Alfaro has four-hit night for Fightin Phils

After not playing a single game for Double-A Reading last year, Jorge Alfaro has made a great impression through two contests with the team this season.

The Phillies' No. 6 prospect went 4-for-5 with a double and a pair of RBIs on Friday night to help lead the Fightin Phils to an 8-3 victory over visiting Portland at FirstEnergy Stadium.

The native of Colombia put the Fightin Phils on the board in the bottom of the first inning with a single up the middle off Sea Dogs right-hander Justin Haley (0-1). He followed it up with a line drive single to center in the third that scored Dylan Cozens before leading off the fifth with a double to left field off reliever Mitch Atkins. The 2010 international free agent signee nearly picked up a third RBI on his eighth-inning infield single, but Portland first baseman Jordan Weems threw out Cozens at the plate to end the frame.

Acquired from the Rangers at last year's trade deadline along with top prospects Nick Williams and Jake Thompson in the Cole Hamels deal, Alfaro missed the entire second half of the 2015 season with a left ankle injury. As a result, the 22-year-old stayed behind in Reading while Thompson and Williams graduated to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

Alfaro has started his Eastern League career strong, cracking five hits in his first nine at-bats. MLB.com's No. 95 overall prospect made a name for himself in the Rangers system with his power, both at the plate and behind it. Over six seasons, he has belted 52 home runs while throwing out 27 percent of attempted base-stealers in 307 games.

The 6-foot-2, 225-pound backstop helped guide Reading starter Ben Lively (1-0), who allowed two runs on four hits and a walk and fanned seven over six frames to get the win.

Batting leadoff, Fightin Phils outfielder Angelo Mora went 3-for-4 with two doubles and a solo homer. Top Phillies prospect J.P. Crawford finished with two singles and a walk.

Portland third baseman Jantzen Witte smacked three hits, including his second homer in as many games.