Hoskins does everything but homer for IronPigs

Rhys Hoskins has made his name with the long ball, but that was seemingly the only thing he didn't do Thursday.
Philadelphia's No. 13 prospect went 4-for-5 -- falling a homer shy of the cycle -- and drove in five runs as Triple-A Lehigh Valley topped Buffalo, 10-7, at Coca-Cola Park.

Hoskins lined an RBI single to right field in the first inning, then flied out to center in the third. An inning later, he smashed a bases-loaded triple off the wall in right.
"I knew [Bisons starter TJ House] had to come after me with the bases loaded," the 24-year-old said. "My only thought was try to see something up and out over the plate. Something that I could do a little damage on."
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The triple -- Hoskins' first of the season and just his eighth in 373 Minor League games -- became a source of humor for his IronPigs teammates.
"Guys were joking around with me about the triple, that I was able to get rid of that zero on my scoreboard," he said. "It was good fun. It was one of those things where, with the big wall in right, it's rough for the outfielder to judge. I got a good carom and I believe there was one out, so my thought going around second was try to get to third base for Nick Williams."

Hoskins beat out an infield single to third in the sixth before nabbing his fifth RBI with a double to left in the eighth. The 2014 fifth-round pick was admittedly more concerned with a victory than his lofty RBI total.
"I know it was another big situation obviously to try and tack on an insurance run in the eighth inning before we try to go close the game out," Hoskins said. "That was what I was trying to do, and it was the same kind of thing. I got a pitch up and was able to put a good swing on it."
In his last two games against Buffalo, the 6-foot-4, 225-pound first baseman has driven in nine runs on five hits. With 14 RBIs through 10 games in May, he has moved into a tie with Durham's Patrick Leonard for the International League lead with 26.
Hoskins said he's getting increasingly more comfortable in his first Triple-A stint.
"I think the way the schedule has been configured, we've been able to see a couple arms two times in a row now," the Sacramento State University product said. "Obviously that helps the hitters out a lot, being a little more familiar with what the pitcher features. I think that has more to do with it than anything."

Jorge Alfaro, Philadelphia's third-ranked prospect, continued to rake as well. The 23-year-old catcher amassed three hits and three runs to raise his average to .333.
"The guy can hit, huh?" Hoskins said. "I feel like everything he swings at, he hits hard. Everything is hard-hit, which I think is something that is going to translate to the next level. If he swings at a pitch in the strike zone, he usually doesn't miss."
Phillies No. 17 prospect Ricardo Pinto (3-3) allowed six runs on eight hits and three walks while striking out four over 5 1/3 frames.
House (4-2) was tagged for eight runs on nine hits and a pair of walks over five innings for the Bisons.