The Pirates take in the Marlins this afternoon, hoping to split the four game series with Johan Oviedo on the mound.
Down in the minors, Jared Jones is making his second start for Indianapolis, while early-season breakout Thomas Harrington is starting for Greensboro.
Follow along with all of the action below. I’ll be checking in from LoanDepot Park.
PIRATES (35-41) AT MIAMI
Game Time: 1:40 PM EST
Pirates Starter: Johan Oviedo, RHP (3-7, 4.30)
Marlins Starter: Eury Perez, RHP (4-1, 1.54)
Pirates Lineups:
Miami matinee.
Marlins Lineups:
Last one at home. Who’s coming?
INDIANAPOLIS (33-40) VS COLUMBUS
Game Time: 1:30 PM EST
Projected Starter: Jared Jones, RHP (0-1, 4.76)
Latest Features:6/21: Changeup Helps Jared Jones In Strong Triple-A Debut
6/7: Aaron Shackelford adjusts swing and relocates power
6/6: Carmen Mlodzinski improves all the way with aggressive approachALTOONA (33-34) VS BOWIE
Game Time: 6:00 PM EST
Projected Starter: Aaron Shortridge, RHP (3-5, 5.40)
Latest Features:6/22: Power Continues To Come Through For Liover Peguero
6/9: Jared Jones Continues Incredible Development With Altoona
6/1: Matt Gorski Displays Athleticism And VersatilityGREENSBORO (37-29) VS WINSTON-SALEM
Game Time: 2:00 PM EST
Projected Starter: Thomas Harrington, RHP (0-1, 4.86)
Latest Features:6/25: Jase Bowen Turning Into An Offensive Threat
6/15: Anthony Solometo Promotion A Win For 2021 Draft Class
6/14: Bubba Chandler Looking To Limit Big InningsBRADENTON (37-30) AT LAKELAND
Game Time: 1:00 PM EST
Projected Starter: Derek Diamond, RHP (5-3, 4.71)
Latest Features:6/22: Young Bradenton Hitters Making Progress
6/20: Termarr Johnson: Patience Brings Career Day At The Plate
6/10: Jack Brannigan Continues Hot Streak With Another Home RunFCL PIRATES (11-4) OFF
6/16: Is This The Year For A Solomon Maguire Breakout?
6/12: Pirates 2023 Minor League Preview: FCL Pirates
6/11: Pitching Depth Continues To Grow With Jun-Seok Shim DebutDSL PIRATES BLACK (6-9) OFF
**Pirates 2023 Minor League Previews: Dominican Summer League Pirates
DSL PIRATES GOLD (10-5) OFF
**Pirates 2023 Minor League Previews: Dominican Summer League Pirates
THE NEW PROSPECT WATCH
With all of our game reports now going into this daily article, the Prospect Watch has been repurposed as a daily look at three prospects throughout the system. Check the site each day at noon for the latest edition. We’ll keep the archives updated here.
6/24: Nick Gonzales, Jared Triolo, Adolfo Oviedo
6/23: Michael Kennedy, Po-Yu Chen, Wyatt Hendrie
6/22: Braxton Ashcraft, Jase Bowen, Maikol Escotto
6/21: Termarr Johnson, Connor Scott, Enmanuel Terrero
6/20: Cal Mitchell, Travis MacGregor, Alessandro Ercolani
6/19: Henry Davis, Bubba Chandler, Julian Bosnic
6/18: Jared Jones, Matt Gorski, Tony Blanco Jr.
6/17: Liover Peguero, Dominic Perachi, Carlos MateoRecent Pirates Features
6/23: Nick Gonzales Bringing Successful Hitting Adjustments to the Majors
6/23: Nick Gonzales: What The Exit Velocity Numbers Say About Potential Impact
6/23: Offensive Struggles During the Ten Game Losing Streak
6/18: The Book on Henry Davis
6/17: Carmen Mlodzinski Becomes First Cherington Pick To Reach Big Leagues
6/15: Where Are The Hitting Prospects in the Pittsburgh Pirates Farm System?
6/14: The Book on Osvaldo Bido
6/11: Interview With Andrew McCutchenPIRATES RECAP
Final Score: Marlins 2, Pirates 0
Player of the Game: Johan Oviedo, RHP (7 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K, 1 HR)
MIAMI – The Pirates had another outstanding start wasted on a night where their offense remained quiet. Johan Oviedo went seven innings, allowing a run on six hits, with six strikeouts. The Pirates offense picked up five hits on the day, but was shut out as the team’s offensive woes continued.
Oviedo was the fourth starter to put the Pirates in position to win this series. Luis Ortiz went eight innings, allowing one run. Mitch Keller gave up one run in seven innings. Osvaldo Bido allowed two runs in 5.2 innings. Only Ortiz came away with the win, and that happened with a few ninth inning runs.
“It was definitely a frustration that we could have won three of four,” said Pirates’ manager Derek Shelton about losing three of four against the Marlins. “You saw four well pitch games by our starters.”
How can the Pirates figure out the offense?
“I wish I had that answer for you,” Shelton said. “We have to figure it out. Because we’re in a stretch right now where we’re not doing anything offensively, especially anything early in the game. And that’s, that’s what we have to figure out.”
The Pirates offense has a few hitters in a deep slump. Jack Suwinski hasn’t had a hit in his last 11 games, going 0-for-29 during that stretch. Ji-Hwan Bae is 0-for-21 in his last eight games. Rodolfo Castro is 1-for-25 in his last nine games, and is hitless in his last six. Austin Hedges is 0-for-16 in his last eight games.
“At some point guys getting the opportunities have to produce,” said Shelton. “I mean, that’s essentially what it comes down to. It’s the big leagues and you have to produce.”
The Pirates got two hits from Andrew McCutchen, who is one of few players who is hitting lately. However, they didn’t get many scoring opportunities, and didn’t execute when they had runners in scoring position. The biggest opportunity came in the second inning, when they had runners at second and third with one out. Castro and Hedges both struck out looking to end the inning.
“When we have those situations, we have to put the ball in play,” said Shelton.
The Marlins had a similar situation in the eighth inning, with runners at second and third and one out. They put the ball on the ground twice. Rodolfo Castro got the lead runner at home on the first play. The second grounder bounced off Carmen Mlodzinski and into right field, scoring a run. After the runner crossed the plate, Henry Davis came up firing with his first outfield assist, throwing out the batter trying to stretch it to a double.
With the 2-0 loss, the Pirates drop to 35-42. They had Ke’Bryan Hayes out of action today, as he battled lower back stiffness.
-Tim Williams
PIRATES PROSPECT WATCH
By John Dreker
TRIPLE-A: INDIANAPOLIS
Final Score: Columbus 7, Indianapolis 6
Player of the Game: Miguel Andujar 3-for-5, 2 RBI
Recap:Jared Jones made his second Triple-A start. His last game was strong until his final inning. This game was the opposite, with the damage done early. He gave up three runs over five innings on seven hits, two walks and four strikeouts. He has a 5.06 ERA through two starts.
Travis MacGregor and Duane Underwood Jr each allowed two runs. Juan Minaya tossed a scoreless frame.
Miguel Andujar continued being the best hitter on Indianapolis this year. He had three hits, two RBIs and a run scored. He now has a 1.015 OPS.
Endy Rodriguez broke a long homer-less drought, connecting for his fifth of the year. His last homer was 40 days ago. He had two hits and three runs scored.
Columbus pulled out the win despite going 1-for-14 with runners in scoring position. Their left fielder Oscar Gonzalez hit for the cycle.
DOUBLE-A: ALTOONA
Final Score: Altoona 8, Bowie 4
Player of the Game: Matt Gorski 2-for-4, 2 RBI
Recap:Starter Aaron Shortridge had a rough outing, but Altoona pulled out the victory on Sunday. He went five innings, allowing four runs on 12 hits, a walk and four strikeouts. He now has a 5.54 ERA in 65 innings.
Cameron Junker tossed two scoreless frames, then Braeden Ogle followed with three strikeouts over 1.1 innings. Oliver Garcia came out with a four run lead, a man on and one out in the ninth. He loaded the bases on walk, but got the final two outs without any other runs.
The Curve was down 4-0 early. They got on the board in the sixth on a two-run single by Matt Gorski. A ground out by Tsung-Che Cheng made it 4-3. Matt Fraizer then doubled in two runs to take the lead.
Altoona added three more in the eighth on an RBI single by Lolo Sanchez, followed by Mason Martin’s 11th homer.
Gorski had two hits and an outfield assist. Sanchez also had a stolen base and an outfield assist.
Liover Peguero went 0-for-3 with two walks and a run scored.
HIGH-A: GREENSBORO
Final Score: Winston-Salem 11, Greensboro 6
Player of the Game: Tres Gonzalez 2-for-3, 2 BB, SB
Recap:Greensboro used seven pitchers in an 11-6 loss, in a game that included six unearned runs scoring against them. Thomas Harrington got the start. He went four innings, allowing a run on five hits, a walk and five strikeouts. He has a 4.35 ERA in 20.2 innings with Greensboro this year.
The six unearned runs scored off of Cy Nielson. Three of those scored on a grand slam served up by Michell Miliano in the eighth inning.
The Grasshopper pitchers combined for 15 strikeouts.
Greensboro scored on a double steal and a throwing error from the catcher. Tres Gonzalez had his 13th steal, while Mike Jarvis picked up his 18th steal.
A ground out by Will Matthiessen scored a run. Sammy Siani followed with his seventh homer, a two-run shot.
Wyatt Hendrie had an RBI double. Jarvis hit his tenth homer for the final run. At the time of his homer, Greensboro went up 6-4 in the seventh inning.
Gonzalez reached base four times in two singles and two walks.
SINGLE-A: BRADENTON
Final Score: Bradenton 6, Lakeland 5
Player of the Game: Derek Diamond 6 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 SO
Recap:Starter Derek Diamond pitched a strong game on Sunday. The bullpen blew the lead, but Omar Alfonzo got it back with a ninth inning homer in the 6-5 win.
Diamond went six innings, allowing one run on five hits and a walk, while striking out seven batters. He now has a 4.37 ERA in 55.2 innings.
Julian Bosnic and Geronimo Franzua each allowed two runs over the final three innings.
The Marauders weren’t exactly killing the ball early. They scored their first three runs on a sacrifice bunt and two wild pitches. Nick Cimillo doubled in a run, before Alfonzo hit his homer.
Jack Brannigan and Shalin Polanco each failed to get a hit, but both picked up their 13th stolen base.
Cimillo, Alfonzo and Francisco Acuna each had two hits.
There were 25 strikeouts total in this game, including four by Termarr Johnson.
