Carolina League

READING - Chris Coste hit a two-run homer last night as the Reading Phillies beat the Harrisburg Senators, 7-2, in the Eastern League. Hagerstown 16, Lakewood 3 HAGERSTOWN, Md. - Justin Maxwell's 12th home run of the season highlighted an 18-hit attack in the Suns' South Atlantic League victory. Kinston 9, Wilmington 8 WILMINGTON - Stephen Head's two-run single in the top of the ninth drove in the winning run for the Indians in the Carolina League. Rained out. The Camden Riversharks at Bridgeport Bluefish, the Richmond Braves at Ottawa Lynx, and Nashua Pride at Atlantic City Surf games were rained out.

Bill McCarthy's two-run double in the first inning helped the Myrtle Beach Pelicans beat the Wilmington Blue Rocks, 4-1, in a Carolina League game last night. Losing pitcher Danny Tamayo (5-4) allowed four earned runs over six innings and left the game trailing, 4-0. The Pelicans scored two runs in the fourth inning on a solo home run by Byron Jeffcoat and a two-out, run-scoring double by Kelly Johnson. The Blue Rocks avoided a shutout by scoring in the ninth against reliever Alec Zumwalt.

The Reading Phillies couldn't match two home runs by the Harrisburg Senators and lost, 4-1, in the Eastern League last night. The Phillies scored their only run in the seventh inning, when Tommy Eason singled and Chad McConnell doubled. WILMINGTON 6, FREDERICK 3 FREDERICK, Md. - The Blue Rocks used three hits apiece from Mike Sweeney and Ramy Brooks to down the Keys in the Carolina League. Sweeney, in his first game as a Blue Rock, homered in the fifth to highlight the scoring.

1. The rivalry between Germantown Friends School and Germantown Academy could one day carry into the big leagues. It's been well-documented in these pages that Jesse Biddle, the pride of Friends, is dominating at double-A Reading. Sean Coyle, representing Academy, has been equally as dominating as an outfielder for Boston's high-A affiliate, Salem of the Carolina League. Coyle entered play Saturday hitting .313 with seven home runs, 12 RBIs, and a 1.086 OPS. 2. The price tag for the acquisition of Michael Young from Texas was hard-throwing righthanders Josh Lindblom and Lisalverto Bonilla.

Yesterday's mix of rain, sleet and snow kept the area's minor-league teams out of action last night. In the International League, the snowed-out game between the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons and the Rochester Red Wings in Moosic, Pa., is to be made up as part of a doubleheader at 6 tonight. In the Eastern League, the game between the Reading Phillies and the visiting Bowie Baysox was rescheduled for July 6 as part of a day-night doubleheader. The games will be played at 1:05 p.m. and 6:35 p.m., and separate admissions will be charged.

ERIE, Pa. - Jason Knupfer's two-run single ignited a five-run seventh inning as the Reading Phillies defeated the Erie SeaWolves, 10-6, yesterday to salvage a split of an Eastern League doubleheader. Erie won the first game, 4-3. Reading rapped out 12 hits in the second game to raise its record to 17-12. Gary Burnham and Carmine Cappuccio each hit two-run singles in a four-run first, and both finished with three RBIs. FREDERICK 11, WILMINGTON 8 FREDERICK, Md. - Mike Lopez-Cao had a double and three RBIs as the Keys won the Carolina League game.

TRENTON - Jose Pirella's three-run triple keyed a five-run fifth as the Trenton Thunder defeated the Portland Sea Dogs, 7-1, in the Eastern League on Wednesday. Cody Johnson added a two-run homer and Dellin Betances allowed only one run in five innings for the win. Wilmington 7, Lynchburg 3 WILMINGTON - Nick Francis singled twice and drove in two runs as the Blue Rocks beat the Hillcats in the Carolina League. Jake Odorizzi struck out eight in six innings to get the win. Long Island 5, Camden 2 Jeff Francia was 4 for 5 but the Riversharks fell to the visiting Ducks in an Atlantic League game at Campbell's Field.

  CLEARWATER, Fla. - Torre Langley's two-out single in the bottom of the 10th inning scored Brian Gump from third base to give the Clearwater Threshers (72-58) a walk-off, 4-3 win over the Lakeland Flying Tigers (60-69) in a Florida State league game at Bright House Field on Sunday. Clearwater's Darin Ruf homered to left on the first pitch in the fourth, his 17th of the season. In the sixth, the Threshers' Cyle Hankerd hit an inside-the-park homer to left to tie the game at 3. Wilmington 5, Salem 4 SALEM, Va. - Whit Merrifield scored on a wild pitch in the top of the ninth as the Blue Rocks (26-36)

LAKEWOOD, N.J. - The Greensboro Grasshoppers broke a 1-1 tie in the top of ninth Wednesday, scoring three runs off Lakewood relievers Jay Johnson and Chase Johnson on the way to a 4-1 South Atlantic League win. Jay Johnson started the ninth and was charged with all three runs after he left with one out and the bases loaded. Greensboro's Michael Brady was perfect in the bottom of the ninth for his seventh save. Wilmington 6, Frederick 5 WILMINGTON - The Blue Rocks earned their first walk-off win of the season, over the Keys in Carolina League action, on a wild pitch.

Rob Christ has played baseball. He has promoted it. He has described it on radio. Now he's coaching it for the first time. He is the new guy holding the fungo bat at Gateway High School. He is 32 years old and gung ho. "I want to make my players hungry," he said. "I've always believed that desire can overcome talent. I've always believed that you can be successful if you want it more than the next person. " Those are the beliefs of a guy who has had to hustle to get where he is, although most of that hustle has been away from the field.

