READING, Pa. — When asked Thursday before the Phillies' Futures Game if he thought the prospects could beat the big-leaguers, top prospect J.P. Crawford said, undaunted, "We're just as good as they are."
Asked the same question about 20 minutes later, outfield prospect Nick Williams paused, smiled and responded "... We're really good."
Turned out to be no contest.
The Phillies' major-league squad hit eight home runs and scored in all but one of the seven innings in a 19-4 win over the Futures Team.
Zach Eflin started for the Futures Team and struggled to miss bats. Odubel Herrera smacked a two-run homer in the first, and the inning was later extended when Crawford made an errant two-out throw.
Eflin served up two more homers in the second inning, to Darin Ruf and Freddy Galvis, and another in the third to Cesar Hernandez. The result of this game was meaningless — and a whole lot of fastballs were thrown — but the competitor in any pitcher wants to avoid giving up so many well-hit balls. It served as another example of why the organization wants Eflin to generate more swings-and-misses in 2016. He struck out just 68 batters in 131⅔ innings at Double A last season.
All told, Eflin allowed 12 runs (nine earned) on 11 hits over three innings.
MLB
Elsewhere ...
• Mark Appel didn't fare much better in relief, allowing back-to-back-to-back loud home runs to Tyler Goeddel, Maikel Franco and Cedric Hunter.
• Ryan Howard pinch-hit in the top of the seventh and was announced to an impressive ovation. He got another standing O after hitting an opposite-field solo homer. Pretty cool moment for an exhibition game.
"It was outstanding," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "I had planned to try to get him in the game.
"I knew they wanted to see Howard hit so I found a spot for him to do that. I told him, 'Howie, if you don't hit a home run tonight, you stink.' That's why he was smiling coming around the bases."
It meant a lot to Howard.
"It was cool," he said. "Being able to come back here, get an AB and hit a home run — Reading's always been a special place for me. To be able to do that, it's pretty cool."
• For the Futures Team, Roman Quinn homered off Ernesto Frieri, Dylan Cozens hit a two-run shot off Jeanmar Gomez and Crawford took Hector Neris deep.
• Frieri, who has been successful at points in his career but homer-prone the last three seasons, has allowed four long balls in 7⅔ innings this spring. He did strike out the side in his inning of work Thursday.
• Mackanin said before the game that Hernandez is likely to lead off on opening day.
• Crawford will open the season at Double A, but if he starts out as hot as he has the last two seasons, it won't be long before he moves up a level (see story).
• It sounds like Hunter is ahead of Will Venable in the battle for one of the Phillies' final two bench spots (see story). Hunter had a three-hit game Thursday night.
Up next
The Phillies are back at Citizens Bank Park Friday night to take on the Orioles at 6:05 p.m. Aaron Nola will start.
The second game of the Futures Series is Saturday at 1:05 p.m. at CBP.