Bunts and Balks (8/2)

Pedro Martinez will make his third minor league rehab start, on Wednesday for the Reading Phillies (AA).
Martinez struggled in his second rehab start, last Friday (5 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 K). This will also keep Phillies' starter J.A. Happ in the parent club's rotation, at least for another turn.

Relievers J.C. Romero, Clay Condrey, and Chad Durbin are all progressing in their rehabs. First one available to return gets Kyle Kendrick's roster spot. The second one ready gets Tyler Walker's spot. Third place gets DFA'd. (Or takes Durbin's roster spot, so he can be DFA'd.) In summation, Walker and Durbin are the only ones getting DFA'd here. (At least untli Martinez is ready for promotion...)

The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (AAA) had a 3-2 lead on Sunday, after seven innings. The bullpen failed, and the FeHogs lost to the Rochester Red Wings, 4-3.
Gustavo Chacin pitched well, permitting two runs, over seven innings (eight hits, two walks, two whiffs, one home run allowed). Gary Majewski allowed the Red Wings to tie the score in the eighth. Jack Taschner entered the tied game in the bottom of the ninth. One out, and three hits later, Rochester had a walkoff win. The highlight of the game was an outstanding defensive play: a fan caught a foul ball in his beer cup!
Recently-promoted backup catcher Kevin Nelson made his first AAA start, going 2 for 4, with a pair of doubles.
LHP Joe Savery will make his first AAA start on Monday night. (The parent club has an off day, so all fans should be tuning in to the IronPigs' internet broadcast!)

The Reading Phillies (AA) lost to the Erie Seawolves, 3-1.
Michael Galen Cisco made his first start, since his promotion from Clearwater (A), throwing six innings, but was mortally wounded by a fifth-inning two-run blast by Cale Iorg. (To recap, the grandson of Galen Cisco permitted a homer to Garth Iorg's son.) Cisco allowed three runs, on six hits, and two walks (five strikeouts). Chance Chapman (one whiff) and Scott Mathieson (two whiffs) each followed Cisco with a scoreless frame. Recently-promoted Dominic Brown, 0 for 3 in his AA debut on Saturday, was 2 for 4, with a pair of singles.

The Clearwater Threshers (A) fell to the Fort Myers Miracle, 5-2.
Starter Edgar Garcia surrendered two runs, on four hits and two walks (three whiffs), in four innings. Joe Bisenius followed with a scoreless inning (one hit, one walk/one strikeout). Steve Susdorf (.393) was 2 for 4, as was recently-demoted Gus Milner.

The top four Phillies' teams all lost. Not a good day.