Players of the Week
Player - OF Cameron Perkins, Lehigh Valley… The 26-year-old Perkins batted .375 (6-16) with a team-high four extra-base hits (2 2B, 3B, HR), three RBI and an .813 slugging percentage in his five games played. He recorded a season-high three hits on April 22, one of which was his fifth double of the year. Perkins was selected by the Phillies in the sixth round of the June 2012 draft out of Purdue University.
Pitcher - RHP Jake Thompson, Lehigh Valley… Thompson, 23, made two starts for the IronPigs, combining to post a 0.75 ERA (1 ER, 12.0 IP) with only nine baserunners allowed (6 H, 3 BB) and 13 strikeouts. He surrendered three runs (1 ER) in 5.0 innings on April 18, and then tossed 7.0 scoreless innings with three hits, no walks and seven strikeouts in his next start on April 23. Thompson was acquired from Texas along with five others in exchange for LHP Cole Hamels and LHP Jake Diekman on July 31, 2015.
Lehigh Valley IronPigs - International League North Division…9-8, 4^th place… The IronPigs won four of six games last week, dropping the first game and winning the final two in each of their two series. Lehigh Valley's pitchers have posted a 3.14 ERA, which is third-best in the league.
Top hitting performers - OF Cameron Perkins was named Phillies Minor League Player of the Week after batting .375 (6-16) with two doubles, a triple, a home run, three RBI and a 1.257 OPS… C Jorge Alfaro tripled, homered and batted .350 (7-20) over five games… 1B Rhys Hoskins hit his fourth home run of the season, drove in two runs, drew two walks and scored three runs while batting .316 (6-29)… OF Nick Williams batted .350 (7-20) with a pair of doubles, two RBI and three runs scored.
Top pitching performers - RHP Jake Thompson made two starts, allowing only three runs (1 ER) and six hits in 12.0 innings with 13 strikeouts. He was named Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Week… RHP Nick Pivetta struck out a career-high 11 batters in 6.0 innings of work on April 20, allowing one run on four hits. He has 24 strikeouts in 19.0 innings this season… RHP Ricardo Pinto made one start, throwing 6.0 innings and surrendering three runs (2 ER) while walking one and striking out five… RHP Ben Lively threw 6.0 innings of one-run ball with four hits allowed in his only start of the week.
Reading Fightin Phils - Eastern League Eastern Division…7-7, T^-3rd place… An off day and a postponement meant only five games for Reading, of which they won three. Reading's 87 total runs this season (5.8 per game) are most in the Eastern League.
Top hitting performers - OF Andrew Pullin recorded three more multi-hit games, giving him nine through his first 14 contests. He doubled twice, homered and drove in three runs… 2B Scott Kingery hit his league-leading fifth home run of the season and drove in four runs in five games… CF Carlos Tocci recorded at least one RBI in each of his final four games of the week, driving in a team-high eight runs. He hit .353 (6-17) with a triple.
Top pitching performers - In four relief appearances, RHP Jesen Therrien allowed one run in 5.2 innings, struck out seven batters and earned his first save of the season… RHP Tom Eshelman tossed a quality start, allowing three earned runs in 6.0 innings on the mound against Akron.
Clearwater Threshers - Florida State League North Division…12-6, 1^st place… The Threshers won three of four games against Bradenton to begin the week, but then lost two of three games to Florida. They have allowed three runs or fewer in 14 of their first 18 games.
Top hitting performers - OF Herlis Rodriguez hit safely in all six of his games, batting .318 (7-22) with a double, a pair of home runs, four RBI, a stolen base and three runs scored… OF Zach Coppola doubled, homered, walked three times and batted .375 (6-16) over five games played… INF Damek Tomscha recorded a hit in all six of his games. He was 7-for-21 (.333) with a home run and five RBI.
Top pitching performers -LHP Cole Irvin tossed 7.0 innings on April 21, allowing three runs (1 ER) with seven strikeouts. He lowered his ERA to 0.90 in his first three starts (2 ER, 20.0 IP)… RHP Luke Leftwich struck out seven in four innings of relief, surrendering one run over his two games while earning a save… RHP Franklyn Kilome held Bradenton to a run on four hits in 6.0 innings during his one start of the week.
Lakewood BlueClaws - South Atlantic League Northern Division…10-8, 2^nd place… Lakewood dropped two of their three games with Hagerstown, and then took three of four to win a series against West Virginia. Their road trip wraps up with a three-game set in Delmarva before they return home for a quick four-game homestand.
Top hitting performers - INF Daniel Brito opened the week with his third three-hit game of the season and finished it with seven hits in 24 at-bats (.292), a double, RBI and three walks… CF Mickey Moniak batted .286 (4-14) with a double, triple, four RBI and two walks.
Top pitching performers - RHP Adonis Medina struck out a career-high 10 batters over 7.0 shutout innings on April 21. He has a 1.06 ERA (2 ER, 17.0 IP) in three starts… LHP Ranger Suarez did not allow a run in 7.0 innings during his start against West Virginia, bringing his scoreless streak to 14.1 innings. He struck out 10 batters, which was a career high… LHP Nick Fanti held West Virginia scoreless over 6.0 innings of work, allowing only four baserunners (3 H, BB)… In his one start last week, LHP JoJo Romero allowed three unearned runs over 4.1 innings, striking out seven batters.