BOCA CHICA, DR-The Junior National Teams four game winning streak in the Dominican Summer League came to an end today as they were defeated 11-6 by the Philadelphia Phillies Dominican prospects at the Phillies Complex in Boca Chica.
The juniors did not do themselves any favours as they gave-up 13 walks and hit two batters allowing their opponents to score 11 runs on only six hits.
The juniors actually held a 5-1 lead through two and a half innings, but gave-up five runs in the bottom of the third and the Phillies never looked back.
After Jake Lumley (Windsor, ON) scored the game first run in the top of the first by reaching on a fielder’s choice, stealing second and scoring on an error, the juniors put up three runs in the top of the second.
Morgan Loftsrom (Kelowna, BC) singled to right field with the bases loaded bringing in two runs and Chris Thibideau (Dartmouth, NS) followed with a walk to score another run.
Jordan Schulz (Strasbourg, SK) kept thing going in the third when he doubled on a drive to centre that went over the fielder's head to score Gareth Morgan (Toronto, ON) from second base.
Starter Dylan Brooks (Dorchester, ON) looked good early working a scoreless first and giving up a run on a wild-pitch in the second, before struggling in the third where the Phillies took the lead with a five run inning.
Brooks walked three batters, gave-up two singles and the juniors committed an error and the Phillies led 6-5.
In the fourth, Brooks allowed a walk before getting a groundout, but another walk ended his outing and Cal Quantrill (Port Hope, ON) came into the game with one out and runners on first and second.
Quantrill walked the first batter he face to load the bases and an error brought in the seventh Phillies run of the game.
From there, Quantrill settled in and managed a strikeout and groundout to end the inning.
Walks continued to haunt the juniors in the fifth as reliever Morgan Lofstrom issued two and gave-up an RBI single to put the Phillies up by three.
With runners on first and second and one out, Loftsrom got out of trouble getting a strikeout and fly-out to end the threat.
The juniors cut into the Phillies lead in the top of the sixth as Jordan Schulz (Strasbourg, SK) scored on a walk to Chris Thibedeau giving him two RBI’s on the day.
Travis Seabrooke (Peterborough, ON) turned in a fine performance in the seventh as he used only ten pitches to record a strikeout, groundout and fly-out in a perfect inning of work.
The Phillies put the game out of reach in the eighth as Sean Ratcliffe (Ajax, ON) hit the first two batters he faced before giving up a walk which led to a two-run single and another run coming in on a fielder’s choice.
Josh Naylor kept his hot bat going as he lined two sharp singles to right field for a 2-for-4 day at the plate.
The Junior National Teams record in the Dominican Summer League now sits at 4-3 with three games still to play.
This afternoon’s game scheduled with the Detroit Tigers Dominican prospects was cancelled due to heavy rain in the San Pedro de Macoris area.
Notes: Luke Manuel (Surrey, BC) gets the start on the mound tomorrow when the juniors travel to Guerra to take on the Seattle Mariners Dominican prospects at 11am… The trip will wrap-up on Thursday evening when the juniors will travel to Santo Domingo to face some of the top MLB Dominican prospects that will be eligible to sign with big-league clubs on July 2nd.
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