Skip to content
Phillies
Link copied to clipboard

Phillies Minor League Report: Tommy Joseph homers for Lehigh Valley

Lehigh Valley IronPigs first baseman Tommy Joseph.
Lehigh Valley IronPigs first baseman Tommy Joseph.Read more(Photo courtesy Lehigh Valley IronPigs)

Here's how the Phillies' minor-league teams fared on Wednesday, Sept. 2:

Lehigh Valley IronPigs (62-77) – Triple A

Despite a game-tying three-run homer from Tommy Joseph in the top of the eighth inning, the IronPigs fell to the Pawtucket Red Sox, 6-5, at McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket, R.I.

The IronPigs went into the eighth trailing the Red Sox by 5-2, but that all changed when Joseph hit his second homer of the season, tying the game.

The tie was short-lived, however, as Dustin McGowan walked the bases loaded in the bottom of the frame. He then walked another batter, which brought home what turned out to be the winning run.

McGowan (2-2, 4.19 ERA) suffered the loss after walking three in only one inning. Starter Severino Gonzalez allowed four runs on eight hits in five innings.

Tyler Pastornicky, Brian Bogusevic, Russ Canzler and Logan Moore each recorded two hits, as they led the IronPigs to 12 overall.

After dropping two in a row to Pawtucket, the IronPigs will finish the season at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, starting with a three-game series against the Syracuse Chiefs that begins at 7:05 p.m. Thursday.

David Buchanan (4-2, 3.14) is scheduled to start for Lehigh Valley.

Reading Fightin Phils (78-57) – Double-A

For the second night in a row, the Fightin Phils failed to secure a division title, this time after suffering a 16-4 beating at the hands of the Binghamton Mets at FirstEnergy Stadium in Reading.

With the win, the Mets (75-61) clinched a spot in the Eastern League playoffs, but still trail the Fightin Phils by three games in the Eastern Division with five games remaining for both teams. The Fightin Phils can clinch the division with a win over Binghamton on Thursday.

The Reading pitching staff was victimized by the Mets on Wednesday, as they bashed their way to 21 hits. Nine of those came against starter Joely Rodriguez (5-4, 6.27 ERA), who allowed eight runs in only 2 1/3 innings.

Things didn't go much better for reliever Hoby Milner, as he gave up five runs on seven hits in 2 2/3 innings. The Mets went 11-for-25 with runners in scoring position.

Meanwhile, the Fightin Phils never found a rhythm at the plate, as they compiled a mere four hits. Two came from Brian Pointer.

Ethan Martin (3-0, 3.40 ERA) is slated to start for Reading at 6:35 p.m. Thursday with the hopes of helping the Fightin Phils finally lock up the division.

Clearwater Threshers (76-57) – Class A Advanced

The Threshers received a day off Wednesday.

They will take on the Dunedin Blue Jays at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium in Dunedin, Fla. at 6:30 p.m. Thursday. Ricardo Pinto (8-2, 2.45 ERA) will start for Clearwater.

Lakewood BlueClaws (70-63) – Class A

The BlueClaws' five-game winning streak was snapped with a 10-6 loss to the Greensboro Grasshoppers at NewBridge Bank Park in Greensboro, N.C. The BlueClaws dropped their final road game of 2015 by allowing a season high in runs.

Starter Shane Watson gave up five runs (three earned) on five hits in five innings. Reliever Calvin Rayburn (5-3, 4.44 ERA) allowed three runs on four hits in a pair of frames. Finally, Victor Delgado gave up two runs on two hits in only one inning.

Kyle Martin led the BlueClaws by going 2-for-4 with a homer and two RBI. Deivi Grullon also went 2-for-4, and he drove in a run. Cord Sandberg hit his fifth homer of the season, in the ninth, for his only hit.

The BlueClaws will complete the 2015 season with a five-game series against the Delmarva Shorebirds beginning at 7:05 p.m. Thursday at FirstEnergy Park in Lakewood, N.J. Will Morris (6-0, 1.41 ERA) is scheduled to start.

Williamsport Crosscutters (44-27) – Class A-Short Season

A walk-off single from the West Virginia Black Bears' Casey Hughston off Kenny Koplove sent the Crosscutters to their second straight loss, 6-5, in 11 innings at Monongalia County Ballpark in Granville, W.Va.

While the loss doesn't do much to hurt the Crosscutters, the win helped the Black Bears (38-33) take sole possession of second place in the New York-Penn League wild-card standings. They trail the Tri-City ValleyCats (39-31) by a half-game.

The Crosscutters managed to take the game into extras despite trailing by 5-0 after two innings. The Crosscutters chipped away the deficit with two runs in the third and three more in the seventh, including a solo home run from Carlos Duran that tied the game.

Koplove (2-3, 4.41 ERA) suffered the loss after giving up the winning run in the 11th. Starter Franklyn Kilome had a shaky outing, allowing five runs on four hits in only two innings.

Venn Biter led Williamsport at the plate by going 3-for-5 with a double and a triple. William Cuicas wasn't far behind, finishing 2-for-4.

The Crosscutters will look to bounce back against the Black Bears at 7:05 p.m. Thursday. Alejandro Arteaga (4-2, 3.07 ERA) is slated to start for Williamsport.