Pittsburgh Pirates Prospect Watch 4/11/11

DAILY SUMMARY

Top Pitcher: Rudy Owens (7.0 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, 1 HR)

Top Hitter: Jeremy Farrell (2-for-4, 2B, 3B, 3 RBI)

Home Runs: David Rubinstein (1), Jarek Cunningham (1)

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS (AAA)

Box Score

Result: Indianapolis 5, Toledo 1

Starting Pitcher: Rudy Owens (7.0 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, 1 HR)

Top Hitter: Gorkys Hernandez (3-for-4, 2 SB, 1 R)

Notes: Indianapolis got their first win of the 2011 season, thanks to a great debut from Rudy Owens (1-0, 1.29).  Owens threw seven strong innings, allowing one run on seven hits, with no walks and five strikeouts.  He threw 83 pitches, with 58 of those going for strikes.  Joe Beimel (0.00) pitched a perfect inning with two strikeouts, making his first rehab appearance at the AAA level, after making an appearance in Bradenton last week.  Dan Meyer (0.00) pitched a shutout inning, allowing two hits.

Gorkys Hernandez (.333) and Alex Presley (.550) each went 3-for-4 with a run.  Hernandez stole two bases, his first two of the season, while Presley stole one base, which was his second on the year.  Hernandez was caught stealing once, on a pickoff/caught stealing in the third.  Josh Harrison (.214) went 1-for-4 with a double and an RBI.

ALTOONA CURVE (AA)

Box Score

Result: Akron 6, Altoona 5

Starting Pitcher: Aaron Pribanic (5.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 HR)

Top Hitter: Jeremy Farrell (2-for-4, 2B, 3B, 3 RBI)

Notes: Altoona lost 6-5 to Akron, in a back and forth game.  With Akron up 3-0 in the 6th, Jeremy Farrell (.350) led a four run inning for Altoona, hitting a two run triple to give Altoona a 4-3 lead.  Farrell also had a double, and ended up driving in three runs total.  Aaron Pribanic (4.50) allowed three runs on five hits in five innings, and was pulled in the sixth for Tim Alderson (0-1, 0.00).  Alderson pitched a shutout sixth inning, but allowed three unearned runs in the seventh due to a Brock Holt error.

With runners at first and second, and one out, Holt fielded a grounder at second, and tried to go to second base with the throw, but threw wide due to his momentum.  The throw allowed the tying run to score, and eventually extended the inning, allowing Akron to take a 6-4 lead.  Starling Marte (.429), who went 3-for-5 on the day, tried to stage a comeback in the ninth.  Marte led off the inning with a double, with Altoona down by a run.  However, no one could bring him in to tie the score, and the Curve ended up losing 6-5.

BRADENTON MARAUDERS (A+)

Box Score

Result: Bradenton 11, Jupiter 8

Starting Pitcher: Nathan Baker (6.0 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 0 HR)

Top Hitter: David Rubinstein (1-for-4, HR, SB, 4 RBI)

Notes: Bradenton got a lot of help from their offense again today, making up for the struggles from their pitching staff.  Jarek Cunningham (.238) and David Rubinstein (.400) both homered for the Marauders, with Rubinstein’s being a three run homer in the third inning.  Aaron Baker (.400) went 2-for-3 with two runs and two walks.  Evan Chambers (.333) went 2-for-5 with a stolen base, his second of the year.  Chris Snyder (.438) made a rehab start, going 2-for-4.

Nathan Baker (1-0, 7.50) had a rough start, allowing five runs on nine hits in six innings.  Baker walked one and struck out four.  Jose Ascanio (16.20) made a rehab appearance, pitching 1.2 innings, and allowing three runs on two hits, with a walk and four strikeouts.  Diego Moreno (0.00) got the save, getting the final out of the game, on a strikeout.

WEST VIRGINIA POWER (A)

Box Score

Result: Asheville 3, West Virginia 1

Starting Pitcher: Colton Cain (4.2 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 0 HR)

Top Hitter: Justin Howard (2-for-3, 2 2B)

Notes: Colton Cain (0.00) made his 2011 debut, pitching 4.2 innings, and allowing one unearned run on five hits, with a walk and five strikeouts.  Cain’s only run came when Asheville second baseman Russell Wilson stole third base, and scored on a wild throw to third by catcher Elias Diaz.  Trent Stevenson (0-1, 3.86) took the loss, allowing two runs, one earned, on three hits in 2.1 innings.  Jason Townsend (0.00) had two nice shutout innings, allowing three hits, walking none, and striking out four.

The West Virginia offense didn’t do much to help Cain.  Matt Curry (.455) doubled in the fourth, going 1-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base on the day.  Dan Grovatt (.273) followed that up with a double of his own, bringing in West Virginia’s only run.  Justin Howard (.250) went 2-for-3 on the day, with two doubles.