Thomas Harrington threw seven shutout innings for Indianapolis on Saturday night.
The right-hander was promoted to Indianapolis at the end of July, and this was his third start in Triple-A. It was also easily his best outing, after allowing seven runs in 10.1 innings in the previous two starts.
On Saturday, Harrington allowed two hits, no walks, and struck out two. The progression matches his rise to Altoona, where he struggled for a few starts, before settling down and looking unhittable, with some of the best control in the upper levels.
Harrington led with his curveball, throwing the pitch 25 times. He got six whiffs on 14 swings, with three more called strikes. The pitch sat low-80s, and had a 36% called and swinging strike rate.
His fastball was thrown 16 times, with two whiffs and four called strikes for a 38% CSW. It sat 92.5 MPH and touched 93.4. His sweeper was thrown 12 times, with one whiff and four called strikes, sitting low-80s. Harrington’s slider was his fourth pitch with a called or swinging strike in at least a third of his pitches, with one whiff and one called strikes on six pitches. It sat 86.9 MPH. He also threw four changeups averaging 88.6 MPH.
There weren’t a lot of strikeouts, but Harrington didn’t need them, as he didn’t allow his first hit of the game until the start of the sixth inning. He allowed another hit with one out in the seventh, but eventually picked off the runner for the final out of his appearance.
TRIPLE-A: INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS
INDIANAPOLIS won 3-0, led by Thomas Harrington’s start.
- RF Edward Olivares: 3-for-4, HR, RBI
- 1B Billy Cook: 3-for-4, 2B
- C Jason Delay: 2-for-3, 2B
- 3B Jose Rojas: 1-for-4, HR, RBI
- LHP Ryan Borucki: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Billy Cook had three hits, including a leadoff single that led to the first run of the game. Edward Olivares and Jose Rojas hit back-to-back solo shots with two outs in the sixth inning, giving Indianapolis the rest of their offense. Ryan Borucki started a rehab assignment, after previously being shut down on July 23rd during his last rehab assignment.
STATCAST HEROES
Cook had a 104.9 MPH double and a 104.1 MPH single. The homer from Olivares was hit 417 feet at 109 MPH. He also had a 101.4 MPH single.
DOUBLE-A: ALTOONA CURVE
ALTOONA won 7-6 in 11 innings
- RF Sammy Siani: 3-for-4, 3B, BB, 4 R
- 3B Brenden Dixon: 1-for-4, HR, 3 RBI
- LF Tres Gonzalez: 1-for-4
- RHP Brad Case: 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K
- LHP Jaden Woods: 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K
Altoona won in the 11th inning when Tres Gonzalez bunted Sammy Siani to third, with Siani scoring on a throwing error by the catcher. It was the fourth run of the game for Siani, who led Altoona’s offense with three hits and a walk. Brenden Dixon hit a three run homer in the fourth inning. The homer was off former Pirates prospect Patrick Reilly, who was moved up to Double-A after being traded for Billy Cook at the deadline. Brad Case and Jaden Woods combined for six shutout innings in relief.
HIGH-A: GREENSBORO GRASSHOPPERS
GREENSBORO was postponed due to wet grounds.
SINGLE-A: BRADENTON MARAUDERS
BRADENTON won 6-4
- LF Braylon Bishop: 1-for-3, HR, RBI, SB
- 3B Jhonny Severino: 2-for-4, RBI, SB
- RF Shalin Polanco: 1-for-3, 2B, BB, RBI
- 2B Duce Gourson: 1-for-4, BB, SB
- LHP Connor Wietgrefe: 2.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 1 HR
Braylon Bishop hit a solo homer in the fifth inning, his fifth of the year. He also stole home on the back end of a double steal in the second inning. Shalin Polanco gave Bradenton the lead in the third inning with a double that scored Jhonny Severino, who had two hits. Connor Wietgrefe, drafted in the seventh round, made his second pro appearance and first start.
STATCAST HEROES
The homer from Bishop was hit 106.7 MPH. Wietgrefe threw a sinker that saw 92.4 MPH, touching 94.2. It had one whiff and five called strikes for a 35% CSW. He also worked in a slider that sat 81.8 MPH, a changeup that was 88.8 MPH, and two four-seam fastballs that were a few ticks below the sinker at 90.5 MPH.
ROOKIE: DSL PIRATES BLACK
DSL PIRATES BLACK lost 2-0
- RHP Dariel Florentino: 4.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
- RF Iverson Allen: 1-for-3, SB
- CF Bralyn Brazoban: 1-for-3
Dariel Florentino moved into the rotation this month, and has a 1.69 ERA in 10.2 innings across three starts. His six strikeouts were a career high. Iverson Allen stole his second base of the season.
ROOKIE: DSL PIRATES GOLD
DSL PIRATES GOLD lost 4-2
- 2B Adbiel Feliz: 1-for-3, 2B, BB, 2 RBI
- LHP Reinold Navarro: 3.0 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
- DH Angel Perez: 1-for-3, BB
Adbiel Feliz knocked in the only two runs, hitting a two RBI double with two outs in the eighth inning. The middle infielder was the second biggest international signing by the Pirates this year.
SUNDAY’S SCHEDULE
- Triple-A: Indianapolis, 1:35 PM – RHP Aaron Shortridge (1-2, 4.87)
- Double-A: Altoona, 6:00 PM – TBD
- High-A: Greensboro, 2:05 PM – RHP Derek Diamond (5-4, 4.82)
- Single-A: Bradenton, 12:00 PM – LHP Connor Oliver (0-8, 5.78)
