I liked the story of Javier Rivas on Sunday.
The tall shortstop for the Bradenton Marauders went 3-for-4 with two doubles, a home run, three RBIs, and he was even hit by a pitch. The hits came at key moments. An RBI double to tie the score at 1-1 in the third. A solo home run to give the Marauders their second run of the game in the sixth, down 5-2. The final double came in the bottom of the ninth, bringing in Omar Alfonzo for the tying run.
Bradenton went on to allow two runs in the tenth inning, before scoring three runs in the bottom half for the walk off win. It was a great story of never giving up until the game was over, and Rivas was crucial in their long battle back.
In the case of Rivas, it was an individual case of never giving up. Rivas has been a regular mention in the Statcast Heroes feature, and not for his accomplishments. Rivas has been hitting the ball hard all season, but has been getting a large amount of hard hit outs. As a result, he came into today’s game batting .067/.106/.089.
On Sunday, his home run traveled 107.3 MPH for the hardest hit ball of the game. His game tying double had a 100.0 MPH exit velocity. The other double traveled at 97.6 MPH. Those are three hard hit balls, and today, all three went for extra base hits. After the game today, Rivas is batting .122/.173/.245. That’s still not a good line, but if he has more games like today, where the hard hit balls go for hits, he’ll end up with a more respectable stat line in no time.
PIRATES PROSPECT WATCH
INDIANAPOLIS won 5-0, led by Yasmani Grandal going 2-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs in a rehab appearance behind the plate.
- LHP Eric Lauer pitched five perfect innings, striking out eight. Lauer had 14 whiffs on the day, getting swing and miss from all his pitches. He had four whiffs each on the four-seam and cutter, three on the curve, two on the slider, and one on the changeup. His total called and swinging strike rate was 43%.
- RHP Kyle Nicolas pitched a perfect inning in relief, striking out three. Nicolas averaged 98 MPH with his fastball, touching 99. He had four whiffs on six swings with the pitch, and two whiffs on two swings with the curveball.
- CF Ji Hwan Bae went 1-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base.
- DH Matt Gorski had a big day at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a triple.
- SS Nick Gonzales went 1-for-3 with an RBI, extending his hitting streak to 12 games, and reaching base in all 19 games this season.
ALTOONA lost 5-4, scoring two runs in the seventh and two in the ninth.
- LHP Antony Solometo was pulled in the third inning after issuing three walks, including one with the bases loaded. He ended up with two runs allowed, after another run scored on a reliever.
- RHP Valentin Linarez got the final out after walking in the second run from Solometo. He then pitched a scoreless fourth inning, with two strikeouts.
- CF Matt Fraizer hit a solo homer leading off the ninth inning, after hitting his first homer of the year on Friday leading off the game.
- RF Aaron Shackelford also homered in the ninth inning, two batters after Fraizer. It was the third of the year for Shackelford.
- 1B Jase Bowen went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
GREENSBORO was postponed due to rain.
BRADENTON won 8-7 in comeback fashion in the tenth inning.
- C Omar Alfonzo went 2-for-4 with an RBI double in the ninth inning, and the game tying run. He also drew a walk.
- LF Juan Jerez had two doubles and an RBI in five at-bats. One of his doubles and RBIs came in the tenth inning.
- PH-RF Jesus Castillo won the game in the tenth inning with a walk off single.
- Prior to Castillo winning the game, 3B Garret Forrester got things started with an RBI double for his only hit of the game.
- RHP Khristian Curtis allowed three runs on four hits in four innings. He was hurt by the long ball, giving up two homers. Curtis didn’t issue a walk and struck out four.
STATCAST HEROES
Matt Gorski was hitting the ball far and hard. His triple went 104.9 MPH, traveling for the longest hit of the game. One of his singles went 104.2 MPH. Gorski also had a single at 88.1 MPH. It’s not as extreme, but Gorski has been unlucky with hard hits just like Rivas. STATS
Khristian Curtis was showing good results from his slider, picking up three whiffs in four swings, with two called strikes for an overall 63% called and swinging strike rate. STATS
TOMORROW’S SCHEDULE
- The minor leagues are off on Mondays.
