2026 Summer League Results- Week 10

7/1/26- Phillies 19 - Isotopes 4 (5 inn)

With both teams playing short-handed (Isotopes with 9, Phillies at 10 with a sub), on a hot and steamy night, the Phillies took advantage of the Isotopes’ lack of experienced pitching to coast to a 19-4 win in 5 innings.

Lacking their starting pitchers, the Isotopes sent Russell Dupere to the mound. However, after an out and a single, he walked 6 of the next 8 batters, before being relieved by Scott Dunaisky. When the dust had cleared, the Phillies had plated 10 runs, 3 on bases-loaded walks, 2 on RBI singles by Micah Winston and Matt Witek, and 5 more on errors.

Ken Sloat, the only pitcher present on the Phillies lineup card, was effective by inducing 11 outs in the air (including 5 to CF Winston), and allowing 4 earned runs as the Phillies played perfect defense. He retired 9 of the first 11 batters, a single to Emilio Chaverri in the first, and a monstrous ground-rule double to Mike Arbour in the 2nd.

Meanwhile, the Phillies offense continued to roll in the 2nd by putting up another 5. The first 3 batters walked, and then John Wills hit a SF to CF, one scored on an error, substitute Plug Ugly Mike Olkin singled in another, as did Winston. Witek brought home the 5th of the inning on a SF.

The Phillies added 2 more in the 3rd, after a single by Andy Klepacki and a pair of walks, 2 runs came in on an infield throwing error.

The Phillies didn’t score in the 4th, and the Topes finally got on the board. Chaverri led off with his 2nd hit, and then Dunaisky executed a perfect hit-and-run by lining the ball to the right of 2B who was moving to cover the bag. Arbour brought home a run with an RBI groundout. Terry Randall lined a single up the middle for the 2nd run.

The Phillies got the 2 back in the top of the 5th. Sloat singled, Stephen Malachite followed with a double; both scored on RBI groundouts by Wills and Olkin. In the bottom of the 5th, the Isotopes rebounded with another pair. With 1 out, John Sullivan walked, stole 2nd & 3rd, coming home on a single by Ed Cauley, who also scored when Dunaisky blasted a double to deep LF. However, Sloat settled down to get an easy 4-3 groundout, with the game ending after 5 innings given the run differential.

Top hitters:

Phillies - Micah Winston (3-5, 2B, R, 2 RBI), Matt Witek (3-3, 2 R, 2RBI, SF), Stephen Malachite (1-1, 2B, 3BB, 3R, RBI)

Isotopes – Emilio Chaverri (2-3, R), Scott Dunaisky (2-3, 2B, R, RBI)

7/2/26- Wonders - Grays

Both team managers decided to cancel this game for the health & safety of its players due to extreme temperature conditions. This game will be rescheduled.

7/2/26- Fainting Goats 4 - Plug Uglies 7

WP: Bill Evans

LP: Tom Salvini

SV: Jeff Whitehead

Defying the laws of nature and logic, the Plug Uglies and the Fainting Goats chose to face each other on July 2 despite a brutal heat index and a weather advisory that warned of extreme temperatures. Game time temps were close to 98 degrees, and the Grays/Wonders game had already been cancelled due to the forecast. Were these two teams very brave or incredibly stupid for going through with this exhausting affair? The answer is yes.

Bill Evans toed the rubber for the home team Uglies, and on other side the Goats sent Tom Salvini to the mound. It was a sweaty, sticky, nasty 7 innings of baseball that included lots of Gatorade, ice packs, fans, sitting behind dugouts to avoid the sun, and spray bottles.

In the bottom of the first, Plug Ugly leadoff hitter Evans walked, stole second and advanced to third on a Rob “Ecc” Eccleston single. Jeff Whitehead got on base via an E-4 that scored Evans, followed by Morris “Mo” Partee inducing an E-3 that scored Eccleston.

In the top of the second the Goats got to Evans and loaded the bases with one out: Mike Martindell walked, followed by singles from Don Edwards and Salvini. But sharp defense prevailed when Jim McLaren grounded to first baseman Steve Wall, who fired to Matt Boulanger at home for the force, who then fired to Eric Bennett covering first for a 3-2-4 inning ending double play.

In the top of the 3rd Goats sub Ken Sloat whacked a double and scored when Tom Conway singled. In the bottom frame the Plugs added 3 more runs with a 2 RBI double from Whitehead and a Partee RBI single. 5-1 Uglies after 3 innings.

In the top of the 4th the Goats struck back. Edwards worked a walk, Salvani singled, and Jim McLaren walked to load the bases. Sloat hit into a 4-6 that scored a run, followed by a Jim “I Really Play for the Phillies” Forgarty fielders choice that got another run home.

What followed next was one of the most bizarre TNB plays in recent memory. With McLaren now on third and the play seemingly dead, no one noticed as he started to slowly walk down the third base line. With Plug defenders totally oblivious, McLaren nonchalantly got to the plate and headed to the dugout without a word: the play, in fact, was still alive and the bearded Goat took advantage with a clever heads up move and scored! It took a few moments for everyone (umpires, Uglies and Goats) to figure out what had just happened, but McLaren’s brilliant slow stroll to home was ruled a run. The Goats were now back in the game and down by one.

In the bottom of the 5th Tom “TC“ Conway took the mound for the Goats. Jeff Cabana singled and stole second, then was driven in by an Eccleston single. Matt Boulanger singled to drive in a run and the Plugs led 7-4.

With Jeff Whitehead pitching in relief, the Goats could get little going in the final two frames. Though the visitors got 5 runners on base, they couldn’t get any across. Final score: Plug Uglies 7, Fainting Goats: 4.

A shout out to all the catchers, pitchers, and umpires who labored the hardest through the hot and nasty evening.