Sammy Siani had another multi-hit game in the Arizona Fall League.
The Pittsburgh Pirates outfield prospect went 2-for-4 with a walk, knocking in three runs...
Khristian Curtis threw four shutout innings in the Arizona Fall League on Monday.
Curtis allowed a single hit, along with one walk, while striking out...
The DSL Pirates teams ended their seasons this week, which brings the rookie-level affiliates to an end.
I've been reviewing the best performing hitting and...
Yoslan Herrera pitched 7 shutout innings, scattering 7 hits and a walk, while striking out 5, to earn his 6th win of the season for the Curve. �He was backed up by his infielders, who turned 4 double plays,�three with Herrera on the mound, and one more for reliever Dustin Molleken. �The biggest threat Herrera faced came in the 7th, when two singles and a wild pitch put runners on the corners with no outs. �A line out and a double play ended the inning without a run scoring. �
Molleken pitched the final two innings of the game in relief. �He gave up 3 straight singles with one out in the 8th, but the double play got him out of the jam. �The only run he allowed was a lead-off homer in the top of the 9th inning. �
The Curve posted 16 hits in the game, including 3 hits each by 2B Jim Negrych, CF Gorkys Hernandez, and 3B Pedro Alvarez. �They scored their first run in the bottom of the 2nd inning, on a lead-off single by Alvarez, a double by 1B Miles Durham, and a sacrifice fly by C Steve Lerud. �The Curve went on to score 2 runs in each of the 4th, 5th, and 6th innings. �Back-to-back doubles by Lerud and SS Ray Chang, followed by LF Jeff Corsaletti's single brought in the 2 runs in the 4th. ��Singles by Negrych and Hernandez combined with a throwing error by the Harrisburg pitcher, put runners on the corners in the 5th. �RF Jose Tabata bounced into a double play, but Negrych was able to score. �Alvarez followed with a solo home run over the right-center field wall. �In the 6th, with two outs, the Curve scored twice more on 4 consecutive hits: �a single by Negrych, a double by Hernandez, and singles by Tabata and Alvarez. �
Jose Tabata now has a 10-game hitting streak. �Ray Chang has an 8-game hitting streak -- all 8 games he's appeared in since being promoted to Altoona. �
A 4-run 6th inning gave the Hillcats the boost they needed to overcome the Nationals in the final game of the series. �The Hillcats jumped out to a good start with 2 runs in the top of the 1st. �2B Jose De Los Santos led off with a single. �He went to second on CF Alex Presley's sacrifice bunt, and to third on a fly out. �1B Matt Hague doubled, scoring De Los Santos, and DH Kent Sakamoto followed with another double, scoring Hague. �
The P-Nats came right back in the bottom of the inning with 3 runs of their own, to take a 3-2 lead. �Starter Chi-Hung Cheng started off by getting two outs, then gave up a walk, hit a batter, and gave up a 3-run homer. �The P-Nats added one more run in the 3rd, on a double and an RBI single. �
That 4-2 lead held until the 6th inning. �Matt Hague led off with a double and moved on to third base on a wild pitch. �He scored on Kent Sakamoto's RBI single. �C Eric Fryer was hit by a pitch, and 3B Eddie Prasch singled, scoring Sakamoto. �Prasch went to third on the throw, and the Hillcats had two runners in scoring position. Both scored on RF Ciro Rosero's double into center field, and the Hillcats had regained the lead, 6-4. �
It got closer in the 7th. �Chi-Hung Cheng had pitched 5 innings and allowed the 4 runs on 5 hits and 2 walks, with 2 strikeouts. �Ramon Aguero relieved Cheng and pitched a 1-2-3 6th inning, but then gave up a run on two singles and a sacrifice fly in the 7th, and the P-Nats were within one run. �
The Hillcats added an insurance run in the top of the 9th, when Jose De Los Santos led off with a single. �He stole second base (36th of the season, third in the Carolina League), and when the P-Nats' catcher tried to pick De Los Santos off second base, the throw sailed into center field, and De Los Santos took off. �The center fielder also made a throwing error on the play, and De Los Santos scored. �
Relievers Harvey Garcia and RJ Rodriguez each pitched a scoreless inning for the Hillcats, with Rodriguez picking up his league-leading 17th save of the season. (The three next closest relievers are tied with 12 saves.) �Cheng took the win, his 7th of the year. �
The Power were swept by Augusta in this 4-game series, despite a 3-hit night by RF Austin McClune and 2 hits each by CF Starling Marte and DH Jeremy Farrell. �The Power had the early lead, as they scored 3 runs in both the 2nd and 3rd innings. �A fielding error put 3B Bobby Spain on base in the 2nd inning, and McClune and 2B Danny Bomback followed with singles to load the bases. �SS Adenson Chourio's sacrifice fly scored Spain, and a big double into left field by Starling Marte brought in both McClune and Bomback. �The 3rd inning began with the first 5 Power batters reaching base safely: �a walk to 1B Calvin Anderson, a double by Farrell, RBI singles by Spain and McClune, and a fielding error to put Bomback on base a
nd load the bases. �Chourio grounded i
nto a double play, but Spain was able to score, and the Power had a 6-0 lead. �
