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Phillies Minor League Report: Cody Asche homers in IronPigs win; Clearwater's Kelly Dugan records four hits in loss

Cody Asche during spring training. (Michael Bryant/Staff file photo)
Cody Asche during spring training. (Michael Bryant/Staff file photo)Read more

Here's a rundown on how the Phillies' minor league teams fared on Thursday, May 23:

Lehigh Valley IronPigs – Triple A

The IronPigs' hot streak continued Thursday night as they defeated the Norfolk Tides, 4-3, at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown.

The win for the IronPigs was their third in a row and fifth in their last six games.

Leading the way for Lehigh Valley was third baseman Cody Asche who hit his fifth home run of the season during the third inning.

Pitcher Ethan Martin (5-2) was given the win after throwing six solid innings, which included four strikeouts, two earned runs and two walks.

The IronPigs got on the scoreboard first during the second inning after catcher Steven Lerud hit a two-out single that brought home designated hitter Josh Fields.

Asche added to the lead in the third inning with a leadoff homer to make it 2-0.

Lehigh Valley held that lead until the sixth when Norfolk finally got on the board, plating two runs and tying the score, 2-2.

That tie didn't last long, however, as the IronPigs made the score 4-2 in the bottom half of the inning. A Norfolk error allowed Darin Ruf to score from second base. Recent Phillies call-up Michael Martinez followed that up with an RBI single.

The first place Tides didn't go quietly into the night, however. In the top of the ninth, the Tides plated a run and put the potential tying run on first base with no outs.

But closer Jake Diekman helped shut the door on Norfolk and pick up his fifth save of the year in the process.

Martinez (2-for-3) and Fields (2-for-4) each posted two hits on the night.

The IronPigs will look to make it four wins in a row in the second game of their four-game series against the Tides at 7:05 p.m. Friday.

Left-hander Raul Valdes is scheduled to start for Lehigh Valley. Valdes has pitched a total of 24 innings in 2013 between the Phillies (20) and the IronPigs (four).

Reading Fightin Phils – Double A

The Fightin Phils' attempt at completing a four-game sweep of the Altoona Curve will have to wait a while as Thursday's game was suspended after seven innings due to rain at FirstEnergy Stadium in Reading.

With the Fightin Phils having to start a four-game set against the Harrisburg Senators on the road Friday, it caused Thursday's to be pushed all the way to June 4.

Reading is already scheduled to start a three-game series against the Curve in Altoona that night, but before that, it will complete Thursday's game.

The June 4 game will pick up in the top of the eighth inning with the score tied, 2-2.

Reading pitcher Kyle Simon was dealing to Altoona third baseman Adalberto Santos before the game was halted.

As for what happened before the rain stopped everything, the Fightin Phils got on the board in the bottom of the first thanks to an RBI single from third baseman Tyler Henson, which scored shortstop Edgar Duran.

The Curve answered in the second inning with a run of their own to make the score 1-1.

The tie remained until the bottom of the fifth when Reading left fielder Miguel Abreu hit his third homer of the season to give the Fightin Phils a 2-1 advantage.

Altoona tied it up for the second time in the top of the sixth.

Starting pitcher David Buchanan had a strong outing throwing 5 1/3 with six strikeouts. He did give up seven hits, however.

The Fightin Phils will begin their series against the Senators at 7 p.m. Friday at Metro Bank Park in Harrisburg. The starter for Reading has yet to be announced.

Clearwater Threshers – Class A-Advanced

The Threshers ended a tough series against the Charlotte Stone Crabs on a down note Thursday, losing 9-8 in 11 innings at the Charlotte Sports Park in Port Charlotte, Fla.

The Threshers lost three out of four to the Stone Crabs and have dropped five out of their last seven overall.

The Threshers held a 4-2 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth, but a four-run inning from the Stone Crabs gave them a 6-4 lead.

The Thresher knotted things up thanks to two runs in the top of the seventh.

Each team went scoreless until the top of the 11th when the Threshers posted two runs to take an 8-6 lead.

But three runs from the Stone Crabs dealt the Threshers yet another loss.

Despite the loss, the Threshers had some impressive offensive showings Thursday.

Those offensive showings were led by right fielder Kelly Dugan who went 4-for-6 with two RBIs and two doubles.

Left fielder Cameron Perkins posted three hits with three RBIs.

Third baseman Maikel Franco continued to show off his power, hitting his ninth homer of the season in the second inning. Catcher Logan Moore hit his first homer of the season during the fourth. The homer was Moore's only hit of the game in five at-bats.

The Clearwater pitching on the other hand had a rough night. Starter Nick Hernandez went 5 1/3, but gave up six earned runs on seven hits. He also walked two batters.

Colton Murray (2-3) was dealt the loss after giving up all three runs in the 11th inning.

The Threshers will look to get out of their recent rut when they open a three-game series against the Brevard County Manatees at 8:35 p.m. Friday at Space Coast Stadium in Melbourne, Fla.

Left-hander Hoby Milner (4-2, 4.63 ERA) is slated to get the start for Clearwater.

Lakewood BlueClaws – Class A

The BlueClaws loss their third extra-inning game of the season Thursday, 3-2, to the West Virginia Power in 12 innings at Appalachian Power Park in Charleston, W. Va.

The BlueClaws have yet to win in extra innings this season.

With the game tied, 2-2, heading into the bottom of the 12th, the Power finally ended the affair after a hit from third baseman Eric Wood that brought home right fielder Josh Bell and gave the Power the victory in the series opener.

The game was scoreless until the top of the fourth when first baseman Art Charles hit a two-run homer, his sixth of the season, to give the BlueClaws a 2-0 lead. That proved to be the last time the BlueClaws would cross the plate.

The Power tied the game thanks to runs in the fifth and sixth innings.

The BlueClaws struggled against the West Virginia pitching all night as they only mustered four hits.

Charles, center fielder Brian Pointer, right fielder Zach Taylor and second baseman Angelo Mora were the only BlueClaws to record hits.

West Virginia starter Tyler Glasnow struck out 12 batters during five innings of work and only gave up two of the four Lakewood hits.

Despite only giving up three runs, the Lakewood pitching staff struggled against West Virginia, giving up 14 hits. Starter Yoel Mecias gave up seven of those hits.

Mecias threw five innings, struck out seven batters, gave up only one earned, but did not factor in the decision. The loss was given to Jeb Stefan (0-4).

The BlueClaws have lost two in a row and will look to end that skid at 7:05 p.m. Friday in game two of their three-game series against the Power. The BlueClaws' Nic Hanson (1-0, 3.43 ERA) will get the start.