Michael Kennedy pitched five shutout innings on Sunday for Bradenton.
The left-hander, drafted in the fourth round in 2022, has put up some good numbers in the month of August. He has a 2.33 ERA in 19.1 innings, with a 20:5 K/BB. He’s allowed ten hits all month. Sunday was his third start with five innings and one run or less.
Kennedy sat 89.2 MPH with his four-seam fastball, touching 91.1. He had seven whiffs on 22 swings against the pitch. His slider was effective, getting two whiffs on seven swings and 11 called strikes for a 59% called and swinging strike rate. He also had two whiffs on six swings against his changeup.
While he’s not a hard thrower, Kennedy knows how to pitch. His secondary stuff is above average, and he’s a smart pitcher who maximizes his three-pitch approach by keeping batters guessing. He’s got a 4.07 ERA this season in 73 innings, with an 80:16 K/BB.
TRIPLE-A: INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS
INDIANAPOLIS lost 5-2
- 2B Nick Gonzales: 1-for-5
- C Dylan Shockley: 2-for-4, RBI
- DH Jack Suwinski: 1-for-3
- CF Joshua Palacios: 1-for-3, BB
- RF Matt Gorski: 1-for-4
Nick Gonzales played his first full game in the field during his rehab, starting at second base. He’s had a hit in all four rehab appearances, and looks to be set for a return to Pittsburgh this week. Jack Suwinski picked up a hit in his fourth straight start. Dylan Shockley had two hits, including an RBI single in the second, which tied the score at 1-1 at the time.
STATCAST HEROES
Carmen Mlodzinski threw 1.2 shutout innings. He had two whiffs on six swings against his fastball, and one whiff on his slider. Ryan Borucki pitched a scoreless inning, striking out the side. He had three whiffs on his sweeper, one on his changeup, and one on the slider. Matt Gorski had the hardest hit ball with a 111.6 MPH lineout. He also had a 104.8 MPH single.
DOUBLE-A: ALTOONA CURVE
ALTOONA lost 5-2
- LHP Anthony Solometo: 4.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 HR
- LF Matt Fraizer: 2-for-3, SB
- SS Tsung-Che Cheng: 1-for-4
- DH Yoyner Fajardo: 1-for-2, 2B, RBI
- 1B Nick Cimillo: 0-for-3, BB, RBI
After walking eight in eight innings over his previous two starts, Anthony Solometo walked one in four innings on Sunday. Yoyner Fajardo hit his seventh double of the year, giving Altoona their first run in the fourth inning. Nick Cimillo brought in the second run with an RBI groundout. Matt Fraizer stole his eighth base of the season.
HIGH-A: GREENSBORO GRASSHOPPERS
GREENSBORO won 5-4
- 1B Omar Alfonzo: 1-for-4, HR, RBI
- SS Termarr Johnson: 2-for-4, SB
- 2B Mitch Jebb: 2-for-4, RBI
- LF P.J. Hilson: 1-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI
- RHP Derek Diamond: 3.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, 1 HR
Omar Alfonzo hit his second homer at the High-A level, with a solo shot in the fourth inning. Termarr Johnson picked up two hits and stole his 20th base of the season. Greensboro came back to win with three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, capped off by a two RBI double by P.J. Hilson, his 11th of the year. Mitch Jebb extended his hitting streak to six games.
SINGLE-A: BRADENTON MARAUDERS
BRADENTON lost 5-2, despite the start from Michael Kennedy.
- CF Shalin Polanco: 2-for-3, BB, RBI
- RF Will Taylor: 1-for-4
- DH Esmerlyn Valdez: 1-for-4
- 1B Axiel Plaz: 1-for-4, RBI
- RHP Carlos Castillo: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 0 K, 0 HR
Bradenton scored both of their runs in the ninth inning. Shalin Polanco hit an RBI single for his second hit of the game. Axiel Plaz followed with another RBI single. Bradenton’s bullpen allowed three runs in the seventh and two in the eighth.
STATCAST HEROES
The hardest hit of the game was the RBI single by Axiel Plaz, which went 110.5 MPH. Carlos Castillo pitched a scoreless sixth inning, before allowing three runs in the seventh. His sinker sat 90.6 MPH, touching 92.1. He had two whiffs on the curveball, and one each on the sinker and slider.
MONDAY’S SCHEDULE
- The minor leagues are off on Monday.
