Your daily Pittsburgh Pirates Prospect Watch article for recaps of all of today’s games. Be sure to pick up your copy of the latest Prospect Guide in our store, available as an ebook or a limited edition paperback.
INDIANAPOLIS
Starting Pitcher: Cam Vieaux 5 IP, 5 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO
Notable Performances:
Tucupita Marcano 2-for-5, 2B, RBI, BB, SB
Ka’ai Tom 1-for-4
Jared Oliva 2-for-3, HR, 3 RBI, 2 BB
Michael Chavis 0-for-5
Cole Tucker 1-for-5
Game Recap: Indianapolis lost 11-9 in 11 innings. Bligh Madris had a big game, going 3-for-5 with his 13th double and seven homer. He also drove in three runs and scored twice. Jared Oliva had two hits, two walks and three RBIs. He hit a two-run homer in the first, his first home run of the season. Tucupita Marcano hit his first double and stole his first base since joining the Pirates. He also added a single and a walk. Ka’ai Tom went 0-for-4 in his second rehab game. Cam Vieaux started this contest and allowed five runs in five innings. Dillon Peters allowed a run in the sixth. Matt Eckelman allowed one run over two innings, while striking out five batters. Tyler Bashlor threw a shutout inning in the ninth. Tanner Anderson allowed four runs over the final two inning, though only one run was earned.
ALTOONA
Boxscore
Starting Pitcher: Travis MacGregor (5.09 ERA in 63.2 IP/62 strikeouts)
Notable Performances:
Game Recap: PPD Rain. Doubleheader tomorrow
Oneil Cruz will likely take batting practice later this week and Roansy Contreras threw a side session, so both should see some game action with just 6+ weeks left in the season. Canaan Smith-Njigba was placed on the injured list. Miguel Yajure could be in Altoona by next week.
GREENSBORO
Starting Pitcher: Santiago Florez 3.2 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 4 BB, 4 SO
Notable Performances:
Nick Gonzales 2-for-4, BB
Jared Triolo 1-for-3, RBI, BB
Lolo Sanchez 2-for-5, 2 HR, 6 RBI
Eli Wilson 1-for-4, BB
Game Recap: Santiago Florez was coming off of his first strong start since being promoted to Greensboro, but he couldn’t put together back-to-back solid performances. He got roughed up in this game, allowing five runs on seven hits and four walks in 3.2 innings. He now has a 6.20 ERA in Greensboro, after putting up a 1.37 mark with Bradenton. Luckily for the Grasshoppers, the bullpen was lights out in this game. Bear Bellomy picked up the win with 2.1 shutout innings. Enmanuel Mejia, who didn’t allow an earned run in 21 games with Bradenton this year, debuted in High-A with two shutout innings. Michell Miliano finished out the 9-5 win with a scoreless ninth.
The real story of this game was two swings by Lolo Sanchez. He hit a grand slam in the first inning and a two-run homer in the ninth to give him six RBIs. He now has 13 homers this year. Greensboro got contributions from everyone on offense except Aaron Shackelford, who went 0-for-5 with four strikeouts. Everyone else picked up at least one hit and five players drew walks. Jared Triolo went 1-for-3 with a walk, an RBI and two runs scored. Blake Sabol, Yoyner Fajardo and Andres Alvarez each had two hits. Nick Gonzales had two singles, a walk and a run scored.
BRADENTON
Starting Pitcher: Luis Ortiz 6.1 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 11 SO
Notable Performances:
Maikol Escotto 0-for-3, BB, SB
Abrahan Gutierrez 0-for-3, 2 HBP
Hudson Head 0-for-4, BB
Endy Rodriguez 1-for-2, 2 RBI, 3 BB
Jack Herman 1-for-5, 3B, RBI
Dariel Lopez 2-for-4, 3B, RBI, BB
Jase Bowen 0-for-2, BB, HBP, SB
Alexander Mojica 1-for-4, RBI
Game Recap: Bradenton won 8-2 on Wednesday behind the strong pitching of Luis Ortiz. He allowed just one run on three hits in 6.1 innings. He walked none and struck out a career high 11 batters. Ortiz now has a 3.25 ERA in 63.2 innings this year, with 79 strikeouts. Justin Meis gave up one run in 1.2 innings. Oliver Mateo threw a scoreless ninth. The first Bradenton run scored on a balk. That was followed by a bases loaded hit-by-pitch, one of five HBP in the game for Bradenton. The third run scored on an RBI ground out. In the fifth inning, Dariel Lopez had an RBI triple, then scored on a single by Alexander Mojica to make it 5-1. Bradenton added three in the eighth on an error, RBI single by Endy Rodriguez and a triple by Jack Herman.
***The four short-season teams are all off on Wednesday.
