One up, one down for Phils on split squad day

In Grapefruit League action on Thursday, the Phillies earned a win and lost a game, as a split squad was successful on the road and had difficulty plating runners at home.

In Tampa, the Phils downed the Yankees by a score of 13-4, led on offense by first baseman Darin Ruf, who had two hits and drove in three runs.

Also in Tampa, third baseman Maikel Franco launched a home run, plating two runs, as he went 1-for-2 with a walk on the day.  Catching prospect Jorge Alfaro notched two safeties, recorded two RBI and threw out a potential base stealer.  Outfield prospect Roman Quinn was 2-for-5 with a triple and two RBI.

On the mound against the Yankees, lefty Adam Morgan allowed two hits and two earned runs in a pair of innings.  Alec Asher struck out four, walked two and let up an earned run in two frames to earn the win.  Also, Mark Appel, a key prospect returned in the Ken Giles swap, walked four, allowing an earned run in two innings.  Daniel Stumpf threw two scoreless innings while Edward Mujica closed out the game with a scoreless frame.

In Clearwater, the Phillies lost to the Astros 3-2.  Struggling at the plate, the Phils twice failed to score a runner on third base with no outs.  The team was 0-for-14 with runners in scoring position until Carlos Ruiz

(1-for-4 with a walk) singled home a run in the bottom of the 9th inning.

Peter Bourjos, Odubel Herrera and Andrew Knapp each had two hits in the losing effort.

Righty pitching prospect Jake Thompson allowed an unearned run while striking out one and walking one in two innings of work.  Right-hander Zach Eflin was also charged with an unearned run in a pair of innings.  Ernesto Frieri allowed an earned run in one inning while the bullpen saw scoreless frames from Elvis Araujo, James Russell, Greg Burke and Colton Murray.