runners on, Felix Reyes stepped into the box, with only two possibilities open to him: be the hero, or be the goat. He chose the former. The ball that left his bat ended up in the left field seats (which appear to be lawn chairs, and I’ve gotta admit that watching live baseball from a lawn chair sounds pretty nice), and the IronPigs had their first lead of the game. Max Lazar was tasked with keeping it, and came close to doing so, getting two outs. But the next two batters doubled and singled, respectively, tying the game.
It did not take very long to get that lead back. Keaton Anthony was up first in extras, and took a pitch over the fence. By the time Reyes came to the plate, again with two outs, the visitors had a four run advantage; his subsequent pop out thus being no cause for distress.
Kirby Snead took to the mound in the bottom tenth, with three of the first four batters he faced singling. He righted the ship in a hurry, putting the next two batters down to end the game.
Reading 6, Portland 4
The Fightin Phils got off to a quick start, scoring three in the first inning on a Caleb Ricketts homer (his third in the past two days). Aroon Escobar, Erick Brito, and the aforementioned Ricketts had two hits apiece. Starter Braydon Tucker had six strong innings, allowing four hits and just a single run, with 6 Ks.
Hudson Valley 11, Jersey Shore 3
BlueClaw starter Mavis Graves walked the second batter of the game, then surrendered a homer to the fourth. He then put two more runners on via single and hit-by-pitch. Despite the early struggles, he should’ve been out of the inning with two runs allowed, as he induced a catchable fly ball to right. But Devin Saltiban bobbled it, and four more runs would score before the first was finished. Those runs came in all sorts of ways: on the aforementioned error, another homer, and a wild pitch. Luke Davis had a pair of hits, but the other BlueClaws struggled at the plate; Pedro León and Carter Mathison each ended up one K short of being fitted for a golden sombrero.
Lakeland 10, Clearwater 1
The Threshers’ bats were quiet on Wednesday, scattering a mere quartet of hits across nine. The lone Clearwater run came on a solo shot from Griffin Burkholder. Starter Cody Bowker allowed four hits and four runs (along with four strikeouts, a very symmetrical line). Reliever Brian Walters allowed six hits and five runs. Relievers Jacob Pruitt and Tegan Cain were steady, but the lack of offense meant the Threshers were out of this one early.
