PIRATES PROSPECTSPITTSBURGH PIRATES MINOR LEAGUE NEWS, TRANSACTIONS, AND ARTICLES

Dusty Brown is congratulated after his home run







Louisville Bats  10,  Indianapolis Indians  4
(box score)  

The Louisville Bats started their onslaught with 5 runs in the top of the 1st inning, and never looked back at Victory Field tonight.  The Indians out-hit the Bats 12-11, but the Tribe left 10 of their runners on base, while the Bats left only 6.  One high point for the Tribe was that RF Andrew Lambo and 1B Andy Marte, both of whom had been struggling at the plate, both hit well tonight -- Marte singled twice and drove in a run, while Lambo singled twice, doubled, and brought in a run.

With Sean Gallagher (photo, with C Dusty Brown) on the mound, things got crazy right away in the top of the 1st.  CF Dave Sappelt lined a double into left field to lead off.  Gallagher got a strikeout and a grounder to first, which moved Sappelt to third.  Then he walked 3B Todd Frazier and hit RF Jeremy Hermida with a pitch to load the bases.  C Devin Mesoraco singled into right field, bringing in both Sappelt from third and Frazier from second.  When Lambo threw the ball in from right field to the plate, it came in up the line, and C Dusty Brown had no chance of tagging Frazier.  Instead he tried throwing to second base, in hopes of catching Mesoraco, who was trying to advance on the throw.  But Brown's throw bounced in the dirt and away from SS Chase d'Arnaud for a throwing error, and that let Hermida score too.  Mesoraco remained on second base, but only for a few minutes, because 1B Danny Dorn smacked a 2-run homer over the right field wall, giving the Bats a 5-0 lead.  

The Indians answered back with 2 runs in the bottom of the inning.  Corey Wimberly, who had center field duties tonight, was hit by a pitch on the right foot to begin the frame.  He was forced out at second when d'Arnaud grounded to third, though there was not time for a double play.  LF Alex Presley kept right on hitting, with a grounder up the middle for a single, and the Indians had runners on the corners.  Matt Hague, playing third tonight, lifted a fly into left center, but it was caught with a very nice effort by Bats' LF Yonder Alonso.  Andy Marte slipped a single up the middle just past the diving Bats' shortstop, driving in d'Arnaud from third base.  Andrew Lambo lined a single into left center also, bringing in Presley.  SS Pedro Ciriaco struck out to end the inning, but the Indians had made a dent in the Bats' lead.  

The Curve played an early game on Wednesday...

Akron Aeros  3,  Altoona Curve  2
(box score)

Down 3-1 going into the top of the 9th, the Curve rallied, beginning with 3B Jeremy Farrell reaching base on a fielding error by the Akron shortstop.  A passed ball put Farrell on second base.  Strikeouts by LF Shelby Ford and RF Brad Chalk made the Curve's situation even more desperate.  2B Brock Holt hit his third single of the day, and CF Starling Marte also singled, loading the bases with two outs.  But the Curve's hopes ended when SS Jordy Mercer also struck out.  

Jeff Locke made the start for the Curve, and he was charged with the loss.  Locke worked his way out of a jam with runners on the corners in the 1st inning, and worked around a lead-off single in the 2nd.  Another single led off the 3rd inning, and back-to-back doubles, one zipping just out of reach of Farrell's backhand dive, drove in 2 runs.  After a single, a walk, and two strikeouts in the 5th, Locke was relieved by Anthony Claggett.  Claggett finished up the 5th with a ground out, leaving two runners on base.  He also pitched the 6th and 7th innings, and surrendered a solo home run to lead off the 6th.  Tom Boleska pitched the 8th inning, and kept the Aeros from scoring again, despite a single and a walk.

The Curve scored their first run in the 4th.  1B Miles Durham and C Kris Watts worked back-to-back walks, and when Farrell lifted a soft single into right field, Durham scored from second base.  Farrell and Holt each walked once, and Farrell also singled in the 6th inning.  Holt singled to open the game, then again in the 5th.  

The Curve will have their home opener tomorrow.