Altoona has a morning start time today with Carmen Mlodzinski on the mound, making his second start since returning from the injured list. Indianapolis has a doubleheader today, with the interesting 6:07 PM start time. I’ll fill in the missing starting pitchers below whenever they become available.
TRIPLE-A: INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS
Game Time: 6:07 PM DH
Box Score: LINK (game one) LINK (game two)
Starting Pitcher: Jerad Eickhoff (2-2, 4.78) and Matt Eckelman (0-3, 14.92)
- Final Line: Eickhoff: 4 IP, 3 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 4 SO
- Eckelman: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO
Notable Performances:
Game One
Oneil Cruz 1-for-5
Travis Swaggerty 2-for-5, 2 RBI
Ji-hwan Bae 3-for-5, 2B, RBI
Mason Martin 2-for-4, HR, 5 RBI, BB
Canaan Smith-Njigba 1-for-2, 3 BB
Game Two
Oneil Cruz 1-for-4
Travis Swaggerty 1-for-4
Canaan Smith-Njigba 3-for-4, 2B
Mason Martin 1-for-4
Game Recap:
Game One: Indianapolis won an absolute slugfest against St Paul in the first game of a doubleheader, taking a 16-10 victory in a game that was only seven innings. All 18 batters in the game reached base at least once. This game was actually 1-0 after three innings, so 25 runs crossed the plate in the final four frames. Jerad Eickhoff started and allowed four runs in the fourth, giving him four runs over four innings. Aaron Fletcher somehow managed to throw two shutout innings when everyone else was getting hit around. Shea Murray took one for the team in the seventh, giving up six runs that were all unearned due to two errors by Oneil Cruz. Murray needed 42 pitches in his only inning of work. Mason Martin and Bligh Madris had the big games. Martin drove in five runs with a two-run single and his tenth homer. Madris had three hits, including his fourth double and second homer. Ji-hwan Bae had three hits, including his ninth double, and he scored three runs. Canaan Smith-Njigba reached four times on three walks and a single. He scored two runs. Travis Swaggerty continued his recent hot streak with two more hits. He scored twice and drove in a pair.
Game Two: Matt Eckelman got the start during game two of the doubleheader and he tossed two shutout innings on two hits and a strikeout. He came into the day with a 14.92 ERA. While it is still very high, he knocked just over two runs off of that total. Nathan Kirby took over in the third and allowed one run in two innings. Cam Vieaux gave up two runs in his 1.2 innings, while Cristofer Melendez allowed two runs before he could record the final out of the sixth. Indianapolis lost the nightcap 5-3. The Indians got their first run on a throwing error by the pitcher. In the sixth, Jason Delay and Josh Bissonette each drew bases loaded walks, so all three runs scored without the benefit of a hit. After reaching base four times in the opener, Canaan Smith-Njigba collected three hits in this game, including his tenth double.
DOUBLE-A: ALTOONA CURVE
Game Time: 11:00 AM
Box Score: LINK
Starting Pitcher: Carmen Mlodzinski (0-2, 4.56)
- Final Line: 3.2 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 SO
Notable Performances:
Matt Fraizer 1-for-5, 2B, RBI
Nick Gonzales 1-for-5
Liover Peguero 2-for-3, 2 2B, BB
Blake Sabol 2-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI
Matt Gorski 1-for-4, BB
Jared Triolo 1-for-3, 2B, RBI, BB
Connor Scott 2-for-4, 2B
Game Recap:
Carmen Mlodzinski made his second start since returning from a short injured list trip. He went 3.2 innings, allowing a run on five hits, with no walks and five strikeouts. It was a solid outing, especially the BB/SO numbers, but he needed 77 pitches to get through 3.2 innings. The upside is that he threw 54 strikeouts. He now has a 4.30 ERA in 29.1 innings, with 32 strikeouts. Will Kobos took over in the fourth and threw 1.1 scoreless. Bear Bellomy was out next with two shutout frames. JC Flowers picked up the save with two scoreless, as Altoona won 7-1. The three relievers combined to allow one hit and one walk.
Altoona tied this game in the second inning on Jared Triolo’s sixth double of the season. The pitchers then took over until the sixth when Aaron Shackelford hit a three-run homer, his sixth homer of the year. In the ninth, Matt Fraizer drove in a run with his seventh double, and Blake Sabol drove in two runs with his seventh double. Liover Peguero doubled twice, giving him 14 on the season. Connor Scott hit his eighth double.
Altoona had two players suspended due to Sunday’s brawl. Link also includes note on Nick Mears returning on rehab.
HIGH-A: GREENSBORO GRASSHOPPERS
P2Daily: It’s Greensboro Grasshoppers and Matt Gorski Week on Pirates Prospects
Game Time: 6:35 PM
Box Score: LINK
Starting Pitcher: Jack Carey (2-3, 4.58)
- Final Line: 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 SO
Notable Performances:
Hudson Head 0-for-3, 2 HBP, RBI
Dariel Lopez 1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI, BB
Endy Rodriguez 0-for-4
Abrahan Gutierrez 1-for-4, SB
Sammy Siani 0-for-4
Game Recap:
Four Greensboro pitchers combined to throw a two-hit shutout on Wednesday night, as the Grasshoppers won 3-0. Jack Carey started with three shutout frames. Santiago Florez followed with two hitless innings, then Logan Hofmann handled the sixth inning on nine pitches. Sean Sullivan, who has been starting this year, pitched the final three innings on one hit, one walk and three strikeouts. Greensboro had all of the offense they would need after two batters, as Dariel Lopez hit a two-run homer, his sixth of the season. They added an insurance run in the seventh on a Hudson Head RBI ground out.
LOW-A: BRADENTON MARAUDERS
BRADENTON MARAUDERS WEEK: 5/31
Game Time: 6:30 PM
Box Score: LINK
Starting Pitcher: Valentin Linarez (0-3, 6.43)
- Final Line: 3 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO
Notable Performances:
Sergio Campana 2-for-3
Jase Bowen 0-for-3
Rodolfo Nolasco 1-for-3, HR, 2 RBI
Alexander Mojica 0-for-3
Game Recap:
Valentin Linarez has been pitching well recently, but Wednesday wasn’t his day. He gave up four runs in three innings, as Bradenton lost 10-2 in a rain-shortened seven inning game. Linarez now has a 7.13 ERA in 24 innings, though he has racked up 32 strikeouts. Nick Mears made his first rehab appearance after surgery in February and he absolutely dominated, striking out the side in the fourth on 13 pitches. He can’t return from the 60-day IL until June 6th, so he will at least be on rehab for another 11 days, if not longer. Carlos Lomeli pitched next and allowed six earned runs in two innings. Cristian Charle threw a scoreless seventh. Bradenton scored both of their runs on Rodolfo Nolasco’s second home run. Sergio Campana had two hits and scored a run. He has hits in five straight games and four of those are multi-hit games.
