Pharm Phocus: Maikel Franco has a birthday bash

Mar 4, 2014; Clearwater, FL, USA; Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco (74) bats in the fourth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Bright House Field. Mandatory Credit: David Manning-USA TODAY Sports

WILLIAMSPORT CROSSCUTTERS:

Williamsport’s offense erupted Tuesday with eight runs on 15 hits in a 8-1 win over the Batavia Muckdogs.

Deivi Grullon went 2-for-5 and drove in three runs.  Only two players in the Cutters lineup did not get hits, but the seven who did each had more than one.

Feliberto Sanchez improved to 3-8, throwing 5.2 innings and giving up the only Batavia run.  The bullpen held the Muckdogs scoreless in the last 3.1 innings.

LAKEWOOD BLUECLAWS:

Lakewood continues to struggle in its last home series of 2014.  The BlueClaws fell 6-2 to the Hickory Crawdads Tuesday.

Tyler Viza lost his 17th game as he gave up five runs, four of them earned, in 3.2 innings.

Dylan Cozens hit his 16th home run of the season with a man on to account for the only two Lakewood runs.

Designated hitter Aaron Brown went 2-for-4 with a double and has a .371 batting average.

CLEARWATER THRESHERS:

The Tampa Yankees got the best of Mark Leiter and the Clearwater Threshers Tuesday in a 4-1 game.

Leiter moved to 3-5 on the season after allowing ten hits and three runs, two of them earned, over 6.1 innings.

Centerfielder Roman Quinn went 1-for-3 with a walk on the day he was named to the Arizona Fall League roster.

READING FIGHTIN’ PHILS:

Reading’s timely offense backed a strong outing by Ryan O’Sullivan as the Fightin’ Phils beat the Portland Sea Dogs 4-1 on Tuesday.

O’Sullivan, placed on the AFL roster Tuesday, pitched seven scoreless innings and struck out six to improve to 6-8.

Shortstop KC Serna, batting .283, had three hits and scored twice while driving in a run.

LEHIGH VALLEY IRON PIGS:

On his 22nd birthday, IronPigs’ slugger Maikel Franco hit a grand slam that helped Lehigh Valley beat the Syracuse Chiefs 5-4 Tuesday night.

In his last 40 at bats Franco has nine runs, 17 hits, five home runs and 13 RBIs.  He has homered in four of his last five games.

John Mayberry went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.  He is batting .182 in his rehab assignment.

Mike Adams and Luis Garcia eached pitched a scoreless inning of relief.  Adams recorded a hold in his first rehab appearance and Garcia picked up his 21st save.