Tuesday, mostly

Okay, HomeSiders, here we go now:

First, I apologize for not posting, but the wi-fi connection in the hotel where I stayed was not functioning. As a result, we have much catching up to do!!

I have to start in New Britain, Connecticut where I watched 2 wild games. On Tuesday night, Reading pounded out 15 hits in an 11-9 win. Greg Golson hit a 2-run home run in the first inning, but it was the clutch hitting of Jeremy Slayden that did the major damage for the R-Phils. Slayden drove in 5 runs with 2 2-out hits and gave Reading an insurmountable lead. Jake Blalock, John Suomi, and John Urick, playing his first game with Reading after being promoted from Clearwater, all had 2 hits for Reading. Urick replaces Juan Tejada, who was put on the disabled list. Fabio Castro made in through 5 innings to get the win, his 3rd, even though it was his weakest outing so far. R.J. Swindel pitched 2 scoreless innings, striking out 4, and Pat Overholt got the last 2 outs, both on strike outs, to record his 4th save.

The quick turnaround had us back in the ballpark for a 10:35 start Wednesday morning. It was looking good early on. Carlos Carrasco started out great. He struck out the first five hitters he faced, and when Reading scored 4 in the top of the 3rd, I though we were sitting pretty. The rally? It started with a hit by Luke Appert, his 4th in 5 at bats since I got there!! This poor guy could not BUY a hit for better than a week. I digress, sorry. Anyway, Appert is at first and Greg Golson rips a triple off the center field wall. Lou Marson hits a sac fly to deliver Golson. Then Jeremy Slayden singles to keep the inning alive and Neil Sellers hits one over the wall and just like that, it was 4-0. This was the peak of the day for the Reading fans. Carrasco gave up 1 run in the 3rd and then 5 more in the 4th. Overall, he made it through 5, allowing 6 runs on 10 hits. It only got worse.. Zack Segovia made his season debut, and could not get a hitter out. 5 batters faced, 4 hits, 1 reached on an error, the only out was recorded when Golson threw out Luke Hughes at the plate. Hughes was 4 for 5, including 2 home runs, and 5 RBI on the day. Ron Hill also got hit hard: 1 inning, 3 hits, 3 walks, 4 runs, all earned. In total, the Rock Cats had 21 hits in the 15-6 win. Some saving grace, Jake Blalock belted a home run in the 6th inning, to bring Reading to within 6-5, but it was not to be. Blalock, by the way, appears to be hitting everything hard.

Of course for those of you who missed it, it was Javon Moran who got the promotion to Lehigh Valley to take T.J. Bohn's roster spot. Moran was 1 for 3 in his debut with the IronPigs on Wednesday. He had a single and a walk, stole a base and scored 2 runs in the Pigs 5-3 loss to Rochester. Mike Spidale and Jason Jaramillo also had hits for Lehigh Valley. J.A. Happ pitched very well for the IronPigs, his best so far, going 7 innings, allowing just 1 run on 4 hits, and left with the lead. Rochester jumped on a trio of relievers in the bottom of the 8th to score 4 runs. Randy Ruiz had a double to give the Red Wings the lead. Then Bobby Korecky retired the Pigs in the 9th and recorded his 5th save of the year. Lehigh Valley has lost 8 straight, and is now 2-19 on the year.

We have another player on the move. Eude Brito has moved on from the Nationals to the Mets, who assigned him to Binghampton in the Eastern League. He pitched against Trenton Wednesday, giving up 3 earned runs on 4 hits a walk in just 2.1 innings.

Back to Tuesday, before I get ahead of myself and forget where I am going with this!! In Indianapolis, Matt Maloney got roughed up by the Indians. Matt has been struggling to adjust to AAA so far. Tuesday he managed just 4 innings, 4 earned runs, 5 hits, 3 walks. His ERA is 7.27 for 4 starts.

In Iowa City, the news was no better for Elizardo Ramirez. Easy made it through 5.2 innings, 9 hits, 4 runs, 3 earned, 2 of the 9 hits home runs. He took the loss in a 5-1 win for Iowa. Ramirez is 3-2, 3.63 for the season.

Late Tuesday night, in Las Vegas, Gio Gonzalez pitched 5 good innings for the Sacramento River Cats. He gave up 2 runs on 7 hits, striking out 5, including Kevin Howard, who was in the Vegas lineup. Gonzalez has yet to have a decision this year, but he lowered his ERA to 2.50. Howard is hitting .280 for the 51s.

Tuesday in Clearwater, Antonio Bastardo continued to shine. This time 7 innings, 2 runs 4 hits, NO walks, 12 strike outs. His ERA is now 1.59. Tampa won the game 4-3 in the 11th. P.J. Antoniato and Gus Milner had 3 hits each for Clearwater. Quintin Berry picked up 2 hits and a walk, stealing 2 bases. Q is 5 for 7 in steals. The Threshers have added first baseman Mike Eylward, who played AAA ball in Salt Lake City last year, and was in the Mexican League when the Phillies called.

Finally, Tuesday in Hagerstown, Chance Chapman got his first win of the year in Lakewood's 10-3 win, and continues to pitch well while starting. Chapman went 6 innings, just 1 run, 4 hits, 1 walk. Ben Pfinsgraff got the last 5 outs, and is looking comfortable since his first outing. Ben gave up back-to-back doubles to the first 2 hitters he faced, and has not given up another earned run in 6.1 innings of work. Herman Demmink was the catalyst; a single, a double, a home run, a walk, 3 runs scored out of the lead off spot. Dominic Brown, who seems to me to be the perfect #3 hitter, had 2 singles, a double, and 4 RBI. Derrick Mitchell got his second consecutive 2-hit game, scoring twice and driving in 2.

I will have Wednesday's action later. Stay tuned.........