Fightins' Cozens continues historic pace

Dylan Cozens' breakout season has reached historic proportions. 

Not only did the Phillies' seventh-ranked prospect tie Darin Ruf's single-season home run record, he ran his RBI total to 120 to tie Greg Luzinski's team mark as Double-A Reading pounded Portland, 14-6, on Wednesday at FirstEnergy Stadium. 

Mired in a 2-for-28 slump, Cozens got the Fightins on the board in the first inning. The 22-year-old right fielder followed a two-out single by Phillies No. 4 prospect Jorge Alfaro by socking his 38th homer to right-center field, tying the record Ruf set in 2012.

"I approached it like any other at-bat. I was just looking for a pitch to drive and tried not to miss it," Cozens said. "It's good to be swinging well again. To get out of that slump feels good and I'm looking forward to doing some damage for the rest of the year."

Cozens needs two homers in Reading's final five games to become the first Eastern Leaguer to hit 40 in a season since Ron Kittle accomplished the feat for the Glen Falls White Sox in 1981. And even though the 40-homer plateau is within reach, it isn't at the forefront of Cozens' mind.

"I'm just trying to focus on winning the championship and getting better every day," he said. "I'm trying not to worry about that stuff too much."

Reading continued its onslaught in the fifth when Alfaro -- MLB.com's No. 63 overall prospect -- smashed a two-run shot, his 15th of the season and second in as many games. 

"This is a great team with a bunch of really good players," Cozens said. "I knew we were going to be good from the beginning of the season when I found out who they were putting here. I'm not that surprised that we've been as good as we are."

After Alfaro, who finished 4-for-5 and has seven hits in his last two games, smacked a one-out double in the eighth -- Cozens delivered a two-run single to right. That tied Luzinski's RBI mark, which he set as a 19-year-old in 1970.

"The stadium put the countdown on the big screen, so I knew about tying the record," Cozens said. "I'm happy I was able to get the job done. It was a good night."

Rhys Hoskins, who ranks second in the Minors behind Cozens with 37 homers, tripled and drove in his 113th run, while Christian Marrero went 3-for-4 with a solo homer.

Phillies No. 19 prospect Tom Eshelman (5-5) started for Reading and allowed two runs on six hits while striking out four over six innings. 

Portland's Aneury Tavarez, whose .336 batting average leads the Eastern League, went 4-for-5 with a double and a run scored. Sea Dogs starter Keith Couch (9-5) surrendered seven runs on eight hits and a walk with two strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings.