Tonight’s probables features five pitchers that were listed among our top 23 prospects to start the season, including the players in the top two spots, Jameson Taillon and Gerrit Cole. West Virginia was off yesterday. They resume their schedule tonight, beginning a four game series at home. Bradenton’s game last night was suspended in the sixth inning with the score tied, due to rain. A full recap of yesterday’s games can be found here.
Triple-A: Indianapolis (60-38) vs Gwinnett (46-53) 7:05pm
Probable starter: Justin Wilson (7-4 4.06)
Yesterday’s Result: Indianapolis 4 Gwinnett 6 (Game story)
Justin Wilson will make his 20th start of the season tonight. He has pitched a total of 99.2 innings, allowing 71 hits, ten homers, 48 walks and he has 102 strikeouts with a .197 BAA. In his last start, Justin went just three innings, giving up eight earned runs, raising his season ERA 62 points in the process. At home this year, he is 4-1 3.44 in nine starts, which includes his last outing, which was at home. Wilson ranks ninth in the International League in WHIP(1.19) and third in strikeouts.
Double-A: Altoona (45-49) VS Erie (45-51) 7:05pm
Probable starter: Gerrit Cole (2-2 5.17)
Yesterday’s Result: Altoona 8 Richmond 3 in 7 innings
Gerrit Cole will make his fifth start for Altoona tonight. Prior to being promoted he made 13 starts for Bradenton, going 5-1 2.55 in 67 innings with 69 strikeouts and a .217 BAA. Gerrit has struggled with Altoona, giving up 22 hits in 15.2 innings(.324 BAA) and twice he has been unable to go five innings due to his pitch count. He has a great BB/K ratio in AA, with two walks and 16 strikeouts to his credit. In his last start, Cole gave up three runs over four innings of work, taking the loss.
High-A: Bradenton (43-53 overall 14-12 2nd half) vs Tampa (47-46 overall 17-9 2nd half) 6:30pm
Probable starter: Jameson Taillon (5-7 4.43)
Yesterday’s Result: Bradenton 2 Clearwater 2 (suspended in 6th inning)
Jameson Taillon will make his 18th start of the season tonight. He has pitched a total of 91.1 innings, allowing 81 hits, six homers, 28 walks and he has 75 strikeouts. Jameson has seen his ERA go up every month, from 1.46 in five April starts, up to 6.17 in his two July starts. He also had 28 strikeouts in 24.2 innings the first month, and just 47 in his last 66.2 innings, a drop of nearly four K/9 IP (10.2 to 6.3). In his last start, Taillon went 4.2 innings, allowing six runs on six hits and four walks.
Low-A: West Virginia (37-59 overall 14-12 2nd half) vs Delmarva (37-57 overall 9-16 2nd half) 7:05pm
Probable starter: Zack Dodson (4-5 5.36)
Yesterday’s Result: West Virginia was off
Zack Dodson will make his 19th start of the season tonight. He has pitched a total of 84 innings, allowing 100 hits, nine homers, 32 walks and he has 55 strikeouts. In his last start, Zack threw a 7 inning complete game, allowing just one run on four hits and one walk, with three strikeouts. He threw six innings in his previous start, allowing three runs(all unearned) on six hits and no walks. He last faced Delmarva on 7/1, going 1.2 innings, with five runs on six hits and two walks.
Short Season A: State College (15-15) vs Williamsport (11-19) 7:05pm
Probable Starter: Clay Holmes (2-1 1.14)
Yesterday’s Result: State College 8 Mahoning Valley 6
Clay Holmes will make his sixth start of the season tonight. He has pitched 23.2 innings, allowing just 12 hits, no homers, with 11 walks and 15 strikeouts. Clay has had three outings already in which he went five innings with one hit allowed. Despite the strong .146 BAA and no homers, he has allowed walks in all five outings this year and his strikeout total has dropped exactly one each game, going from five his first start, down to one in his last outing. All three earned runs he has allowed this season came in the third game of the year, at home against Batavia.
Rookie: GCL Pirates (15-12) VS GCL Phillies (13-14) 12:00pm
Yesterday’s Result: Pirates 6 Phillies 3 (game one) Pirates 2 Phillies 3 (game two)
DSL: Pirates1 (24-15) VS Marlins (12-27) 10:30am
Yesterday’s Result: Pirates 8 Marlins 3
DSL: Pirates2 (16-23) VS DBacks/Reds (7-32) 10:30am
Yesterday’s Result: Pirates 7 DBacks/Reds 5
