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Prospect Watch: Howard Homers Twice, Polanco and Cunningham Go Deep in Altoona Win

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TOP OF THE SYSTEM

A look at how the current top 20 prospects did today. Note that this list doesn’t include players currently in the majors. If a player is in the majors, he will be removed, everyone below him will be shifted up a spot, and a new player will be added to the bottom of the list. Rankings are from the mid-season rankings, and links on each name go to their Pirates Prospects player page.

1. Jameson Taillon, RHP, Indianapolis (0-1, 4.50) – DNP

2. Gregory Polanco, CF, Altoona (.280) – 1-for-5, HR, 3 RBI, 2 BB

3. Tyler Glasnow, RHP, West Virginia (8-3, 2.40) – DNP

4. Alen Hanson, SS, Altoona (.195) – 0-for-7

5. Austin Meadows, CF, GCL Pirates (.315) – 1-for-4, 3B, 2 RBI

6. Josh Bell, RF, West Virginia (.285) – 0-for-4

7. Nick Kingham, RHP, Altoona (3-3, 3.02) – DNP

8. Luis Heredia, RHP, West Virginia Power (4-3, 3.18) – DNP

9. Reese McGuire, C, GCL Pirates (.317) –  0-for-3

10. Dilson Herrera, 2B, West Virginia (.261) – 1-for-4

11. Barrett Barnes, CF, West Virginia (.261) – Low-A DL

12. Kyle McPherson, RHP, Indianapolis (0-1, 19.29) – Triple-A DL

13. Stetson Allie, 1B, Bradenton (.229) –  1-for-4, 2B, 2 BB

14. Wyatt Mathisen, C, West Virginia (.185) –  0-for-4 (GCL Rehab)

15. Clay Holmes, RHP, West Virginia (5-6, 4.09) – 5.0 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 2 HR

16. Stolmy Pimentel, RHP, Indianapolis (2-5, 3.30) – DNP

17. Vic Black, RHP, Indianapolis (3-2, 2.08) – 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 0 HR

18. Harold Ramirez, CF, Jamestown (.304) – 0-for-2

19. Blake Taylor, LHP, GCL Pirates (0-2, 3.86) – DNP

20. Jin-De Jhang, C, Jamestown (.279) – 0-for-4

 

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DAILY SUMMARY

Top Pitcher: Brandon Cumpton, RHP (6-7, 3.55) – 8.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 0 HR

Top Hitter: Alex Presley, CF (.288) – 3-for-4, RBI

Home Runs: Jarek Cunningham (16), Howard 2(8), Max Moroff (7), Gregory Polanco (5)

 

AAA: INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS

Box Score

Result: , Indianapolis 3, Syracuse 1

Starting Pitcher: Brandon Cumpton, RHP (6-7, 3.55) – 8.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 0 HR

Top Hitter: Alex Presley, CF (.288) – 3-for-4, RBI

Other Notable Performers:

Robert Andino, SS (.352) – 2-for-4, RBI

Vic Black, RHP (2.08) – 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 0 HR

Game Notes: Brandon Cumpton pitched great over eight innings and the Indianapolis offense put up solo runs in the first, second and fourth innings, on the way to a 3-1 win. Alex Presley had three hits and an RBI, while Robert Andino continued to hit well since joining Indianapolis, collecting two hits and an RBI. Jared Goedert scored two runs. Vic Black picked up his 17th save, retiring the side in order in the ninth. Cumpton needed just 88 pitches to get through his eight innings, keeping the pitch count low by letting batters put the ball in play with just two walks and one strikeout.

 

AA: ALTOONA CURVE 

Gregory Polanco
Polanco homered for the 11th time this season, fifth with Altoona

Game One Box Score

Result: Altoona 7, Erie 0

Starting Pitcher: Eliecer Navarro, LHP (4-5, 3.97) – 5.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 K, 0 HR

Top Hitter: Justin Howard, 1B (.339) – 2-for-4, 2 HR, 2 RBI

Other Notable Performers:

Alen Hanson, SS (.203) – 0-for-4

Gregory Polanco, CF (.283) – 1-for-3, HR, 3 RBI

Game Notes: Altoona shutout Erie 7-0 in the first game of a doubleheader. Eliecer Navarro threw 5.2 scoreless and Zach Thornton finished the shutout by thrown the last 1.1 innings. The Altoona bats were led by two solo home runs from Justin Howard and a three-run homer by Gregory Polanco to put the game away in the seventh. Jarek Cunningham also hit his 16th homer of the season, the second of back-to-back shots in the fourth inning behind Howard.

 

Game Two Box Score

Result: Erie 4, Altoona 1

Starting Pitcher: Jason Townsend, RHP (5-4, 6.29) – 4.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, 0 HR

Top Hitter: Jarek Cunningham, 2B (.214) – 1-for-3, RBI

Other Notable Performers:

Alen Hanson, SS (.195) – 0-for-3

Gregory Polanco, CF (.280) – 0-for-2, BB

Game Notes: Jason Townsend got the spot start in game two of the doubleheader Saturday night, his first start of the season. He was stretched out enough to throw 73 pitches over four innings of work, but he picked up the loss as Altoona was able to score just one run after putting up seven in the opener. The only Curve run scored in the second inning on an Alex Dickerson triple, followed by an RBI single from Jarek Cunningham.

