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Six Pirate pitchers combined to shut out the Yankees at McKechnie Field this afternoon. James McDonald and Aaron Thompson each pitched 2 scoreless innings, and each allowed 2 hits. That was all the hits the Yankees could get. Daniel McCutchen pitched 2 innings, retiring 6 batters in order, including 2 strikeouts. Chris Resop, Ramon Aguero, and Daniel Moskos all contributed one scoreless and hitless inning, and Moskos earned the save.
The Pirates posted just 6 hits. Two of those belonged to C Chris Snyder. He singled to lead off the 3rd inning, but was caught trying to steal second base, then singled again to begin the 6th, and was replaced by pinch runner Jeremy Farrell. 2B Josh Rodriguez bunted Farrell to second base, and SS Pedro Ciriaco drove in the first run of the game with an RB double into left field. The Pirates scored again in the 7th, when DH Garrett Jones opened the frame with a walk. 1B Steve Pearce bounced a ground-rule double over the left field wall, moving Jones to third base. 3B Josh Fields brought in Jones with a sacrifice fly.
CF Alex Presley walked, singled, and was hit by a pitch in the game. LF John Bowker also singled. Also getting in the game: CF Gorkys Hernandez, LF Miles Durham, RF Andrew Lambo, 1B Garrett Atkins, RF Matt Diaz, C Wyatt Toregas, 2B Brian Friday, and SS Corey Wimberly. Doug Bernier, who played for the Indy Indians in 2010, got into the game for the Yankees.
Other notes: The Pirates have signed 3B Christian Colonel to a minor league contract. Colonel was the Rockies' 5th round draft pick in 2003. He has played all around the field, he has spent more time in the infield, and most of those at third base. More about Colonel to come in the next few days. Former Pirate farmhand C James Skelton (Bradenton 2010) signed with the Brewers.
Colin Dunlap shared the following quote from left handed pitcher Scott Olsen, who the Pittsburgh Pirates signed this off-season:
“They didn’t bring me in here...
The Pittsburgh Pirates have signed third baseman Christian Colonel to a minor league deal, according to Matt Eddy of Baseball America. Colonel played for...
Finishing up our look at the first basement in the Pirates' organization:
Matt Hague -- R/R, 6' 3", 225 lb Hague was chosen by the Pirates in the 9th round of the 2008 draft. The Washington State native was drafted as a third baseman, though he also played outfield and pitched in college. Hague played third for the State College Spikes (7 games) and the Hickory Crawdads (57 games) in the 2008 season, but in 2009 at A+ Lynchburg, Hague was shifted over to first base because Pedro Alvarez had dibs on third. Hague played one game at third in 2009 and one game at third in 2010, with the rest all at first base. In 134 games at first for the AA Altoona Curve in 2010, Hague made 10 errors. At the plate, Hague has been solid over the past two seasons. He hit .293 for Lynchburg, then .295 for Altoona in 2010, with 30 doubles in both seasons. Hague's power hitting got better in 2010, with 15 homers and 86 RBI. His plate discipline also showed some improvement, with 61 walks (10.5%) and 62 strikeouts (12.2%, down from 14.8% in 2009). He was named to the Eastern League All-Star team and went 0-for-2 for the Western Division team in the All-Star Game. Hague did not hit well in the Curve's playoff run, with a .161 average and 4 RBI. After celebrating the Curve's Eastern League championship, Hague spent a little time in the Mexican Pacific League, where he also did not hit well -- in 8 games, he went 3-for-21 (.143) with no extra-base hits or RBI, but one walk and 6 strikeouts. The 25-year-old should be ready to make the move to AAA Indianapolis for 2011, where he will need to improve his power numbers, and a boost in his defense would be a good idea too.
The Pirates played two split-squad spring training games this afternoon (Monday):
Orioles 6, Pirates 4 The Pirates were held to 5 hits at McKechnie field this afternoon, but one of the big ones was a 2-run homer over the left field wall in the bottom of the 9th by RF Miles Durham, who was up from minor league camp. 1B Lyle Overbay also singled for the Pirates, scoring the first Pirates' run of the game in the 5th. 3B Pedro Alvarez knocked in the remaining run for the Pirates, in the 6th inning. LF Jose Tabata led off the inning with a single, stole second base, then scored on Alvarez's single Alvarez also doubled for the Pirates.
LF John Bowker, SS Brian Friday, CF Mel Rojas, 3B Andy Marte, 1B Steve Pearce, 2B Chase d'Arnaud, 2B Jim Negrych, and C Wyatt Toregas all got into the game for the Pirates.
Paul Maholm took the loss for the Pirates. He gave up a run in the 1st inning on a double and a single, then another on a solo homer in the 2nd. Jeff Locke allowed a run on two hits in the 6th. He allowed a single and a walk, then with two outs, an RBI single brought in a run. Justin Wilson got the first out, then walked the next three batters to load the bases in the 8th. A double and a sacrifice fly drove in all three of the base runners. Jeff Karstens pitched 2 scoreless innings, then Tyler Yates, and Mike Crotta each pitched a scoreless frame. Cesar Valdez finished up the 8th for Karstens, then pitched a scoreless 9th, facing only 4 batters.
