Phillies Minor League Report: All of the Phillies' minor league affiliates finish in last place
Here's how the Phillies' minor league teams fared on Monday, Sept. 1:
Lehigh Valley IronPigs – Triple A
The IronPigs ended the 2014 season on a low note, losing their final two games to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders Monday by scores of 2-1 and 4-1 at PNC Field in Moosic, Pa.
The first loss was the completion of Sunday's game that was suspended due to rain.
After right fielder Tyler Henson hit a game-tying solo home run during the eighth, pitcher Hector Neris gave up a walk-off double to RailRiders second baseman Robert Refsnyder to give them the victory.
Neris was dealt the loss, which dropped his record to 4-3 on the season. Starter Sean O'Sullivan ended the season with a strong outing, as he allowed only one run on five hits during seven innings. He also recorded six strikeouts.
Offensively, the IronPigs mustered only five hits, two of which came from left fielder Cam Perkins.
Henson provided the only offense for the IronPigs during the regularly scheduled game as well, providing an RBI hit during the fifth inning. He tallied 45 RBI in 2014.
Four of the IronPigs' seven hits came from second baseman Nate Spears and shortstop Cesar Hernandez, who both went 2-for-3. Hernandez will be one of the minor-leaguers called up to the Phillies during September.
Phillies pitcher Mike Adams tossed only one inning where he allowed only one hit. Greg Smith was handed the loss after he gave up four runs on nine hits during 4.1 innings. He finished 2014 with a record of 9-11.
The IronPigs finished the 2014 season in last place in the International League North with a record of 66-78.
Reading Fightin Phils – Double-A
The Fightin Phils couldn't have asked for a better ending to a rough 2014 season.
By virtue of their 7-3 win Monday, the Fightin Phils polished off a four-game sweep of the Trenton Thunder and ended 2014 on a season-long seven-game winning streak.
Left fielder Peter Lavin ended the season with a bang, as he went 3-for-4 with two RBI. The Fightin Phils recorded nine hits against the Thunder.
What was an even bigger help was four errors from the Thunder defense, which allowed the Fightin Phils to plate four unearned runs.
Starting pitcher Adam Loewen coughed up nine of the Thunder's 11 hits, but still walked away with a victory after allowing three runs and four walks during five innings of work. He finished the season with a record of 4-5.
Colton Murray earned his sixth save with Reading after tossing 1.2 scoreless.
Despite ending the season on a seven-game winning streak, it wasn't quite enough for the Fightin Phils to climb out of last place in the Eastern League's Eastern Division. They finished the season with a 66-76 record.
Lakewood BlueClaws – Class A
Three runs during the ninth inning helped the BlueClaws rally past the Hagerstown Suns by a score of 9-8 in the season finale at Municipal Stadium in Hagerstown, Md.
The BlueClaws entered the frame trailing the Suns, 8-6. The deficit instantly dwindled when left fielder Larry Greene hit a leadoff solo homer to center field.
A single from shortstop Malquin Canelo and a walk for third baseman Mitch Walding put runners on first and second. That gave way for right fielder Dylan Cozens to step to the plate and hit a three-run homer to give the BlueClaws their first lead since the second inning.
After Greene and Cozens' heroics, Jesen Dygestile-Therrien took the mound and retired the Suns in order to end the season on a high note.
Offense was the order of the afternoon as both teams combined for 27 hits. Greene led the BlueClaws by going 3-for-4. The homer was his ninth of the season.
Cozens, Canelo and designated hitter Zach Green weren't far behind, as they all went 2-for-5. Green finished with three RBI.
Center fielder Aaron Brown only recorded one of Lakewood's 14 hits, but it was his first homer with the squad.
Jon Prosinski had a rough outing, surrendering five runs on eight hits in only five innings on the mound.
Joey Denato gained the victory after tossing two innings where he allowed one run on two hits. Therrien earned his second save of the season.
The 2014 season wasn't very kind to the BlueClaws either, as they finished with the worst record in the South Atlantic League at 53-84.
Williamsport Crosscutters – Class A-Short Season
For the fourth time in five meetings, the Crosscutters were shutout by the State College Spikes, this time by a score of 6-0 at Susquehanna Bank Park at Bowman Field.
The Crosscutters only mustered five hits during the season finale, four of which came from left fielder Wilmer Oberto and catcher Sean McHugh.
Things weren't much better for starting pitcher Feliberto Sanchez, as he was battered by the Spikes to the tune of five runs (four earned) on 10 hits during five innings.
The Crosscutters' loss Monday meant that every one of the Phillies' minor league teams finished the 2014 season in last place.
The Crosscutters were at the bottom of the New York-Penn League's McNamara Division with a record of 33-43.