Thomas Harrington pitched a gem for the Altoona Curve on Wednesday night. Harrington allowed one run in seven innings, while striking out a career-high 11 batters.
The strikeout total from Harrington matches his career-high that was set last August, when he also struck out 11 in seven innings. That start was one of three starts last season where Harrington pitched seven frames. He’s been building up from a pre-season injury, but has gone seven innings in both starts this month. Harrington has combined for one run allowed between the two starts.
Harrington has emerged this year as another future MLB starter in the Pirates’ farm system. He has a 2.54 ERA in 56.2 innings in a shortened season with Altoona, while striking out 59 and walking eight. He doesn’t have the velocity of other starters, but features several above-average or better offerings, along with plus control, and a great ability to mix up his pitches.
With the way he’s pitching this year in Altoona, Harrington could find his way to Indianapolis by the end of the year, and is currently on pace for a 2025 ETA to the majors.
TRIPLE-A: INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS
INDIANAPOLIS lost 3-1
- RHP Jake Woodford: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 1 HR
- SS Liover Peguero: 1-for-4, SB
- 1B Jake Lamb: 1-for-3, BB
- 3B Malcom Nunez: 1-for-3, BB
- DH Seth Beer: 1-for-4, 2B
Since signing with the Pirates last month, Jake Woodford has a 2.13 ERA in 25.1 innings over five starts, with a 29:3 K/BB. Liover Peguero stole his eighth base of the season.
STATCAST HEROES
The lone hit from Liover Peguero was a 104.6 MPH single. Woodford had four whiffs on his four-seam, three on the sweeper, and two each on the sinker and cutter.
DOUBLE-A: ALTOONA CURVE
ALTOONA won 5-1, led by Thomas Harrington’s gem.
- CF Jase Bowen: 1-for-3, 2B
- C Abrahan Gutierrez: 2-for-4, 2B, RBI
- 2B Kervin Pichardo: 2-for-3, 2B, RBI
- LF-RF Sammy Siani: 2-for-4
- RHP Enmanuel Chapman: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Jase Bowen hit his 12th double of the year. Kervin Pichardo knocked in the first run of the game with an RBI single, and later hit his ninth double of the year. Abrahan Gutierrez hit a double in the seventh, knocking in a run and starting a four run inning. Enmanuel Chapman closed out the game with two scoreless innings.
HIGH-A: GREENSBORO GRASSHOPPERS
GREENSBORO lost 7-5
- 3B Jack Brannigan: 2-for-5, HR, 2B, 2 RBI
- 2B Termarr Johnson: 1-for-5
- LF Hudson Head: 2-for-4, 2B, RBI
- 1B Josiah Sightler: 2-for-4
- DH Nick Cimillo: 1-for-4, 2B, RBI
Jack Brannigan hit his 14th homer of the year, a day after hitting two home runs. The homer was a two run shot in the first inning. On Tuesday, he homered in the first and second innings. Brannigan also hit his 11th double. Termarr Johnson extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a single.
SINGLE-A: BRADENTON MARAUDERS
BRADENTON won 14-8
- 1B Esmerlyn Valdez: 2-for-4, 2 HR, BB, 5 RBI
- C Axiel Plaz: 2-for-5, HR, 2 RBI
- RHP Aaron Shortridge: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K
- SS Keiner Delgado: 2-for-4, 2B, BB
- 3B Jeral Toledo: 2-for-4, 2B, BB, 3 RBI
Esmerlyn Valdez homered twice, hitting a three run shot in the first, and a two run shot in the second. He now has 12 home runs on the season. Valdez was activated from the injured list on Tuesday, and homered in his first game back. Axiel Plaz hit his 11th home run, launching a two run shot in the eighth. Aaron Shortridge pitched four shutout innings in a rehab start, with an identical stat line to his last rehab start.
STATCAST HEROES
Shortridge had four whiffs on his cutter, and three more on his four-seam. The home runs from Valdez had exit velocities of 104.0 MPH and 98 MPH. Axiel Plaz hit his shot 344 feet at 99.7 MPH.
THURSDAY’S SCHEDULE
- Triple-A: Indianapolis, 5:35 PM – RHP Domingo German (3-4, 5.68)
- Triple-A: Indianapolis, Game Two – RHP Luis Cessa (3-3, 4.26)
- Double-A: Altoona, 6:00 PM – RHP Po-Yu Chen (3-7, 4.12)
- High-A: Greensboro, 6:30 PM – RHP Derek Diamond (4-1, 4.15)
- Single-A: Bradenton, 6:30 PM – RHP Mike Burrows (0-1, 7.94)
- Rookie: FCL Pirates, 12:00 PM – TBD
- Rookie: DSL Pirates Black vs DSL Pirates Gold, 11:00 AM – TBD
