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Lehigh Valley IronPigs

Offensive Outburst Leads Triple-A Phils

March 29, 2013 - International League (IL1)
Lehigh Valley IronPigs News Release


A balanced 11-hit attack saw the Triple-A Phillies defeat the Pirates 8-5 Thursday afternoon in Bradenton, bumping the squad's spring record to 7-5-1 with one spring training game remaining.

A trio of players recorded two-hit days for the Phils, as INF Cesar Hernandez went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a stolen base and C John Suomi and OF Delmon Young each finished 2-for-3. Young and INF Cody Asche each drove in three runs, and INF Josh Fields had the other multi-RBI day, finishing 1-for-3 and driving in a pair. OF Darin Ruf hit his first double in Triple-A camp and scored a run, while INF Matt Tolbert doubled and scored twice as the team scored its second-highest run total of the spring.

On the mound left-hander Adam Morgan started, going 5 2/3 innings and allowing two runs on three hits and a walk while striking out six. Morgan, the fifth-best prospect in the Phillies system according to Baseball America, made three starts for the Triple-A Phils on the spring, and in 14 2/3 frames posted a 2.46 ERA, striking out 16 and surrendering just seven hits. Relieving the southpaw was Jay Johnson, who went 1 1/3 innings and allowed three runs (one earned). Justin Friend took over in the eighth and didn't allow a base runner, while Luis Paulino closed the game, striking out one in a scoreless ninth.

Friend, who joined the organization after the Phillies selected him in the 2010 Rule 5 draft, was superb in 38 games with Double-A Reading last season, going 2-0 with a 0.23 ERA and 24 saves. The California native allowed just two runs (one earned) in 39 2/3 innings of work, surrendered just 24 hits and struck out 41. Those numbers produced a promotion to Lehigh Valley at the end of June and he proceeded to go 2-1 with a 4.40 ERA in 12 games for the IronPigs the rest of the way, earning his first Triple-A save in the process.

The Triple-A Phillies wrap up their spring schedule Friday when they host the Blue Jays at the Carpenter Complex with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. The team heads north on Saturday and hosts an exhibition game against the Reading Fightin Phils on April 2, before officially opening its International League schedule April 4 when it hosts the Syracuse Chiefs.

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