1. The rivalry between Germantown Friends School and Germantown Academy could one day carry into the big leagues. It's been well-documented in these pages that Jesse Biddle, the pride of Friends, is dominating at double-A Reading. Sean Coyle, representing Academy, has been equally as dominating as an outfielder for Boston's high-A affiliate, Salem of the Carolina League. Coyle entered play Saturday hitting .313 with seven home runs, 12 RBIs, and a 1.086 OPS. 2. The price tag for the acquisition of Michael Young from Texas was hard-throwing righthanders Josh Lindblom and Lisalverto Bonilla.

  CLEARWATER, Fla. - Torre Langley's two-out single in the bottom of the 10th inning scored Brian Gump from third base to give the Clearwater Threshers (72-58) a walk-off, 4-3 win over the Lakeland Flying Tigers (60-69) in a Florida State league game at Bright House Field on Sunday. Clearwater's Darin Ruf homered to left on the first pitch in the fourth, his 17th of the season. In the sixth, the Threshers' Cyle Hankerd hit an inside-the-park homer to left to tie the game at 3. Wilmington 5, Salem 4 SALEM, Va. - Whit Merrifield scored on a wild pitch in the top of the ninth as the Blue Rocks (26-36)

ALLENTOWN - Juan Francisco homered and drove in four runs to lead the Louisville Bats past the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, 8-7, in the International League on Monday. Lehigh Valley's Vance Worley struck out seven in six innings and gave up only three runs but did not figure in the decision. IronPigs catcher Erik Kratz, who grew up in Telford, was 3 for 3 with two doubles and three RBIs. Elsewhere: Ervis Manzanillo struck out six in 52/3 innings to lead Lakewood past Hagerstown, 3-1, in the South Atlantic League.

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. - Jose Lugo and three relievers limited Lehigh Valley to five hits as the Gwinnett Braves built a 5-0 lead and went on to defeat the IronPigs, 7-2, in an International League contest at Coolray Field. Reading 4, Akron 2 READING - T.J. McFarland gave up three runs on eight hits through six innings, including two home runs, and the Aeros left nine men on base in a loss to the Phillies in Eastern League play.   Delmarva 5, Lakewood 4 LAKEWOOD, N.J. - The Shorebirds held the BlueClaws scoreless over the final four innings to earn a series finale win in the South Atlantic League.

LAKEWOOD, N.J. - The Greensboro Grasshoppers broke a 1-1 tie in the top of ninth Wednesday, scoring three runs off Lakewood relievers Jay Johnson and Chase Johnson on the way to a 4-1 South Atlantic League win. Jay Johnson started the ninth and was charged with all three runs after he left with one out and the bases loaded. Greensboro's Michael Brady was perfect in the bottom of the ninth for his seventh save. Wilmington 6, Frederick 5 WILMINGTON - The Blue Rocks earned their first walk-off win of the season, over the Keys in Carolina League action, on a wild pitch.

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Jose Duarte's RBI single in the bottom of the 23d inning early Tuesday morning gave the Jupiter Hammerheads a 3-2 victory over the Clearwater Threshers of the Florida State League in what is surely the most amazing minor league game of the season. Both teams used eight pitchers and the Threshers' Joe Savery and Sebastian Valle both batted 10 times. Lakewood 6, West Virginia 5 CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Aaron Altherr's RBI single in the 10th gave the BlueClaws the win over the Power in the South Atlantic League.

MOOSIC, Pa. - Domonic Brown singled in the go-ahead run in the top of 11th inning, and Lehigh Valley beat Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, 5-4, in the International League on Wednesday. The extra innings allowed Brown to tie Mike Cervenak's franchise-record 18-game hitting streak, set in 2008. He was 0 for 4 with a walk before batting in the 11th.     Wilmington 7, Salem 1 Wilmington 5, Salem 1   SALEM, Va. - Tim Ferguson hit a two-run homer in the first game, and Rey Navarro slugged a three-run shot in the second, as the Blue Rocks swept the Red Sox in the Carolina League.

ALLENTOWN - Josh Barfield went 3 for 4 with a homer and drove in a pair of runs to lead the Lehigh Valley IronPigs past the Norfolk Tides, 4-3, in the International League on Monday. Ryan Feierabend allowed two runs in five innings to get the win. Former Phillie David Herndon got his first save since being returned to the triple-A team earlier this month. Brandon Moss had two hits, including a double, and an RBI for Lehigh Valley. Norfolk starter Rick VandenHurk struck out seven in five innings and allowed three earned runs, earning the loss.

TOLEDO, Ohio - The IronPigs' Nathan Bump gave up one run over seven innings and was followed by Kenneth Herndon, who shut down the Mud Hens for an 8-1 win in International League action at Fifth Third Field. Lehigh Valley managed just eight hits, but Brian Bocock, Tagg Bozied, and Delwyn Young each had two RBIs as the IronPigs made the most of their plate appearances. Bump, a Penn State product, gave up 10 hits, but nevertheless saw his record improve to 1-3. Toledo's Thad Weber (1-3)

TRENTON - Jose Pirella's three-run triple keyed a five-run fifth as the Trenton Thunder defeated the Portland Sea Dogs, 7-1, in the Eastern League on Wednesday. Cody Johnson added a two-run homer and Dellin Betances allowed only one run in five innings for the win. Wilmington 7, Lynchburg 3 WILMINGTON - Nick Francis singled twice and drove in two runs as the Blue Rocks beat the Hillcats in the Carolina League. Jake Odorizzi struck out eight in six innings to get the win. Long Island 5, Camden 2 Jeff Francia was 4 for 5 but the Riversharks fell to the visiting Ducks in an Atlantic League game at Campbell's Field.