Thomas Harrington pitched another gem for the Altoona Curve. On Friday night, Harrington threw 5.2 shutout innings, allowing four hits, two walks, and striking out five.
Harrington has an 0.70 ERA in 25.2 innings for Altoona during the month of July, with a 32:6 K/BB. This was the first start that he didn’t go a full six innings this month. He’s pitched at least five innings for ten starts in a row, since getting fully stretched out this year. He hasn’t allowed more than two earned runs in a game across his last eight starts.
This start followed two outings where Harrington combined to strike out 21 batters in 13 innings of work. He didn’t have the high strikeout totals this time around, but was effective with the shutout ball. He was also working with a one-run lead for most of his night, adding pressure on him to keep the opponents off the board.
Harrington is one of the top five prospects in the system, with some of the best control and command among the pitchers in the system.
TRIPLE-A: INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS
INDIANAPOLIS won 7-3
- RHP Jake Woodford: 5.0 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 K
- SS Alika Williams: 4-for-6
- DH Henry Davis: 3-for-6, 2 2B
- C Jason Delay: 3-for-5, 2B
- CF Matt Gorski: 2-for-4, BB, RBI
Henry Davis currently has a seven game hitting streak. He’s struck out six times in those seven games, across 32 at-bats. He struck out six times in seven at-bats in the two games preceding the streak. The hitting is good to see, but the reduced strikeouts from Davis are more encouraging, eliminating an early issue since he was sent down. Alika Williams has an eight game hitting streak, including seven hits in his last two games.
STATCAST HEROES
Matt Gorski had the hardest hit of the game with a 107.5 MPH single. The two doubles from Davis were hit 105.5 MPH and 97.7 MPH. They were also the longest hits of the game at 399 and 366 feet.
DOUBLE-A: ALTOONA CURVE
ALTOONA won 3-1, after the latest gem from Thomas Harrington.
- 1B Carter Bins: 2-for-4, HR, RBI, SB
- DH Yoyner Fajardo: 1-for-5, 3B, RBI
- C Abrahan Gutierrez: 1-for-4, SB
- LHP Jaden Woods: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K
- 2B Tsung-Che Cheng: 1-for-3, 2 BB
Altoona got on the board in the second inning from a solo homer by Carter Bins. It was the seventh of the year from the catcher, who was playing first base on this night. They reached the ninth inning with a 1-1 tie, which was broken by a Yoyner Fajardo RBI triple. Charles McAdoo added some insurance with a sacrifice fly to score Fajardo. Jaden Woods pitched the final 1.2 innings, striking out the side in the ninth to close out the game and pick up the win.
HIGH-A: GREENSBORO GRASSHOPPERS
GREENSBORO lost 6-4
- 2B Termarr Johnson: 1-for-5, HR, RBI
- SS Mitch Jebb: 3-for-5, SB
- LF Lonnie White Jr.: 1-for-3, BB, RBI
- RHP Alessandro Ercolani: 3.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K
- 3B Maikol Escotto: 1-for-4, RBI
One day after seeing a 17-game hitting streak ended, Termarr Johnson hit a solo home run. The homer came in the ninth inning with two outs, in an attempt to get Greensboro back in the game. Alessandro Ercolani pitched three scoreless innings in relief, as part of five scoreless from the bullpen. Mitch Jebb stole his 26th base, and had his third three-hit game in his last four games.
SINGLE-A: BRADENTON MARAUDERS
BRADENTON lost 8-1
- LHP Anthony Solometo: 3.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 1 HR
- C Omar Alfonzo: 1-for-4
- 2B Jeral Toledo: 1-for-4
- CF Shalin Polanco: 1-for-4
- RHP Brad Case: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
Anthony Solometo made his first start in Bradenton since being moved up from the FCL. Solometo was placed on the development list after his June 14th start with Altoona, then pitched three shutout innings in the FCL on July 20th. He allowed three runs in 3.2 innings for Bradenton on Friday, giving up one run in the second and two more in the fourth. Brad Case continued his rehab work in the lower levels, pitching 1.1 scoreless innings in relief of Solometo.
STATCAST HEROES
Solometo led with his changeup, throwing the pitch 30 times. He had three whiffs on 14 swings, with another five called strikes. His sinker averaged 91.2 MPH, touching 92.2. It was thrown 19 times, with two whiffs on six swings, and three called strikes. His slider generated one whiff on nine swings, with one called strike. The hardest hit ball was a grounder into a double play by Omar Alfonzo, at 110.2 MPH. Alfonzo had a 101.9 MPH groundout, and a single at 95.2 MPH.
ROOKIE: DSL PIRATES BLACK
DSL PIRATES BLACK lost 6-4
- CF Andres Villafane: 2-for-4
- 2B Michell Ojeda: 1-for-2, 2 BB, 2 SB
- SS Kendrick Herrera: 1-for-3, BB
Andres Villafane didn’t get much playing time in his first professional season last year, limited to 39 plate appearances. He is hitting .333/.388/.507 in 86 plate appearances this year. Kendrick Herrera and Michell Ojeda were both signed in this year’s signing class. Herrera is batting .261 with a .734 OPS, while Ojeda is batting .217 with a .745 OPS.
ROOKIE: DSL PIRATES GOLD
DSL PIRATES GOLD lost 3-2
- C Joseph Sequera: 2-for-2, 2 2B, 2 RBI
- SS Daje Morales: 0-for-2, BB, SB
- LHP Nicolas Carreno: 4.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
Joseph Sequera had the only two hits for the Pirates, with both hits going for doubles. He knocked in two runs in the second inning, putting the team up 2-1 at the time. Nicolas Carreno has a 3.79 ERA in 19 innings during his second pro season, working exclusively as a starter this year. He’s struck out 32 with 15 walks.
SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE
- Triple-A: Indianapolis, 7:08 PM – RHP Luis Cessa (3-4, 4.22)
- Double-A: Altoona, 6:05 PM – RHP Bubba Chandler (5-6, 3.67)
- High-A: Greensboro, 6:30 PM – TBD
- Single-A: Bradenton, 6:30 PM – RHP Hung-Leng Chang (4-7, 4.84)
- Rookie: FCL Pirates, 10:00 AM – TBD
- Rookie: DSL Pirates Black, 10:00 AM – TBD
- Rookie: DSL Pirates Gold, 10:00 AM – TBD
