In the seventh inning of the Altoona Curve game last night, they trailed 7-1, but had a chance to get back in the game with Alen Hanson up and the bases loaded. The video below is Hanson slapping a single by the second baseman into right field to make the score 7-2. Earlier in the game, he drove in the Curve’s first run with a sacrifice fly and he also had a double last night, so while Altoona lost 8-4, Hanson still had a pretty good game.
Our second highlight is from Jaff Decker, who may be turning around a disappointing season. In his last five games, he is 9-for-15 with five doubles and a home run. One of those doubles was from last night, a two-run opposite field shot that went over the left fielder’s head.
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.
I still can’t figure out why Decker instead of Morel was not called up, a fast leadoff guy would be much more important than a guy that can only play 3rd base.
Temporary call up until Lambo comes off 7 day DL. Just my guess.