Phillies minor-league report

Righthander Ben Lively, who was 7-0 with a 1.87 ERA at Reading, was promoted to Lehigh Valley after righthander Mark Appel (right shoulder strain) was placed on the disabled list Friday. Lively started Friday for the IronPigs and allowed two runs on five hits in seven innings to visiting Louisville. The 24-year-old Lively had a 0.94 WHIP at Reading. . . . Catcher Andrew Knapp hit .360 last year in 214 at-bats in Reading, and offense is his strength. He entered the weekend tied for the Lehigh Valley lead with six home runs and a team-high 21 RBIs. Where he is looking to improve is behind the plate. The key for Knapp, who has thrown out 17 percent of attempted base stealers, is working with his staff. "I have really been hammering game management, being able to handle the pitching staff, and go out there and catch every day," Knapp said. . . . Shortstop and top prospect J.P. Crawford, who had a .398 on-base percentage in 36 games at Reading, had a .417 on-base percentage in his first week with the Iron Pigs. . . . First baseman-outfielder Darin Ruf had four home runs in his first 10 games after being sent down by the Phillies. . . . Righthander Zach Eflin (5-0, 2.05 ERA) has a minuscule 0.80 WHIP. . . . Outfielder Cameron Perkins is batting just .222 in May, but he has been coming out of his slump. In his last 12 games he hit .297 with two home runs.

Rightfielder Dylan Cozens entered the weekend leading the Eastern League with 13 home runs and was second in RBIs (39), runs (35), and on-base-plus-slugging percentage (.934). His career high for home runs is 16 in 2014 at Lakewood. The 6-foot-6, 235-pound Cozens was a second-round pick in 2012. He turns 22 on Tuesday. . . . Catcher Jorge Alfaro said there are no lingering effects from an abdominal injury that sidelined him for nearly three weeks before his return May 7. Alfaro entered the weekend batting .349 in 106 at-bats. . . . Centerfielder Roman Quinn is among the fastest players in the Phillies system, but he still swings for the fences too much. The 5-foot-10, 170-pounder has 42 strikeouts, which is 22.8 percent of his plate appearances. "There are a lot of good things he is doing, but if he is going to be a leadoff hitter, he has to cut down his strikeout numbers," said Joe Jordan, the Phillies' director of player development. . . . First baseman Rhys Hoskins had hit in seven of his last eight games entering the weekend and was batting .333 with three home runs, nine RBIs, and a 1.050 OPS in that span.

The Threshers continue to get impressive pitching. Elniery Garcia, a 21-year-old lefthander, pitched six shutout innings in a 1-0 win over Brevard County on Thursday. He has allowed two or fewer earned runs in seven of his eight appearances. . . . Righthander Tom Eshelman, who was acquired from Houston in the Ken Giles trade, is 2-2 with a 3.77 ERA in eight starts and has struck out 47 and walked 11 in 451/3 innings. Eshelman will turn 22 next month. . . . Righthander Tyler Viza is 5-2 and has the best ERA among starters, 2.87. A 32nd-round draft choice in 2013, Viza, 21, is coming off a rare poor outing, allowing 10 hits and five earned runs in two innings during a 9-6 loss May 21 to the Palm Beach Cardinals. "Viza has been their most consistent starter, but their whole staff has been impressive," Jordan said. . . . Third baseman Mitch Walding, in his second year at Clearwater, is showing more power. A fifth-round pick in 2005, Walding, 23, had four home runs in 403 at-bats last year and already has seven in 148 this season.

Rightfielder Jose Pujols, who had never hit more than five home runs, already has nine this season, which was leading the South Atlantic League entering the weekend. The 20-year-old Pujols, who is listed at 6-foot-2 and 165 pounds, should continue to see the power numbers increase as he gets stronger. Pujols was signed by the Phillies as an amateur free agent in July 2012. "I think one thing that has helped me is that I am using the whole field," he said. Becoming more selective will be a key. He had struck out 64 times in his first 178 at-bats. . . . Righthander Luke Leftwich has gotten off to a good start in the Phillies system. A seventh-round 2015 pick from Wofford College, Leftwich had a 2.76 ERA at short-season Williamsport last year. This season he is 4-2 with a 2.88 ERA for the BlueClaws. "His fastball is usually 90-94 [mph], but it plays faster because of his deceptive delivery," manager Shawn Williams said. . . . Righthander Edgar Garcia, who began the season in extended spring training, has enjoyed a quick start coming out of the bullpen. In his first five games, Garcia, 19, had a 1.04 ERA with nine strikeouts in 82/3 innings.