Phillies: Lehigh Valley Tops Reading 5-3 in 222 Exhibition
By John Town
Triple-A Lehigh Valley beat Double-A Reading, 5-3, in an exhibition matchup between the Phillies top two minor-league affiliates.
Dylan Cozens homered and Cameron Perkins drove in two runs as the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs defeated the Double-A Reading Fightin’ Phils by a 5-3 score. It was the tenth annual “222 Showcase” between the two Phillies minor-league affiliates.
Reading jumped out to an early lead with a three-run second inning. Mark Appel gave up two singles to start the inning before Jiandido Tromp knocked a RBI double off the left field wall at Coca-Cola Park. Harold Martinez later drove in two on a single but was thrown out trying to reach second to end the inning.
Despite not performing too well, Appel was just excited to be back in action after missing most of the 2016 season, telling Tom Housenick of the Morning Call:
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"“The fire to be back on the mound is as strong as it’s ever been. Last year was a good thing, a test of my emotions.”"
The IronPigs got one run back in the bottom of the inning when Cozens laced his first home run in Lehigh Valley off of Brandon Leibrandt after Drew Anderson started the game. There is concern that Lehigh Valley’s home stadium, Coca-Cola Park, will limit Cozens’ power this season.
Cozens told Marc Narducci of Philly.com that he thinks he can hit home runs “anywhere”, saying “I don’t worry about the park. I know if I hit the ball well, it will go out no matter where.”
Lehigh Valley’s manager, Dusty Wathan, isn’t concerned either, telling Narducci, “The park factor is minimal to me.”
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After Appel exited, Lehigh Valley’s relievers were dominant. Nick Pivetta two pitched perfect innings, and Mark Leiter, Jr., Hoby Milner, Michael Mariot, Pedro Beato, and Luis Garcia followed up with scoreless innings of their own.
Shane Watson, Yacksel Rios, and Matt Hockenberry threw scoreless innings of their own for Reading in relief of Leibrandt.
The bottom of the seventh is when the game turned to Lehigh Valley’s favor. Reading sent out Tom Windle to pitch, and he struck out Cozens but a single and two errors loaded the bases.
Perkins tied up the game with a two-run single that scored Logan Moore and Rhys Hoskins. Nick Williams and Perkins later scored to give Lehigh Valley their 5-3 lead. All four runs against Windle were unearned.
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Reading and Lehigh Valley both are scheduled to open their seasons Thursday, but weather concerns loom over central Pennsylvania and could force the openers to be moved.