Phillies minor league report: Big inning helps Reading snap six-game losing skid

The Fightin Phils rallied with seven runs  in the sixth inning, David Parkinson pitched another gem for Lakewood and Lehigh Valley earned back-to-back wins. Here's a rundown of the Phillies farm system for Sunday:

Lehigh Valley 3, Pawtucket 2: Three runs in the seventh — two on RF Matt McBride's home run — powered the IronPigs (40-29, 1st in IL North) to the series win.

McBride brought 1B Joey Meneses in with his seventh homer of the year. Then, after two more reached base, DH Nick Rickles's RBI groundout put the IronPigs in front 3-1.

The Red Sox (32-35) went ahead 1-0 in the fifth inning on a fielding error by 2B Alexi Amarista.

It was nearly disaster in the ninth, but LH Tom Windle (S, 2) helped the IronPigs escape Pedro Beato's bases-loaded jam with no outs.

LH Zac Curtis earned the win (2-1) with two innings pitched in relief of starter Tom Eshelman, who was solid after two straight poor outings. The righthander allowed just one unearned run in five innings with eight hits scattered. It was the first time this season Eshelman did not allow an earned run.

The IronPigs are off Monday. They open a three-game set Tuesday at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (33-35), the Yankees' affiliate, at 7:05 p.m.

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Reading 10, Akron 7: The Fightin Phils' (27-40) losing streak stopped at six games as they came from behind to win courtesy of a seven-run sixth inning.

An RBI single from SS Malquin Canelo made it a 4-4 game in the sixth. Then Reading tacked on a few more via DH Kyle Martin (two-run double) and RF Cord Sandberg (RBI single).

1B Darick Hall (2 for 4) capped the breakout frame with a three-run shot, his second homer in as many days, for a 10-4 lead.

Fourth-inning singles by C Deivi Grullon (2 RBI) and Martin (RBI) put the Fightins up 3-0, and then Akron (39-30) added two runs in each of the next two innings against RH Ranfi Casimiro (W, 3-2).

Casimiro, in for RH Jacob Waguespack, tossed just the two innings but was on record before Reading retook the lead for good.

Following a day off, the Fightin Phils travel to Portland (26-41, Boston affiliate) on Tuesday for a 5:00 p.m. doubleheader.

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Clearwater, off over the weekend for the All-Star break, will return to action Monday at 6:30 p.m. against Pittsburgh affiliate Bradenton (33-29). The Threshers are 10-5 in June and winners of four straight.

Lakewood 4, Hickory 0: LH David Parkinson fanned a career-high 11 and his shutout streak to 19 innings as the BlueClaws (41-28, 1st in SAL Northern) took a third straight series.

The 22-year-old allowed just three hits to continue his masterful run that began two starts back on June 3. Parkinson (1.07 ERA) has allowed only three unearned runs in five starts since May 21, with at least seven strikeouts in each.

3B Jake Scheiner (2 for 4) had a solo homer in the fourth inning and C Rodolfo Duran (1 for 3) hit a shot of his own in the seventh.

Due to the All-Star break, Lakewood is not in action again until Thursday against Columbia (34-33, Mets affiliate) at 7:05 p.m.

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State College 2, Williamsport 0 (F/10 inn.): A second consecutive extra-inning game left the Crosscutters (1-2) with another loss, dropping the opening series.

The Spikes (2-1) put the first and only runs on the board in the top of the 10th thanks to DH Stanley Espinal's two-run homer. It was only the fifth hit allowed, and only hit against RH Luis Ramirez (L, 0-1) in the inning.

Williamsport starter Manuel Silva, a 19-year-old lefthander, tossed six innings of two-hit ball. But the Crosscutters faced a formidable hurler themselves in RH Angel Rondon, who allowed just two hits over seven innings.

Williamsport totaled three hits for the game, a single each from the 3-5 hitters RF Matt Vierling, LF Ben Pelletier, and 3B Seth Lancaster.

Williamsport remains home Monday at 7:05 p.m. to begin a three-game set against Auburn (2-1), the Washington affiliate.

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