GCL Pirates �5, �GCL Yankees �0 (box)
It was all Pirates in Bradenton this afternoon. �Brett Lorin, making a rehab start, began the game with six straight outs. �Quinton Miller, also on a rehab assignment, folllowed with six more straight outs. �Barrett Phillips was next, and he allowed the first Yankee base runner of the game, when he walked a batter in the 5th, but he retired the other nine batters he faced, including 4 strikeouts. �Rinku Singh retired the first four batters he faced, then gave up back-to-back singles in the 9th before getting a grounder force out and a line out to end the game.
Meanwhile, Pirates’ batters scored one run in the 2nd inning, on a walk to LF Exicardo Cayonez and a double by 2B Luis Solano, driving in Cayonez. �The Pirates threatened in the 4th, when they loaded the bases on a single by Solano, a hit batter (3B Kevin Mort), and a walk to 1B Daan Cornelissen, all with one out. �Two strikeouts ended the inning without a run scoring. �They came right back at it in the next inning. �CF Ping-Hung Chi began the inning with a walk, then proceeded to steal both second and third bases. �RF Gregory Polanco was hit by a pitch to put runners on the corners. �A wild pitch let Chi score from third, and put Polanco on second base. �Back-to-back doubles by C Elias Diaz and Cayonez brought in a run each. �Cayonez moved to third base on a fielder’s choice, and he scored on a sacrifice fly by Mort, for the 4th run of the inning.
�
Altoona Curve �3, �Reading Phillies �2 (box)
Ramon Aguero worked out of a jam to hold on to the win for the Curve, earning his first Save of the season. �With the Curve leading 3-1 going into the bottom of the 9th, Aguero got the first out, then gave up a double and a single to former Pirate farmhand Rich Thompson, putting runners on the corners, and the winning run at the plate. �Thompson did what he often did for the Indy Indians — he stole second base. �A wild pitch allowed the first runner to score from third, and moved Thompson, the tying run, to third. �But Aguero got a strikeout, and then a foul pop out to end the game and give the Curve the win.
The Curve had scored their first 2 runs in the 2nd inning. �Back-to-back doubles by 1B Matt Hague and C Hector Gimenez began the inning, with Hague scoring. �After a walk to LF Brandon Jones, RF Miles Durham also doubled, driving in Gimenez. �Gimenez also scored the Curve’s third run, when he led off the 6th with his 12th home run of the season.
Starter Rudy Owens pitched 6 innings on his way to his 8th win of the season. �He scattered 5 hits, and allowed only one run, which came on two singles and a walk in the 6th. �After the run scored, Owens struck out the next three batters to finish the inning. �Mike Dubee pitched 2 scoreless innings of relief, giving way to Aguero, who took over for the 9th.
The Pirates have announced that pitcher Zach Duke will make a rehab start with the Curve on Monday. �He has been on the DL for the past 10 days with an elbow strain.
�
Charlotte Stone Crabs �3, �Bradenton Marauders �1 (box)
This was not a big hitting game, and the Marauders came out on the short end. �They were held to just 4 hits, all singles, by CF Robbie Grossman, C James Skelton, DH Erik Huber, and SS Greg Picart. The Marauders also walked 7 times, but it didn’t help them much. �Though they had runners on base in all but two innings, the Marauders scored only once, in the 7th. �With one out, 3B Adam Davis walked, and went to second base on Huber’s single. �When Picart grounded to third, it looked like an inning-ending double play. �Huber was out at second, but a throwing error by the Charlotte second baseman meant that Picart was safe, and allowed Davis to score.
Charlotte’s three runs all came in the 5th inning. �Brian Leach got the first two outs of the inning, then gave up a walk and a single. �A missed catch error by 1B Calvin Anderson on that same play let the first runner get to third base. �Two doubles followed, driving in the three runs. �Leach pitched 5 innings, and scattered 2 more hits over the other four innings, and struck out 3. �Tom Boleska pitched two perfect innings, and Duke Welker made his A+ debut with a scoreless 9th, allowing a walk.
�
West Virginia Power �5, �Delmarva Shorebirds �1 (box)
Phillip Irwin pitched 7 shutout innings, allowing only 4 hits and one walk, while striking out 7 batters to earn his 3rd win of the season. �The only time he had more than one runner on base at a time was in the 4th, when he gave up a 2-out double and a walk, then got a grounder force out at third to end the inning.
The Power threatened in the 3rd inning, when with two outs, CF Evan Chambers singled and 2B Jarek Cunningham doubled. �Chambers tried to score from first, but was thrown out at the plate on the throw in from left field. �They did get onto the scoreboard in the 4th, when RF David Rubinstein walked and LF Jose Hernandez singled, then 3B Jesus Brito smacked his 9th home run of the season, to give the Power a 3-0 lead. �Hernandez added another run with his solo homer (his 7th) in the 6th inning. �One more run came in the 7th, when Cunningham doubled and Rubinstein brought him in with a triple.
Eliecer Navarro pitched the last two innings for the Power. �He gave up the Shorebirds’ only run, on back-to-back doubles to lead off the 9th, then got two strikeouts and a line out to end the game.
�
