Phillies Minor League review: May 9-15
Players of the Week
Player - OF Dylan Cozens, Reading… The 21-year-old Cozens batted .385 (10-26) with six runs scored, two doubles, three home runs, four RBI, three walks and two stolen bases in seven games. He slugged .808 for the week with a 1.256 OPS. Cozens' three home runs came in consecutive games, which finished off a six-game span during which he hit five home runs. He currently ranks first in the Eastern League in home runs, extra-base hits (20), slugging percentage (.581) and total bases (79), is tied for fourth in hits (39) and RBI (26) and ranks 10th in average (.287). Cozens was selected by the Phillies in the second round of the June 2012 draft.
Pitcher - RHP Ben Lively, Reading...Lively, 24, was named Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Week and Eastern League Pitcher of the Week for the second time this season after going 2-0 with 13.0 scoreless innings pitched, 14 strikeouts and a 1.00 WHIP (5 BB, 8 H) in his two starts last week. He scattered four hits in 6.0 shutout innings against Binghamton on May 10, and followed that by striking out a career-high 12 batters in 7.0 scoreless innings on May 15 against Trenton. Four of Lively's eight starts have been scoreless and he has not allowed more than three earned runs in any of them. His 1.53 ERA (8 ER, 47.0 IP) and 46 strikeouts lead the Eastern League, and he ranks third in innings pitched and fifth in opponents' batting average (.185). Lively was acquired from Cincinnati in exchange for outfielder Marlon Byrd and cash considerations on December 31, 2014, and was originally selected by the Reds in the fourth round of the June 2013 Draft.
Lehigh Valley IronPigs - International League North Division…19-17, 4th place… Lehigh Valley lost their first three games of a four-game series with Columbus, but then went on to win each of their next four to finish the week 4-3. The IronPigs allowed only two total runs over three games in their series sweep of Toledo.
Top hitting performers - C Andrew Knapp hit safely in six of his seven games, slugging two doubles and two home runs while driving in four. He also scored five times and drew three walks… OF Nick Williams hit his third home run of the season, doubled twice and scored four runs… INF Taylor Featherston had three doubles and a home run in seven games played.
Top pitching performers - RHPJake Thompson did not allow an earned run in 12.0 innings pitched over two starts last week. He posted a 1.00 WHIP (3 BB, 9 H) and struck out eight batters… RHP David Buchanan tossed 8.0 innings, allowing one run while scattering six hits and walking none… RHP Zach Eflin made one start, surrendering a run on four hits in 7.0 innings of work on May 13. He has allowed one run or none in four of six starts this season… RHP Alec Asher collected the win in his lone start of the week, holding Columbus to one run over 6.2 innings. That run is the only earned run Asher has allowed in 22.1 innings in triple-A this season (0.40 ERA)… RHP Edubray Ramos worked two games in relief, tossing 3.2 scoreless innings with four strikeouts. He has not allowed a run in his first 6.1 innings with Lehigh Valley this season.
Reading Fightin Phils - Eastern League Eastern Division …24-13, 1st place… The Fightins scored 23 runs in a three-game sweep of Binghamton, and then split a four-game set with Trenton as they moved into first place in the division. Reading is 9-3 in their last 12 games.
Top hitting performers - OF Dylan Cozens batted .385 (10-26) with a pair of doubles, three home runs, four RBI and an .808 slugging percentage in seven games. His three home runs came in consecutive games, capping a stretch in which he hit five home runs over six games. He was named Phillies Minor League Player of the Week for his efforts… 2B Jesmuel Valentin collected six hits in 20 at-bats (.300), knocking in two runs while scoring two more… OF Aaron Brown scored four runs, doubled twice and had two RBI.
Top pitching performers - RHP Ben Lively earned his second Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Week and Eastern League Pitcher of the Week awards as he threw 13.0 scoreless innings over two starts, striking out 14 batters while allowing eight hits. His 1.53 ERA (8 ER, 47.0 IP) and 46 strikeouts both rank first in the Eastern League… RHP Ricardo Pinto allowed only two hits in 7.0 shutout innings on May 12, and has now allowed just three earned runs in his last 32.0 innings pitched (0.84 ERA)… RHP Nick Pivetta struck out seven batters and allowed one run in 6.0 innings against Binghamton… RHP Miguel Nunez converted a save with a perfect inning on May 11 and then struck out two in another perfect inning in relief on May 15.
Clearwater Threshers - Florida State League North Division…19-10, 1st place… Clearwater's packed week consisted of eight games, including a Sunday doubleheader to cap their four-game set with Tampa. The Threshers went 5-3 in those eight games, helping them hold on to the best record in the Florida State League.
Top hitting performers - OF Carlos Tocci hit safely in his first seven games of the week, batting .294 (10-34) with three doubles, five RBI, three walks and two stolen bases in two attempts… OF Andrew Pullin led the team with six RBI as he tallied four extra-base hits (3 2B, HR) while batting .292 (7-24) in six games… 2B Scott Kingery had four runs scored, two doubles, two RBI, three walks and a stolen base, which was his 10th of the season in 11 attempts.
Top pitching performers - RHP Tyler Viza tossed a 7.0-inning complete game with just one run allowed on May 15, and combined to post a 3.00 ERA (4 ER, 12.0 IP) in his two starts last week. He is 5-1 so far this season… LHP Elniery Garcia started one game, limiting Tampa to two runs on five hits in 6.0 innings… RHP Alexis Rivero threw 2.0 scoreless innings in relief, striking out three batters and earning a save.
Lakewood BlueClaws - South Atlantic League Northern Division…15-20, 6th place… The BlueClaws won each of their six games last week, earning their first sweep of the season in the process. Lakewood's pitchers surrendered only 11 runs in those six games (1.83 per game). After starting the season 4-16, Lakewood has won 11 of their last 15 games.
Top hitting performers - OF Jose Pujols collected four more extra-base hits (3 2B, HR), giving him seven in his last 10 games. He batted .318 (7-22) with three RBI, three walks, two stolen bases and a .991 OPS in six games… 1B Brendon Hayden reached base at a .429 clip due to a team-high four walks and five hits in 17 at-bats (.294)… OF Jiandido Tromp doubled twice, homered, drove in two runs and stole a base.
Top pitching performers - RHP Harold Arauz did not allow a run in 7.0 innings on May 14. He walked one and struck out a season-high eight batters… RHP Jose Taveras did not walk a batter and surrendered just two hits in a 7.0-inning start against Kannapolis… RHP Franklyn Kilome struck out seven batters in 5.1 innings of one-run ball on May 15. He has posted a 1.80 ERA (3 ER, 15.0 IP) with 18 strikeouts in his last three starts.