Prospect Watch: Stephen Tarpley Struggles Again; Will Craig Hits First Homer

[expand title=”Box Score” tag=”span”]
[insert_php]
create_boxscore(‘20160717′,’alt’);
[/insert_php]
[/expand]

ALTOONA –  Brandon Waddell followed his six scoreless innings performance from last week in Erie by going 6.2 IP and allowing three earned runs on a hot summer afternoon in Altoona. On an absolute scorcher of an afternoon in Western Pennsylvania, Waddell’s struggles (some unlucky) came mostly in the first inning. He began the game with a HBP then allowed a few ground balls that found holes through the infield and a walk to let in two early runs. Luckily for Waddell, Harrisburg tried to score from second on a ground ball to left field, and the runner was thrown out at home by Barrett Barnes. (The throw wasn’t the absolute greatest, but it was close enough on target that the runner was beat by multiple steps.)

Waddell threw 28 pitches in the first inning and was probably saved from being pulled on the outfield assist by Barnes, as pitchers are usually capped at between 33-35 pitches in one inning. After the difficult start, Waddell only needed 39 pitches to retire the next 12 batters in a row between the second and fifth innings. He only allowed one ball out of the infield during that span.

“There were ground balls and pitches that were down that he didn’t get,” Pitching Coach Justin Meccage said. “In terms of fastball command, he was pretty good tonight. That’s two starts in a row that I like where he’s at.”

Waddell moved his fastball around well to both sides of the plate and had a good four pitch mix. Overall, Waddell induced 16 ground balls compared to only four fly balls (with one of them being a pop out to the catcher Elias Diaz), which shows that he was able to locate well down in the zone.

In the sixth, Waddell’s command issues did hurt him with a walk and two wild pitches on sliders. It looked like he was overthrowing a little bit in the inning, striving for pinpoint accuracy rather than allowing his stuff to work for him. One run scored against him in the inning.

Ultimately, although the line didn’t show it, Waddell looked very good during that four inning span where he recorded 12 straight outs. Even in the first and fifth, he didn’t look terrible; rather, just a little control trouble and unlucky grounders. Eliminate a few issues here or there, and it would have been a gem. He has been inconsistent since his promotion to Double-A, but his last two starts show a lot of promise for the second year pro.

Barrett Barnes and Eric Wood both had two-hit games for the Curve. Barnes and Harold Ramirez both now have 10-game hitting streaks for the Curve. Ramirez is hitting .400 during his streak, and it is his second longest streak of the season (11 games, 5/8-5/23). Barnes is hitting .486 during his streak and has shown a lot of pop and promise out of his bat.

Catcher Elias Diaz caught his second game on rehab for the Curve, going 1-for-3 with a walk today. He struck out on seven pitches in the second inning on a full count. In the fourth inning, he hit a hard RBI single to left-center field. In the sixth, in probably his most impressive at-bat this weekend, Diaz drew a walk in an 11 pitch at-bat where he fouled off five pitches. He showed a lot of poise in the box during the at-bat and ultimately was able to reach base. Finally, he flew out to center field in the eighth.

It was learned after the game that Diaz will fly to Indianapolis tomorrow morning to continue his rehab with the Indians. We are unsure as of now if he will be activated and optioned to Triple-A or if he will simply be continuing his rehab. He finished his rehab in Altoona by going 2-for-7 with one walk and one strikeout. -Sean McCool

[expand title=”Box Score” tag=”span”]
[insert_php]
create_boxscore(‘20160717′,’bra’);
[/insert_php]
[/expand]

Bradenton won 11-8 on Sunday, but Stephen Tarpley had his second consecutive rough outing, this one worse than the last. Tarpley made it through 2.2 innings before being removed, allowing six runs (five earned) on six hits and two walks. He also allowed six runs in his last game, though that outing lasted six innings. Tarpley hasn’t been throwing the ball over the plate enough lately and in this game, he threw just  34 of his 63 pitches for strikes. He now has a 4.50 ERA in 64 innings. That’s despite a strong run through June in which he allowed two runs over 22 innings.

The offense picked up Tarpley, scoring runs in bunches. They scored three times in the second inning, then put four runs on the board in both the fifth and seventh innings. Kevin Kramer, Pablo Reyes, Jerrick Suiter and Connor Joe each collected a pair of hits. Reyes hit his third homer of the season in the seventh inning. Kramer, Reyes, Joe and Elvis Escobar each drove in two runs. Suiter, Kramer, Reyes and Michael Suchy all scored two runs. The Marauders had six extra-base hits and they went 7-for-14 with runners in scoring position.