The lead didn't last long, though, as the Greenjackets scored in each of their next three at-bats. �Power starter Brian Leach had allowed two singles and a walk over the first two innings, but in the bottom of the 3rd, he gave up 2 runs on a double, three singles, and a walk. �Four consecutive singles led off the bottom of the 4th, and with one run already in, Leach was relieved by Wilson Ortiz. �Ortiz gave up a sacrifice fly (run charged to Leach), and the inning ended with the Power still ahead, 6-4. �
Augusta took the lead in the 5th inning, sending 10 batters to the plate. �With Ortiz still on the mound, a walk and a 2-run home run tied the game at 6-6. �A hit batter, a single, and an RBI ground out broke the tie, and a fielding error and another ground out added another run for Augusta. �Ortiz hit the next batter with a pitch, and he was relieved by Noah Krol. �Krol gave up an RBI single before ending the inning, with Augusta taking a 9-6 lead. �
The Power got one of the runs back in the 7th inning. �Calvin Anderson and Jeremy Farrell led off with back-to-back singles. �A double play erased Farrell, but moved Anderson to third base. �Austin McClune's third hit of the night scored Anderson, but that was all the Power could get, and it wasn't enough to catch up. �
Tri-City ValleyCats 6, State College Spikes 5 �(10 innings)
The Spikes came from behind to tie the score in the 9th inning, but the ValleyCats scored one more in the 10th to get the win. �
The Spikes were behind 5-2 going into the top of the 8th. �1B Justin Byler led off with a double, and DH Aaron Baker walked. �A ground out moved both runners up 90 feet. �Byler scored on a wild pitch, and Baker came in on an RBI ground out by 3B Pat Irvine, and the Spikes had moved to within one run, 5-4. �Butch Biela tied the score in the top of the 9th with a lead-off pinch-hit home run. �
Reliever Phillip Irwin retired the ValleyCats in order in the bottom of the 9th. �The Spikes threatened in the top of the 10th, when RF David Rubinstein singled, and moved on to second on a throwing error. �Pat Irvine walked, but a strikeout ended the inning with both runners still on base. �
Marc Baca came on to pitch the bottom of the 10th inning. �He gave up a lead-off double, and hit the next batter with a pitch. �A sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position, and an intentional walk loaded the bases. �The runner from third base scored on a wild pitch by Baca, to give the ValleyCats the win. �
Nelson Pereira had the start for the Spikes. �He pitched 4 innings and gave up a 2-run homer in the 2nd inning. �Victor Black gave up two more runs in the 5th inning on four singles and a sacrifice fly. �Phillip Irwin pitched 4 innings in relief, and allowed a run in the 7th on a walk, a single, and a sacrifice fly. �
The Spikes scored one run in the 2nd inning on singles by Aaron Baker and Pat Irvine, and a sacrifice fly by 2B Ty Summerlin. �SS Brock Holt's solo home run added another run in the 3rd. �
The Pirates and Yankees carried a 2-2 tie into the top of the 11th inning. �2B Gift Ngoepe led off the 11th with a walk, and stole second base. �Ngoepe scored the go-ahead run on 1B Gerlis Rodriguez's single into right field, and Rodriguez advanced to second base on a throwing error by the Yankees' right fielder. �RF Wesley Freeman scored Rodriguez with an RBI double, giving the Pirates an insurance run and a 4-2 lead. �Then reliever Diomedes Garcia retired the Yankees in order in the bottom of the 11th to preserve the win.
The Pirates had jumped onto the scoreboard first, back in the 1st inning, when Gift Ngoepe singled, went to second on a ground out, and scored on Gerlis Rodriguez's RBI single. �Starter Brooks Pounders pitched 4 scoreless innings and allowed only 2 hits, while striking out 4 batters. �Ryan Beckman pitched the next 4 innings. �He gave up 2 runs in the 5th inning, on a double, a single, a sacrifice fly, and an RBI single, as the Yankees took a 2-1 lead. �Melkin Laureano pitched 2 more scoreless innings for the Pirates. �
3B John Gourley tied the score at 2-2 in the 7th inning. �He led off with a single, stole second base, and scored on DH Rogelio Noris' RBI single. �That tie lasted until the top of the 11th.�
The Pirates broke a 2-2 tie with a run in the bottom of the 8th inning, to take the game from the Jays. �1B Gemmy Gonzalez singled to lead off the 8th inning, and rehabbing 3B Neil Walker was hit by a pitch. �Walker was replaced by pinch runner John Gourley (hopefully just because Gourley is faster than Walker and not because Walker was injured). �C Ramon Cabrera dropped down a sacrifice bunt, and the Blue Jay's catcher scooped it up and fired to second base -- where his second baseman missed the catch, loading the bases with Pirates. �A sacrifice fly by 1B Gerlis Rodriguez brought in Gonzalez with the go-ahead run. �
Reliever Jhonatan Ramos, who had retired the side in order in the 7th and 8th innings, did the same in the 9th inning, to earn the win for the Pirates. �Tom Boleska, also on a rehab assignment, started the game for the Pirates and pitched 3 innings. �He gave up an unearned run in the first on a single, a walk, and a throwing error. �He allowed another run in the 3rd inning on a double, a ground out, and a single. �Mitch Fienemann pitched the middle 3 innings, allowing only one walk. �The three hits allowed by Boleska were the only hits the Pirates' pitchers allowed.