 

A+: BRADENTON MARAUDERS

Box Score

Result: Bradenton 3, Fort Myers 2 in 12 innings

Starting Pitcher: Robby Rowland, RHP (4.98) – 6.2 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 0 HR

Top Hitter: Jose Osuna, 1B (.249) – 2-for-5, 2B, RBI

Other Notable Performers:

Willy Garcia, RF (.262) – 1-for-6, 2B

Stetson Allie, DH (.229) – 1-for-4, 2B, 2 BB

Game Notes: Robby Rowland was on the mound tonight, so you knew there was either going to be a rainout or rain delay. After a 57 minute delay prior to first pitch, Rowland came out and pitched great for 6.2 innings, but he got a no-decision for his effort. The game went 12 innings, with Bradenton scoring the winning run on a bases loaded balk. Kirk Singer, who started the year as an infielder, then switched to the mound, got the first win of his career. He threw two scoreless innings in his Bradenton pitching debut. The Marauders had ten hits and nine walks in the game, though they went a combined 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position. Benji Gonzalez had two hits and stole two bases, giving him 26 swipes on the year.

 

A: WEST VIRGINIA POWER

Box Score

Result: Hickory 4, West Virginia 1

Starting Pitcher: Clay Holmes, RHP (5-6, 4.09) – 5.0 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 2 HR

Top Hitter: Max Moroff, SS (.240) – 2-for-4, HR, RBI

Other Notable Performers:

Josh Bell, RF (.285) – 0-for-4

Ryan Hafner, RHP (2.85) – 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 2 SO, 0 HR

Game Notes: Clay Holmes came into tonight’s game having allowed just five home runs all season and none since the end of June. He gave up two homers today and took his sixth loss of the season. Holmes did allow just two walks, while striking out six batters, continuing his positive trend in both stats. In his last ten games, he has a 2.65 ERA, 1.84 GO/AO ratio and a .210 BAA, so he has really improved during the second half of the season. Max Moroff drove in the only Power run of the game with a solo home run to lead off the fourth inning. Ryan Hafner threw three shutout innings in relief.

 

A-: JAMESTOWN JAMMERS

Box Score

Result: State College 5, Jamestown 3

Starting Pitcher: Isaac Sanchez, RHP (1-1, 3.83) – 4.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 0 HR

Top Hitter: Adam Frazier, SS (.338) – 3-for-5, RBI

Other Notable Performers:

Edwin Espinal, 1B (.295) – 3-for-4

Elvis Escobar, RF (.242) – 1-for-4, 2B, RBI

Game Notes: Jamestown lost for the second game in a row to State College, putting the two teams in a tie for the division lead. Isaac Sanchez had a tough start, allowing three runs in four innings. Jackson Lodge followed him by allowing one run over three innings, in his first game out of the bullpen since his season debut. Lodge had made nine straight starts in between. Jamestown had 11 hits on the day, with Edwin Espinal and Adam Frazier each collecting three singles. Frazier is now hitting .338, the second highest average in the NYPL.

 

RK: GCL PIRATES

Box Score

Result: Astros 3, Pirates 2

Starting Pitcher: Jonathan Sandfort, RHP (4.68) – 5.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R,2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 0 HR

Top Hitter: Austin Meadows, CF (.315) – 1-for-4, 3B, 2 RBI

Other Notable Performers:

Enyel Vallejo, LF (.294) – 2-for-4

Reese McGuire, C (.317) – 0-for-3

Game Notes: The Pirates had just three hits and scored both of their runs on an Austin Meadows triple. Both of the other hits came off the bat of Enyel Vallejo. Wyatt Mathisen went 0-for-4 as the DH in his eighth rehab game. Reese McGuire went 0-for-3 and is now hitting .236 with one extra base hit in August, after winning the GCL Player of the Month in July. Cesilio Pimentel gave up the walk-off hit in the ninth inning for the loss. Yhonathan Barrios has looked good in his switch to pitching. He has a 1.13 ERA in his seven appearances, allowing one run on four hits and four walks in eight innings.

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John Dreker
John Dreker
John started working at Pirates Prospects in 2009, but his connection to the Pittsburgh Pirates started exactly 100 years earlier when Dots Miller debuted for the 1909 World Series champions. John was born in Kearny, NJ, two blocks from the house where Dots Miller grew up. From that hometown hero connection came a love of Pirates history, as well as the sport of baseball. When he didn't make it as a lefty pitcher with an 80+ MPH fastball and a slider that needed work, John turned to covering the game, eventually focusing in on the prospects side, where his interest was pushed by the big league team being below .500 for so long. John has covered the minors in some form since the 2002 season, and leads the draft and international coverage on Pirates Prospects. He writes daily on Pittsburgh Baseball History, when he's not covering the entire system daily throughout the entire year on Pirates Prospects.

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