Larry Shenk’s Phillies Minor League Report is a regular feature at Phillies Nation
Phillies Nation is honored to have Larry Shenk among the ranks of our regular contributors.
“The Baron” is the former Philadelphia Phillies head of community relations, a role in which he served the organization for more than four decades. Larry is also a 2018 inductee to the Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame.
In addition to the Phillies alumni and history work which Larry shares with readers here at Phillies Nation, his “Minor League Report” pieces now also run with us all during the season as well.
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Players of the Week (May 27-June 2)
Player — OF Josh Stephen, Reading… The 21-year-old posted a .375/.474/.812 slash line, going 6-for-16 with a double, two home runs, three RBI, three runs scored, three walks and two stolen bases in six games. Over his last 14 games (since 5/15), he is batting .361 (13–36) with a double, four home runs, seven RBI and a 1.132 OPS. The California native was selected by the Phillies in the 11th round of the June 2016 draft.
Pitcher — LHP Damon Jones, Clearwater… Jones, 24, recorded a professional-best 11 strikeouts over 7.0 scoreless innings on June 1 vs Dunedin. He allowed two hits, no walks and entered the sixth inning of that start with a perfect game. Jones logged consecutive double-digit strikeout performances with his most recent outing. The lefty leads the Florida State League with 80 strikeouts this season and is averaging 13.67 SO/9.0 IP. Jones was selected by the Phillies in the 18th round of the June 2017 draft.
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Lehigh Valley, International League North Division
**IronPigs (28–26) lost, 4–1, at Pawtucket when the Red Sox scored three runs in the eighth inning; fourth loss in last 5 games . . . Trail first-place Scranton/Wilkes-Barre by 3.5 games . . . Quick two-game set ends with 11:05 game this morning, Ranger Suarez (2–2). Two teams then meet for another pair in LV starting Wednesday night.
Pitching: ND for starter, Tyler Viza, 7–3–1–1–1–7, balk, hit batter, HR (second hitter in first inning) . . . LP: Kyle Dohy (1–2), 1–2–3–3–1–2; retired first two batters in the eighth before a walk, stolen base and RBI double. Strikeout-wild pitch kept the inning going and Pawtucket added two more runs.
Hitting: Out-hit Pawtucket, 8–5, but left 10 runners on base . . . C Rob Brantly’s infield grounder produced LV’s lone run in the second inning . . . CF Adam Haseley, 2–5; hitting .320 in six AAA games . . . RF Ali Castillo, 2–4.
Transactions
OF Shane Robinson, placed on IL (left hip strain) . . . INF Jose Antequera, assigned from Reading.
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Reading, Eastern League Eastern Division
**Fightin Phils (31–22) dropped 4–2 decision to the Richmond Flying Squirrels before a crowd of 7,670 in the 18th annual Morning Game (9:45 a.m. first pitch), a tradition unlike any other in the minors . . . Reading is one of three teams 1.5 games behind first-place Trenton . . . Fightins left after the game for Akron, OH, and a three-game series against the RubberDucks that starts at 7:05 tonight, Bailey Falter (4–3).
Pitching: LP: David Parkinson (5–3), 5.1–5–4–3–4–3, HR, wild pitch; third start against Richmond; won the other two, three earned runs in 11.2 innings . . . Jonathan Hennigan, 1.2–2–1–1–3–2, wild pitch . . . Aaron Brown, 2–1–0–0–1–3
Hitting: Fightins had six hits . . . RF Grenny Cumana, 3–4, run, double . . . 2B Jose Gomez, 2–4, run . . . CF Mickey Moniak, 1–4, double (13), RBI.
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Clearwater, Florida State League North Division
**Threshers (30–27) improved to 5–0 vs. Jupiter with a 5–4 win over the visiting Hammerheads on the strength of a three-run fifth inning . . . Game two of four-game series, 7 tonight, Andrew Brown (2–3).
Pitching: WP: Alejandro Requena (4–3), 5.1–7–3–2–3–5–1, HR, wild pitch, hit batter . . . SV: Keylan Killgore (5), 1.2–1–0–0–1–5; K is the symbol for strikeout. Well, he fanned the last five batters.
Hitting: CF Simon Muzziotti returned from the IL, 2–4, run, double, stolen base (8); boosting average to .311 . . . 1B Matt Kroon, 2–4, RBI; hitting .333 in nine games since promotion from Lakewood . . . 2B Dan Brito, HR (2).
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Lakewood, South Atlantic League North Division
**BlueClaws (19–37) had another walk-off win, this one, 3–2, over the visiting Hagerstown Suns in 10 innings. Fourth walk-off W in last six wins dating back to May 16 . . . The Suns had more hits (9–4) and drew six walks but stranded 11 runners . . . Two teams meet again at 7:05 tonight.
Pitching: Four pitchers combined for 12 strikeouts . . . ND for starter, Kevin Gowdy, 5–4–1–1–1–2, 2 wild pitches . . . James McArthur, 2.1–3–1–1–2–4 . . . Oscar Marcellino (BS, 1), 1.2–2–0–0–2–4, wild pitch . . . WP: Ismael Cabrera (2–0), 1–0–0–0–1–2, wild pitch.
Hitting: 3B Cole Stobbe’s RBI single drove in CF Carlos De La Cruz with the winning run . . . LF Ben Pelletier, 1–4, HR (6), RBI . . . SS Jonathan Guzman, 2–4, run . . . Claws almost won the game in B9 when they had a runner on third with one out but Pelletier and De La Cruz fanned.
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Elsewhere
**New York-Penn League (Williamsport Crosscutters) season opens June 14.
**Gulf Coast League season opens June 24 at Carpenter Complex. Phillies again will field two teams, East and West.
(Transactions, courtesy phuturephillies.com)
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LARRY SHENK IS AUTHOR/EDITOR OF THE PHILLIES.COM ALUMNI SECTION AND PROVIDES REGULAR MINOR LEAGUE REPORT PIECES FROM HIS PHILLIES INSIDER BLOG. PHILLIES INSIDER PIECES RE-PRINTED AT PHILLIES NATION BY PERMISSION OF LARRY SHENK. PHILLIES ALUMNI PIECES WITH HIS PERMISSION ALONG WITH APPROVAL FROM MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL AND THE PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES.
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