Larry Shenk’s Phillies Minor League Report: 7/22/19

Phillies Nation has been honored to have Larry Shenk join the ranks of our regular contributors in this 2019 season.

“The Baron” is the former Philadelphia Phillies head of community relations, a role in which he served the organization for more than four decades. Larry is also a 2018 inductee to the Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame.

In addition to the Phillies alumni and history work which Larry shares with readers here at Phillies Nation, his “Minor League Report” appears on an almost daily basis during the season.

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Players of the Week (July 15–21) 

Player — C Logan O’Hoppe, Williamsport… O’Hoppe, 19, batted .400 (8–20) with four doubles, two triples, one home run, seven RBI, three runs scored and posted a 1.350

OPS over five games. He collected at least one extra-base hit in each of his five games during the week. Additionally, over his last nine games since July 10, he is batting .382 (13–34). The New York native was selected by the Phillies in the 23rd round of the June 2018 draft out of high school.

Pitcher — RHP Brandon Ramey, GCL Phillies West… The 18-year-old retired each of the 12 batters he faced over 4.0 innings in his start on July 16 vs GCL Yankees West. He struck out five batters in that start, tossing 22 total pitches, all for strikes. Ramey entered today with a 1.42 ERA (2 ER, 12.2 IP) and 20 strikeouts in four starts this season. The California native was selected by the Phillies in the 30th round of the June 2018 draft out of high school.

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Lehigh Valley, International League North Division

**IronPigs (47–51) had day off following a 12-game, 11-day, 3-city road trip . . . First home game since July 7, 7:05 tonight vs. the Toledo Mud Hens. Aiming to end a 5-game losing streak.

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Reading, Eastern League Eastern Division [39–28, 2nd place, 1st half]

**Fightin Phils (20–12) fell to the Binghamton Ramble Ponies, 3–2, at FirstEnergy Stadium in a game that included a 42-minute rain delay in T7. Two errors led to 2 unearned runs for the Fightins who lost their third straight . . . 5:15 doubleheader (7-inning games) tonight. DH created by July 17 postponement in Binghamton, the last game Reading was scheduled to play there. Fightins will be the home team in both games . . . First-place Fightins have a 4.5-game lead over the second-place Rumble Ponies.

Pitching: Starter JoJo Romero (4–4, 6–6 overall) was the loser, 6–4–2–1–2–7, HR

Hitting: Both runs came in B8 on an RBI single by CF Mickey Moniak and sacrifice fly by 3B Alec Bohm; only the third game in 25 since joining the Fightins that he didn’t reach base . . . RF Raul Rivas, 2–4; Reading had 5 other hits.

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Clearwater, Florida State League North Division [36–30, 2nd place, 1st half]

**Threshers (15–18) lost a rain-shortened first game of a doubleheader (7-inning games) against Bradenton. Second game rained out . . . So, they’ll try to play 2 again starting at 5 tonight.

Game #1: 7–3 final in a game called after 6 innings following a rain delay; start of game was also delayed by rain . . . Scored all 3 in B1 on homers by SS Dan Brito (4), solo and a 2-run blast by Rodolfo Duran (5); hitting .302 this month with 3 HR. Threshers had only 2 hits after that inning . . . No decision for starter James McArthur, 2.2–2–3–3–3–4; LP: Kyle Arjona (1–2), 2.1–4–4–4–1–1, HR.

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Lakewood, South Atlantic League North Division [29–41, 1st half]

**BlueClaws (10–19) had a day off after a 6-game road trip (3–3) to Salisbury, MD and Kannapolis, NC . . . Resume schedule at 7:05 tonight vs. Charleston Riverdogs.

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Williamsport, New York-Penn League Pinckney Division

**Crosscutters (10–26) lost to the Spikes in State College, 9–3 . . . Return home to face the Auburn Doubledays at 7:05 tonight.

Pitching: Starter Carlos Francisco was the loser (0–1), 2–5–6–6–3–2, HR . . . Tom Sutera was second of 4 pitchers, 4–1–0–0–0–3.

Hitting: Out-hit State College, 10–9, but Cutters were 1–10 with RISP . . . CF Johan Rojas, 3–4, run, triple, HR (#1, 4 overall), 2 RBI . . . LF Corbin Williams, 2–3, run, league-leading 20 stolen base; 12th straight steal since being caught on July 5.

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Gulf Coast League (Phillies have 2 teams, both in the North Division)

**Phillies West (15–6) were blanked by the Blue Jays in Dunedin, 7–0 . . . Day off today . . . Starter and loser Brandon Ramey (0–1), 4–3–1–1–0–5 . . . Offense produced 5 singles.

**Phillies East (12–9) handed the Tigers East a 5–2 defeat at Carpenter Complex . . . Yankees East at the Complex, 12 noon today . . . Luke Leftwich, on rehab assignment, started, 1–0–0–0–0–2; WP: Victor Vargas (1–1), 4–5–1–1–1–2; SV: Brenden Kudlinski (1), 1st pro save . . . DH Jose Mercado, 2–3, walk, 2 runs, stolen base; 1B Vito Friscia, 2–3, walk, double, run, RBI; CF Luis Matos, 2–4, double, run.

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Transactions 

Reading: RHP Connor Seabold, assigned from Clearwater; LHR Kyle Dohy, assigned from Lehigh Valley.

Clearwater: RHP James McArthur, assigned from Lakewood; RHPs Alejandro Requena and Colton Eastman, assigned from Reading.

(Transactions, courtesy phuturephillies.com and Steve Potter)

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LARRY SHENK IS AUTHOR/EDITOR OF THE PHILLIES.COM ALUMNI SECTION AND PROVIDES REGULAR MINOR LEAGUE REPORT PIECES FROM HIS PHILLIES INSIDER BLOG. PHILLIES INSIDER PIECES RE-PRINTED AT PHILLIES NATION BY PERMISSION OF LARRY SHENK. PHILLIES ALUMNI PIECES WITH HIS PERMISSION ALONG WITH APPROVAL FROM MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL AND THE PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES.