Weather was the big winner Thursday in the Phillies minor league system. Three of the four minor league affiliates were rained out Thursday night. Let’s take a look at the plans for making up the games – if there are any plans to do so – and any other news from the minors.
Lehigh Valley IronPigs
The IronPigs did not play on Thursday, August 27. Their scheduled game against the Syracuse Mets at Coca-Cola Park was postponed due to inclement weather, with rain moving through the Lehigh Valley area for much of the evening. The postponement fell in the middle of a home series between the two clubs that has included both a Lehigh Valley win and a loss to Syracuse in recent days.
The rained-out contest will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Saturday, August 29, with first pitch for game one slated for 4:35 p.m. at Coca-Cola Park. Both games of the doubleheader will be seven-inning contests, with game two beginning approximately 40 minutes after the conclusion of the opener. Gates at Coca-Cola Park will open at 3:30 p.m. for fans attending Saturday’s twin bill.
With Thursday’s game wiped out, the IronPigs and Mets resumed their series on Friday, August 28, with first pitch set for 6:45 p.m. at Coca-Cola Park.
Reading Fightin Phils
Reading’s Thursday night game against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies at FirstEnergy Stadium was also postponed due to rain, with heavy rain in the forecast for much of the evening prompting the team to call off the contest before first pitch. The postponement came a night after Reading topped Binghamton 6-2 on Wednesday behind home runs from Bryan Rincon, Pedro Leon, and Aroon Escobar.
The game will be made up as part of a seven-inning doubleheader on Saturday, August 29, with the first game beginning at 4:00 p.m. at FirstEnergy Stadium and the second game to follow roughly 40 minutes after the first game concludes.
Entering the postponement, Reading held a 4 1/2 game lead over Binghamton atop the Eastern League standings with 16 games remaining in the regular season.
Jersey Shore BlueClaws
Jersey Shore’s home game against the Wilmington Blue Rocks at ShoreTown Ballpark on Thursday, August 27, was postponed due to rain. The postponement came after the BlueClaws won Tuesday’s series opener 7-4 before falling 11-6 to Wilmington on Wednesday night.
The rained-out game will be made up as part of a single-admission doubleheader on Friday, August 28, beginning at 5:05 p.m. at ShoreTown Ballpark, with gates opening at 4:30 p.m. Only one ticket will be required for admission to both games of the twin bill.
With Friday’s doubleheader now added to the schedule, Jersey Shore and Wilmington are set to close out their series with a previously scheduled game Saturday, August 29, and a getaway game Sunday, August 30.
Clearwater Threshers
Clearwater split a Thursday doubleheader on the road against the Lakeland Flying Tigers at Joker Marchant Stadium, falling 8-2 in the completion of game one held over from a rain-suspended Wednesday contest before storming back to take game two, 11-6.
In game one, Lakeland built an early lead and added on against Threshers pitching, with Clearwater’s offense limited to two runs in the fifth inning on a Lane Haworth double, a run-scoring single from Victor Cardoza, and an infield single that later drove in Cardoza. Clearwater starter Brad Pacheco (6-8) took the loss, striking out six over three innings of work.
Clearwater’s offense was far sharper in the nightcap. Will Gasparino opened the scoring with a bunt single, a stolen base, and a run scored on an error in the first. After Lakeland briefly took the lead, the Threshers erupted for nine runs in a sixth-inning rally against a pair of Lakeland relievers. Nolan Beltran reached base twice and scored twice during the surge, aided by wild pitches and a fielding error, while Cade Climie, Jack Hopko, and Tyler Spangler each singled in a run. Matthew Ferrara capped the binge with a bases-loaded walk, and Spangler closed out the scoring with a sacrifice fly in the seventh.
On the mound, reliever Manuel Colon (3-0) earned the win in relief, working two innings and allowing just one run on two hits while striking out two. The Threshers bullpen combined to shut down Lakeland over the final innings after the go-ahead runs crossed in the sixth. The split left Clearwater at 68-53 on the season (28-27 in the second half) and Lakeland at 60-60 (29-26). No Threshers hitter left the yard in either game of the doubleheader.
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