Around the Minors

Here’s a look around the Phillies minor league system last night:

Lehigh Valley – The Iron Pigs (42-45) got a strong outing from Gustavo Chacin, who went 7 innings allowing 3 runs on 6 hits while striking out 5 to pick up the win. Catcher Lou Marson continued his steady climb toward the .300 mark, getting a hit and a walk in 3 AB and scoring a pair of runs. His average now sits at .292. After hitting .313 in June he has been even hotter through the first week of July, hitting .440 in 25 AB. Raul Ibanez knocked in two runs with a double and walked twice in what should be his final rehab start before returning to the Phillies.

Reading – Joe Savery keeps on winning. Last night he improved his record to 12-1 with Reading (49-36) by tossing 6.2 innings of 4-run ball. Savery coasted through 5 innings, but gave up two runs in both the sixth and the seventh to Akron. He gave up 8 hits and 3 walks while striking out 4. Jeremy Slayden was the offensive star of the night, ripping 3 doubles in 3 AB, knocking in 3 runs and scoring 3. He also walked twice. Slayden has been blistering hot since he was demoted from triple-A a few weeks ago, as he is now hitting .377 with the R-Phils.  Tuffy Gosewisch and Neil Sellers each collected three hits as well. LF Michael Taylor took the collar, going 0-for-4, though he did walk twice.

Clearwater – It was a rough day for the high-A Threshers, who were shutout in both ends of a doubleheader, putting together just 6 hits between the two games against Brevard County. Tyler Cloyd

gave up 5 runs in 5 innings to take the loss in Game 1, and Darren Byrd gave up 3 runs in 4 innings to pick up an L in Game 2.

Lakewood – Trevor May allowed just one run in his 6 innings of work for the Blue Claws last night, though he did walk 6 batters. Despite his efforts the bullpen coughed up a lead and Lakewood lost to Kannapolis, 5-4. Catcher Travis d’Arnaud had a double and a run, but struck out his other three times at the dish. Zach Collier knocked in a pair of runs for the Blue Claws and also struck out three times. His average now sits at .228.

Williamsport – The short-season Crosscutters dropped a game to Jamestown, 7-3. Last season’s first-round pick Anthony Hewitt played at DH and continued a recent hot streak with a hit, walk and two stolen bases. After starting the year dreadfully slow, Hewitt has picked up the pace in the past two weeks. He is now hitting .306 in his last 10 games, including 8 hits in the last four.