Amarante Leads Pitcher's Duel in Scrimmage Tie

Juan Amarante struck five batters, and Jack Barker picked up two key hits for the Phillies in a minor league scrimmage on Friday at the Carpenter Complex. Friday's action finished in a 2-2 tie as both teams prepared for Saturday's Spring Breakout finale.

The game remained without a run or a hit until the second out of the third inning, when Yankees' shortstop Dexters Peralta smashed a double into deep left field. After rounding second, Phillies left fielder Jack Barker began a perfect relay after fielding the ball on the warning track, hitting Juan Villavicencio on the cutoff throw to catch Peralta in a rundown. The throw went to third, and Logan Dawson tagged the runner to end the top of the third and keep the game scoreless. The Yankees led off the fourth inning with back-to-back solo home runs to open the scoring.

Barker picked up the first hit for the Phillies prospects in the bottom of the fourth inning, belting a triple off the top of the left-centerfield wall to lead off the frame. After two outs in the frame, Angel Mata took a two-strike pitch into right field to plate Barker for the Phillies' first run.

The score remained 2-1 until the bottom of the eighth, which began with a single by Barker. He promptly stole second and moved to third on a groundout. With two outs in the frame, a wild pitch got past the Yankees' catcher, allowing Barker to scamper home from third and score to tie the game at two.

It was still tied at two in the bottom of the ninth, after a second consecutive 1-2-3 inning from Juan Amarante. After the first out in the final frame, Guillermo Rosario reached on an error by the Yankees' shortstop, moving to second after a pitch hit Nolan Beltran. Barker got hit by a pitch after the second out in the ninth to load the bases.

Alexander De Los Santos tossed 2.0 scoreless and hitless innings, walking one batter and striking out three. Tegan Cain pitched 1.0 shutout frame with just one hit allowed. Matt Potok surrendered two runs on four hits with one strikeout. Jacob Pruitt threw 2.0 shutout innings with two hits allowed and one strikeout. Amarante retired all six batters he faced, striking out five hitters in 2.0 scoreless and hitless innings.

To purchase tickets for Phillies Spring Training, please email [email protected] or call us at 727-467-4457...The BayCare Ballpark Box Office is open Monday through Friday from 10 am – 5 pm...The box office will be open on Saturdays from 10 am - 3 pm...Visit our website at threshersbaseball.com for information on tickets and promotions for the upcoming minor league season.