[expand title=”Box Score” tag=”span”]
[insert_php]
create_boxscore(‘20160717′,’wva’);
[/insert_php]
[/expand]

West Virginia won game one of a doubleheader by a 4-3 score, tallying all of their runs in the third inning. Carlos Munoz hit a three-run homer, which was followed by a home run for Logan Hill. For Munoz, it was his sixth of the season. Hill also has six homers, though the first two came while he was with Bradenton.

Bret Helton started the game and allowed three runs on eight hits and two walks in six innings. He had three strikeouts and a 7:3 GO/AO ratio. Helton has a 3.68 ERA in 95.1 innings over 18 starts this season. Seth McGarry closed out the game for his fifth save.

Logan Ratledge had a single, scored a run and stole two bases, giving him 19 steals on the year. Danny Arribas hit his 14th double, walked and scored a run.

Game Two

West Virginia lost game two by a 6-5 score, but the offense pulled off the same trick as in the first game. All nine runs on the day scored on home runs. Just like the first game, this game also included a three-run homer from Carlos Munoz, his seventh of the season. Casey Hughston added his seventh homer and Logan Ratledge collected his third homer. They went back-to-back in the fifth inning, while Munoz hit his second shot of the day in the fourth inning. Mitchell Tolman had a single and two walks in three plate appearances. Logan Hill picked up his ninth double.

Reliever Yunior Montero got the spot start so the rotation can stay in line the rest of the week. It was his first start this season and he was on a limited pitch count. Montero went four innings, allowing four runs (two earned) on seven hits and no walks. He had three strikeouts and a 6:3 GO/AO ratio. Cesilio Pimentel followed him and took the loss, allowing two runs in two innings.

[expand title=”Box Score” tag=”span”]
[insert_php]
create_boxscore(‘20160717′,’wev’);
[/insert_php]
[/expand]

Morgantown lost 3-2 on Sunday, as first round draft pick Will Craig connected on his first home run as a pro. Craig also added a single and he has watched his OPS go up 101 points to .641 in the last two days. The winning pitcher in this game was Cole Irvin, who was a late round draft pick of the Pirates in 2015. He decided to return to school and then he was taken in the fifth round this year by the Phillies. Irvin has yet to allow an earned run in nine innings as a pro.

Luis Escobar started this game for the Black Bears and he went 4.2 innings, allowing three runs on four hits and two walks, with two strikeouts. Escobar has huge upside due to a fastball that hits 95 and a curveball that can be plus at times, but his control has been very poor this season. He has walked 15 batters on 20.1 innings this year and he hasn’t been able to get through five innings in any outing.

Eighth round pick Dylan Prohoroff followed Escobar with 2.1 scoreless innings, while Billy Roth pitched the last inning without a run. Prohoroff struck out four batters.

[expand title=”Box Score” tag=”span”]
[insert_php]
create_boxscore(‘20160717′,’bri’);
[/insert_php]
[/expand]

Bristol got strong pitching from starter Ike Schlabach, but the offense failed to show up on Sunday in the 5-0 loss. Schlabach threw five innings and allowed one run on three hits and two walks. He had three strikeouts and a 7:3 GO/AO ratio. The only run scored on an infield single. The 19-year-old Schlabach has a 4.38 ERA in 24.2 innings this season.

The Pirates had just four hits in the game and all of them were singles. Two of the hits didn’t even leave the infield, and they didn’t pick up any hits after the fifth inning. Sam Kennelly had two of the hits, while Adrian Valerio and Yoel Gonzalez had the others. Valerio picked up the only walk for Bristol. Kennelly has been struggling this season, quite surprisingly. He showed a lot of improvements at the plate during the winter in Australia and the level of play there is much higher than the Appalachian League. Kennelly is 7-for-41 with a double and no walks in 11 games.

[expand title=”Box Score” tag=”span”]
[insert_php]
create_boxscore(‘20160717′,’pir’);
[/insert_php]
[/expand]

The GCL Pirates are off on Sunday.

[expand title=”Box Score” tag=”span”]
[insert_php]
create_boxscore(‘20160717′,’dpi’);
[/insert_php]
[/expand]

The DSL Pirates are on their All-Star break until Monday.