Braxton Ashcraft looks like he’s starting to heat up. The right-hander pitched 5.1 innings for Altoona on Saturday night, allowing one run on five hits, with two walks and eight strikeouts.
Ashcraft had a rough start to the season, putting up a 6.64 ERA through his first five starts. He’s in his first full season back from Tommy John surgery, and spent those outings building up slowly to six innings. Ever since reaching the six inning mark, Ashcraft has shown why he’s one of the top pitching prospects in the system.
In his last four starts, including Saturday night’s stat line, Ashcraft has combined for two earned runs in 20.1 innings, with 27 strikeouts and five walks. He’s allowed 15 hits in this span.
Ashcraft could pitch in the majors this year as a reliever, but the Pirates rotation looks more promising long-term if they can get his mid-to-upper 90s fastball and plus slider into the rotation.
TRIPLE-A: INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS
INDIANAPOLIS lost 6-5
- CF Matt Gorski: 1-for-4, HR, RBI
- 1B Jake Lamb: 2-for-4, 2 RBI
- RHP Domingo German: 5.1 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 5 K
- DH Canaan Smith-Njigba: 1-for-4, 2B, BB, SB
- RF Gilberto Celestino: 1-for-3, BB, SB
Matt Gorski homered for the seventh time since May 16th. During the month of May, Gorski is batting .297/.333/.750, and he’s hit an extra gear in the second half of the month. He’s now homered in five of his last seven games. Domingo German struggled in his second start with Indianapolis, and now has a 6.97 ERA in his first two outings in Triple-A.
STATCAST HEROES
The home run from Matt Gorski traveled 364 feet at 103.2 MPH. He also had a 102.8 MPH flyout. Jake Lamb had three balls in play that ranged between 98.8 MPH and 102.7 MPH.
DOUBLE-A: ALTOONA CURVE
ALTOONA won 4-3 after another good outing from Braxton Ashcraft
- LHP Anthony Solometo: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
- LF Sammy Siani: 3-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI
- SS-3B Kervin Pichardo: 1-for-5, HR, RBI
- 1B Seth Beer: 2-for-5, 2B
- RF Tres Gonzales: 1-for-4, BB
Anthony Solometo has been starting on Sundays for Altoona this season. He has also struggled with a 5.68 ERA in 19 innings out of the rotation. He pitched a single inning in relief on Saturday night, which might be a move to help him reset and get back on track. Sammy Siani had his second multi-hit game in a row, going 5-for-9 with two doubles and a homer in his last two games.
HIGH-A: GREENSBORO GRASSHOPPERS
GREENSBORO lost 3-2
- RF Charles McAdoo: 3-for-4, 2B, SB
- CF P.J. Hilson: 2-for-3
- RHP Wilber Dotel: 4.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 1 HR
- RHP Jaycob Deese: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
- RHP Brandan Bidois: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
The Grasshoppers combined for five hits on the day, and all five came from two hitters separated by five spots in the lineup. Charles McAdoo had a three hit day, and P.J. Hilson picked up a pair of singles. Both runs from Greensboro came in the ninth inning. Lonnie White Jr. hit a sacrifice fly to score Nick Cimillo, and Mitch Jebb scored McAdoo on a groundout.
SINGLE-A: BRADENTON MARAUDERS
BRADENTON lost 6-3
- RHP Khristian Curtis: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 9 K, 1 HR
- 1B Esmerlyn Valdez: 2-for-3, BB
- LF Braylon Bishop: 1-for-5, RBI, SB
- 2B Wesley Zapata: 1-for-2, BB
- RHP Tyler Kennedy: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K
Khristian Curtis recorded a career-high nine strikeouts on Saturday. The right-hander was drafted in the 12th round last year out of Arizona State, and given an over-slot bonus to sign. He didn’t pitch last year, and has worked out of the Marauders rotation during his pro debut this year. Curtis has over a strikeout per inning, but prior to this start, his previous best was six strikeouts in 4.2 innings. This was also his first start where he completed five innings.
STATCAST HEROES
Curtis and Tyler Kennedy feature some of the best stuff on the Marauders. Curtis sat 95.3 MPH with his fastball, touching 97.7 MPH. He throws six pitches, and had 13 whiffs on the night, with at least one from five of his pitches. The most effective were the fastball (4 whiffs on 12 swings), the changeup (5 for 8), and the curveball (2-for-3). Kennedy averaged 96.2 MPH and touched 98 with his sinking fastball. He had three whiffs on five swings against the pitch, with two whiffs on two swings against his curveball.
ROOKIE: FCL PIRATES
FCL PIRATES won 8-3
- 3B Jhonny Severino: 1-for-1, 2 BB, 2 R, RBI, 2 SB
- SS Yerry De Los Santos: 2-for-4, 2B, 2 SB, RBI
- DH Tony Blanco Jr.: 1-for-1, 3 BB
- RF Juan Machado: 1-for-1, 2 BB, 2 R, 2 SB
- RHP Zander Mueth: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
Prior to this outing, Zander Mueth had allowed one earned run in 11 innings, with seven more unearned runs in that time. The 67th overall pick last year was used in relief on Saturday, pitching the second inning. He didn’t make it out of the inning, dealing with control problems. The FCL Pirates won the game, led by seven walks and eight hits, with only two going for extra bases. They also stole seven bases in seven attempts.
TODAY’S SCHEDULE
- Triple-A: Indianapolis, 2:08 PM – TBD
- Double-A: Altoona, 6:05 PM – RHP Po-Yu Chen (0-4, 6.11)
- High-A: Greensboro, 6:30 PM – LHP Dominic Perachi (3-0, 1.02)
- Single-A: Bradenton, 12:00 PM – TBD
- Rookie: FCL Pirates OFF