The Pirates scored their first two runs in the 2nd inning. �LF Rogelio Noris and Gerlis Rodriguez led off with back-to-back singles, and another single by SS Benjamin Gonzalez plated Noris. �A fourth single, by another rehabber, 2B Greg Picart, scored Rodriguez. �
Home runs accounted for all of the Hillcats' runs -- two by LF Lastings Milledge, and one by 3B Jordy Mercer. �Milledge put the Hillcats onto the scoreboard right away in the top of the 1st with his first home run, a solo shot over the left field wall. �The Nationals came back with 4 runs in the 3rd inning, on two doubles, a walk, and two singles. �
The Hillcats got one of the runs back in the 6th inning, when Mercer homered. �The homer was followed with a single by 1B Matt Hague, and walks to C Kris Watts and RF Jared Keel. �But with the bases loaded, a pop out and a fly out ended the inning and no further runs scored. �Then in the 7th, SS Chase D'Arnaud led off with a walk, and Milledge blasted his second home run, this one over the right-center field wall to tie the score at 4-4.
Hillcats' starter Matt McSwain pitched the first 6 innings of the game, allowing those 4 runs on 8 hits and 2 walks, with 2 strikeouts. �Paul Mildren relieved McSwain to begin the 7th inning, and that's when the P-Nats�re-took the lead, on a 2-run homer of their own. �They added two more in the 8th, with another 2-run homer. �RJ Rodriguez got the last two outs of the 8th to�finish the inning for Mildren. �
Once again, the Power were able to put base runners on, but not get enough of them around to score, as they out-hit Augusta 8-7. �The Power scored one run after 2 outs in the 3rd inning. �SS Adenson Chourio walked and�LF Quincy Latimore singled. Chourio stole third base, and then scored when CF Robbie Grossman singled for an RBI. �A walk to 1B Erik Huber loaded the bases, but all three runners were left stranded when a fly out ended the inning. �The Power also left runners stranded in the 2nd, 5th, and 9th innings. �They scored again in the 7th inning on a double by RF Austin McClune and an RBI single by 2B Danny Bomback. �
Starter Rafael De Los Santos pitched 4 innings and allowed 5 runs on 5 hits and 4 walks. �A double, a bunt, and an RBI ground out scored one run in the 1st inning. �Two walks, a single, and a 2-RBI double brought in 2 runs in the 2nd inning. �De Los Santos retired the side in order in the 3rd, but then gave up 2 more runs in the 4th, on two singles, two walks, and an RBI ground out. �Casey Erickson pitched two innings in relief of De Los Santos, striking out 4 batters. �The only base runner to reach in those two innings came on a throwing error by Erickson. �Duke Welker took the mound for the 7th inning, and gave up a 3-run homer after a single and a walk. �
Two 4-run innings by the ValleyCats doomed the Spikes tonight. �The first came in the 3rd inning, with starter Tyler Cox on the mound. �Cox had held the ValleyCats to just one hit over the first 2 innings, but 4 singles and a wild pitch brought in one run. �A fielding error by 3B Pat Irvine allowed 2 more runs to score, and a sacrifice fly plated the fourth run. �Two walks, a single, and a throwing error, also by Irvine, scored another run in the 5th inning. �
The Spikes got onto the scoreboard in the 4th inning. �CF Evan Chambers and 1B Aaron Baker both singled, and a sacrifice fly by RF David Rubinstein scored Chambers. �They added another run in the 6th inning, when SS Brock Holt led off with a double and went to third base on a wild pitch. �DH Kyle Morgan's RBI ground out scored Holt.
It wasn't enough to keep up with Tri-City, though. �Mike Felix relieved Tyler Cox in the bottom of the 6th inning. �He gave up 2 walks, 3 singles, a sacrifice fly, and made a throwing error himself, accounting for another 4 runs for the ValleyCats. �Felix also gave up a walk and a single to begin the 7th inning, and he was relieved by Zachary Foster, who ended the inning without allowing a run in. �Teddy Fallon pitched the 8th inning, and gave up one more run on a single, a walk, and a ground out with a throwing error. �
The Spikes added two more runs in the top of the 8th. �Brock Holt singled, and advanced to second base on a wild pitch. �He scored from second base on Kyle Morgan's RBI single. �Aaron Baker walked, then David Rubinstein singled up the middle. �Morgan scored on the play, but Baker was thrown out at the plate. �
