Today in the Minors: Reading Routs, 'Crabs and Threshers Play Extras
By: Bryan Sheehan
The name of the game tonight was pitching. With baby ace Julio Rodriguez (15-7, 3.14 ERA) and top R-Phillie Austin Hyatt (11-6, 4.12 ERA) getting the starts for Clearwater and Reading respectively, great outings were expected from the beginning. Both delivered, as Rodriguez went seven scoreless innings allowing six hits and striking out nine and Hyatt went six innings allowing an unearned run on two hits while striking out six.
The R-Phils gave Hyatt more run support than he could have dreamed for, winning the game 11-1 over the Altoona Curve. The big run producers in the game included the awesomely-named catcher Tuffy Gosewisch (2 run homer in the 5th), PhightingOn
player of the month 3B Carlos Rivero (3-4 with 2 RBIs) and journeyman 2B Steve Singleton (3-5 with a pair of doubles and RBIs). Other runs were contributed by 1B Matt Rizzotti (2 tonight, 71 RBI on the season), RF Brent Clevlen (1,13) and CF Derrick Mitchell (1, 68).
Rodriguez didn't have as much luck in the run support category, as the game went scoreless until the 11th inning. The tie-breaking homerun came off the bat of 3B Jeremy Barnes, who hit a long line-drive over the left-field wall in Lakeland. Jordan Whatcott came in to pitch a scoreless 12th and earn his eighth save of the season. The winning pitcher of the game was Colby Shreve, who was recently promoted to Clearwater from Class A Lakewood.
Down in Lakewood, the BlueClaws came out on the other end of a extra-innings thriller, losing to the Greensboro Grasshoppers 3-2 in 12 innings. 'Claws starter Austin Wright, who was called up from Williamsport on August 2, pitched five scoreless innings, allowing only two hits while striking out nine. The 'Claws could not capitalize on two first-inning runs, as reliever Mike McGuire gave up two runs on four hits in an one and two thirds innings. The tie remained until the 12th inning, when Chase Johnson gave up the go-ahead run on an RBI single by Grasshopper Ryan Fisher. The BlueClaws are scheduled to continue their series against Greensboro this weekend, and PhightingOn's Bryan Sheehan will be in attendance Sunday to scout the team.
Elsewhere on the farm, Lehigh Valley lost to Rochester 8-5 after starter Brian Bass (6-9, 4.21 ERA) gave up four runs in three plus innings before being pulled for the all too familiar Andrew Carpenter. Although the young reliever pitched two scoreless innings, his replacement, Aaron Heilman, gave up four runs in two innings of relief. On the bright side, 3B Pete Orr had two doubles and a homerun and Mike Zagurski (one of my favorite pitchers in the farm system) pitched a scoreless ninth inning. Newcomer Jack Cust, who was brought on last week, picked up an RBI on a fourth inning groundout that scored Josh Barfield. The 'Pigs are one game back off the division leading Pawtucket Red Sox with about a month to go in the season (they currently hold the wild-card lead).
In Williamsport, the CrossCutters completed the sweep of the Tri-City ValleyCats with a 6-2 win.