Green homers twice for BlueClaws

Phillies prospect Zach Green did not feel 100 percent when he reported to Spring Training, but as he has done most of his baseball career, he played through the soreness.

Two weeks into the season, however, the problems returned and it got to the point where he couldn't feel or move his leg. It was his body's way of telling him that he needed to rest.

Healthy and fresh again, Green is now looking to make up for lost time. The No. 14 Phillies prospect went 3-for-5 with two homers and four RBIs in the Lakewood BlueClaws' 10-5 win over the host West Virginia Power.

"Obviously it was a good game and we got a win and ended the losing streak," Green said. "I was ready to hit the fastball and I was looking for it. Lately I've been missing them, so I'm been taking early work in batting practice."

Green homered to left field with one out in the second inning, singled to load the bases in the fourth and went deep again to left with a three-run shot in the seventh. It marked his third multi-homer game. He also accomplished the feat for short-season Williamsport last June 25 against Batavia and Aug. 2 against Staten Island.

"I was looking for a pitch down the middle, a fastball, and he gave it to me," Green said of his first homer. "I'm always looking for a fastball. I had a pretty good idea it was gone. [The second homer], he threw me a first-pitch slider then he came back with a fastball inside and I turned on it pretty well."

Green was batting .186 when he went on the disabled list with a lower back injury on April 19, 15 games into the season. After a seven-week rehab stint in Clearwater, Green rejoined the BlueClaws on June 11.

Since his return, Green is 18-for-56 (.321) with 10 RBIs and six runs in 15 South Atlantic League contests.

"It was a sciatic nerve in my lower back and my glute," Green said. "The rest really helped. Everyone has something that is wrong with them, you never play a game where your whole body is good. I felt it through Spring Training, but kept getting through it. Then it just went out and my leg wasn't working."

Lakewood reliever Jesen Therrien (2-0) allowed one unearned run on five hits and two walks while striking out three batters over four innings. Starter Julio Reyes surrendered four runs over 1 2/3 innings and did not factor in the decision.

West Virginia's Zack Von Rosenberg (0-1) gave up five runs on seven hits over three inning. He struck out one batter and issued one walk.