Alfaro posts four RBIs on another big night

If Jorge Alfaro was already off to a hot start for Triple-A Lehigh Valley, he officially ignited on Tuesday.
The third-ranked Phillies prospect homered, drove in four runs and scored twice on his second straight three-hit night, helping the IronPigs to an 8-5 win over Columbus at Huntington Park.

Box score
The performance -- his fourth multiple-hit game of the season -- boosted Alfaro's batting average to .377 through 15 International League games. He opened the year with 13 knocks during an eight-game hitting streak and, after a 1-for-11 stretch, he's 9-for-17 over his last four.

The 23-year-old catcher was acquired from the Rangers in the 2015 Trade Deadline blockbuster involving Cole Hamels, but he missed much of that season with an ankle injury. Mostly healthy last year, he hit .285/.325/.458 with 15 homers in 97 games for Double-A Reading and got into six Major League games.
On Tuesday, with No. 6 prospect Roman Quinn aboard with one out in the first inning, Alfaro fell behind No. 15 Indians prospect Adam Plutko, 1-2, but won a five-pitch battle by lining a single up the middle. No. 13 prospect Rhys Hoskins plated both runners with a double.
Alfaro grounded out against Plutko in the third but dropped an opposite-field RBI single into right field when he faced the 25-year-old right-hander again in the fifth, although he was thrown out going for a double.

The Colombia native wouldn't be denied extra bases in the seventh, though. Facing Indians No. 24 prospect Shawn Armstrong, another righty, Alfaro socked an opposite-field three-run jack on a 2-1 pitch.
A two-time All-Star Futures Game selection, Alfaro used his defense to show what makes him MLB.com's  No. 67 overall prospect, throwing out top Tribe prospect Bradley Zimmer and Tyler Naquin -- the only two Clippers who attempted to steal.

In the ninth, Naquin smoked a one-out double to center field, scoring Adam Moore from second and sending No. 10 prospect Yandy Díaz racing in from first. Diaz beat a strong relay from second baseman Jesmuel Valentín, but Alfaro whirled around with the tag and got the runner as he missed home plate.
Quinn finished 3-for-4 with a walk, an RBI, a stolen base and two runs scored. Hoskins singled in addition to his two-run double.
Zimmer was 3-for-3 with two doubles, a walk, and an outfield assist for Columbus.