Phillies Minor League Report: Cody Asche's five-hit night carries IronPigs to victory

Here's how the Phillies' minor-league teams fared on Wednesday, July 10:

Lehigh Valley IronPigs – Triple A

The IronPigs powered past the Pawtucket Red Sox, 9-4, to complete a four-game sweep at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, Pa.

Lehigh Valley grouped runs in three, three-run innings.

In the fourth, three extra-base hits gave the IronPigs the lead. Left fielder Tyson Gillies hit a leadoff triple and scored on shortstop Freddy Galvis' double. Then, third baseman Cody Asche knocked a two-run home run, his ninth of the season, over the right-field wall.

An inning later, Galvis and Asche knocked in more runs. Galvis drew a bases-loaded, two-out walk and Asche backed him up with a two-run single to make the score 6-0.

The offense supported right-handed starter Ethan Martin (10-4, 4.79 ERA), who gave up three runs on five hits and a walk over six innings. He punched out eight and gave up a homer to earn his 10th win of the season.

In the sixth inning, Galvis' two-run homer and pinch hitter Cody Overbeck's RBI single to score Asche put the game out of reach.

Recently-demoted Phillippe Aumont pitched a scoreless ninth. He walked one in relief.

Asche (.290 batting average) went 5-for-5 with a home run, four RBI and two runs scored in the win.

It was the IronPigs' 50th win of the season and they now sit five games above .500 at 50-45. Lefty Raul Valdes (3-4, 3.40 ERA) and Lehigh Valley host the Buffalo Bisons for a two-game series beginning on Thursday.

Reading Fightin Phils – Double A

The Fightin Phils (38-51) were idle as the Eastern League All-Star Game was Wednesday.

Reading will resume the season Thursday with a four-game series against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. Southpaw Jesse Biddle (3-8, 3.09 ERA) will get the start.

The Fightin Phils are currently in last place in the Eastern League Eastern Division, 16 1/2 games back.

Clearwater Threshers – Class A-Advanced

The Threshers blew a late lead and lost to the Brevard County Manatees, 4-2, at Space Coast Stadium in Viera, Fla.

Left-handed starter Mario Hollands (1.56 ERA in 62 1/3 innings) had a strong start for Clearwater. He allowed one run on four hits and one walk over seven innings. He struck out nine, but settled for a no-decision.

Trailing 1-0 in the fifth, the Threshers seized the lead. Shortstop Jose Mojica led off the frame with a single. Two batters later, second baseman Carlos Alonso tied the game with an RBI double. Center fielder Aaron Altherr followed with an RBI single to score Alonso to take a 2-1 lead.

Righty Jordan Guth came on to relieve Hollands in the eighth, but couldn't find the strike zone. He walked four and gave up a hit in 2/3 of an inning. The Manatees took a 4-2 lead in the inning.

The loss dropped the Threshers to 44-42. Lefty Hoby Milner (8-4, 4.24 ERA) is slated to start for Clearwater when the series continues Thursday.

Lakewood BlueClaws – Class A

The BlueClaws dominated the Rome Braves, 9-1, at FirstEnergy Park in Lakewood Township, N.J to extend a winning streak in four games.

The Braves struck first off right-handed starter Nic Hanson (2-1, 3.31 ERA) with a first-inning run, but that's all the offense they could muster. Hanson allowed seven hits and struck out three over six innings for the win.

Lakewood immediately answered in the bottom of the first. Center fielder Brian Pointer hit a leadoff double and moved to third on shortstop Angelo Mora's sacrifice bunt. Third baseman Willie Carmona lifted a fly ball to left to score Pointer to even the score.

In the second inning, the BlueClaws took the lead and never looked back. Designated hitter Jonathan Roof and catcher Justin Dalles hit back-to-back doubles to take the lead. Second baseman Alejandro Villalobos capped the inning off with a two-out RBI single for a 3-1 lead.

Dalles took advantage of his at bats with runners on base throughout the game. In the fifth, he came up to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs only to knock a bases-clearing double to left. Dalles would add a sacrifice fly in the seventh to finish the game 2-for-4 with five RBI, two doubles and a run scored to raise his average to .305 (18-for-59).

Other offensive standouts include: Carmona (2-for-4 with an RBI), left fielder Larry Greene (2-for-4 with two doubles, a walk, a strikeout and three runs scored) and Roof (1-for-2 with a double, an RBI and three runs scored).

Righty Zach Cooper pitched three hitless innings in relief to earn a save. He walked one.

The win lifted the BlueClaws to 34-53. Right-hander Shane Watson will take the bump for Lakewood when they look to sweep the series on Thursday.

Williamsport Crosscutters - Class A-Short Season

The Crosscutters rallied, but fell to the Connecticut Tigers, 5-4, in 11 innings at Senator Thomas J. Dodd Memorial Stadium in Norwich, Conn.

Williamsport fell behind early with right-handed starter Shane Martin (4.37 ERA) on the mound. He allowed three runs on four hits and two walks over 4 2/3 innings. He struck out two in his fourth start of the season.

The Crosscutters crawled back in the game with the bats. In the fourth, center fielder Jiandido Tromp doubled and scored on second baseman Andrew Pullin's single.

Connecticut pitching gifted Williamsport a run in the seventh inning. Two hit batsman and two walks pushed a run across the plate.

Trailing 4-2 in the ninth inning, the Crosscutters rallied to send the game into extra innings. Designated hitter Andrew Knapp singled to score third baseman Zach Green, who led off the inning with a double. Gustavo Martinez came in to run for Knapp and scored on a wild pitch to even the score.

The late-game heroics weren't enough as the Tigers managed two hits and an intentional walk to load the bases against Felix Santos in the 11th. The winning run scored on a walk-off sacrifice fly.

The Crosscutters fell to 13-9. The series continues Thursday as Williamsport will trot out right-hander Mitch Gueller (3-0, 3.38 ERA) to make a start.

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