Tag: Hayden Penn

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Rochester Red Wings 7, �Indianapolis Indians �5 (box)

Three runs in the top of the 10th inning broke a 4-4 tie and gave the extra-inning win to the Red Wings at Victory Field on Tuesday night. �With the usually reliable Jean Machi on the mound for the Tribe, the inning began in a promising way: �Machi threw one pitch and got one ground out. �Then things went downhill. �Rochester's RF Brian Dinkelman bounced a double down the left field line, and he moved to third base on a wild pitch. �2B Luke Hughes was hit by the next pitch to put runners on the corners. �Machi got DH Dustin Martin to tap one back to the mound,a and the Indians were nearly out of the jam. �But the ball was rolling slowly, and even though Machi fielded it cleanly, whirled, and fired to second base to force out Hughes, �SS Brian Friday's (photo) relay throw to first base was not in time to beat Martin to the bag. �Dinkelman scored from third base, and the Red Wings had the go-ahead run. �Martin stole second base, then advanced to third on another wild pitch by Machi. �3B Danny Valencia followed with another slow roller to the right side of the infield between the mound and the third base line, for an infield hit, scoring Martin. �LF Jacque Jones doubled, driving in Valencia, and the Red Wings had a 7-4 lead. �Machi walked 1B Brock Peterson, before striking out C Allan de San Miguel to end the inning.

The Indians had come from behind three times already during the game, and in the bottom of the 10th, they made one more effort. �RF Brandon Moss led off with a line drive single into center field. �After C Erik Kratz lined out to center field, LF Kevin Melillo (photo), in his first start with the Indians, ripped a double into the right field corner, which moved Moss over to third base. �Brian Friday grounded to first base, allowing Moss to score. �This time the Indians' catch-up bid fell short, as the rally and the game ended with a strikeout by CF Jose Tabata, and the Red Wings had the win.

Righty pitcher Hayden Penn (photo at the top), who had been designated for assignment by the Pirates, then sent to Florida for extended spring training, joined the Indianapolis Indians today and was immediately inserted into the starting rotation. �Penn was limited to 80 pitches, and he stretched those pitches out so that he could pitch 6 innings -- he actually threw only 78 pitches, with 55 strikes. �He gave up 3 hits on 8 hits, no walks, with 6 strikeouts. �Penn pitched well against most of the Red Wings' batting order, but he had trouble with the very top of the order: �CF Jason Repko and SS Trevor Plouffe.

Toledo Mud Hens 6, �Indianapolis Indians 3 (box)

The Indianapolis Indians had the early lead at Fifth Third Field in Toledo, Ohio tonight, but a 5-run inning by the Mud Hens took the victory away.

Compared to the games they played in Columbus, which lasted way over 3 hours, this 2 hour 19 minute game must have seemed lightning-fast to the Tribe. �With a flurry of roster moves made by the Pirates (see below), the Indians' scheduled starter, Brian Burres had already left for San Francisco. �The ever-flexible Jeremy Powell stepped up to made the start for the Tribe. �Powell breezed through the first two innings, needed only 10 pitches for the 1st and 14 pitches for the 2nd.

The Indians scored in the top of the 2nd using the "bloop-and-blast" method. �3B Pedro Alvarez opened the inning with his first non-homer hit of the season, a line drive single into right field. �1B Steve Pearce followed with the blast -- a homer that sailed over the back of the concourse behind the left field wall. �Pearce knew as soon as it left his bat that it was gone, turning to watch it when he still had one foot in the batters' box. �The Indians had a 2-0 lead.

Leads in Toledo are always tenuous for the Indians, though. �Sure enough, Powell ran into trouble in the bottom of the 3rd. �A lead off walk to LF Clete Thomas was followed with a single by former Indy Indian C Robinzon Diaz, which slipped past SS Brian Friday. 3B Danny Worth grounded to his counterpart Pedro Alvarez, and it would have been a double play, but Alvarez bobbled the ball and only had time to get the out at first base, leaving runners on second and third. �RBI singles by 2B Will Rhymes and SS Brent Dlugach brought in Thomas and Diaz to tie the score at 2-2. �Then RF Brennan Boesch took Powell's 0-1 pitch on a line drive over the right field wall for a 3-run homer and a 5-2 lead.

The Pirates made the last moves needed this morning to get their roster ready for Opening Day:

Infielder Ramon Vasquez was designated for assignment. �The Pirates have 10 days to release him, trade him, or waive him. �He's owed a $2 million contract, but the Pirates have said that they would pay that out if they need to. �Vasquez's spot on the 40-man roster opens up....

Pitcher�Jose Ascanio was placed on the 60-day disabled list. �He had shoulder surgery and isn't expected to be back for quite some time yet. �That opens another spot on the 40-man roster.

Pitcher Joel Hanrahan was placed on the 15-day disabled list. �His right elbow strain is expected to be rested and ready to go within another week or so. �Still, another roster spot opens.

Relief pitchers DJ Carrasco and Jack Taschner, who were in camp as non-roster invitees on minor league contracts, both made the major league team. �They were added to the 40-man roster, filling in two of those vacated spots.

Reliever Hayden Penn, who was claimed off waivers this past week, has made the major league team. �He's also on the 40-man roster. �Management has indicated that they will want to see some consistency in his pitching.

Outfielder John Raynor, the team's Rule 5 Draft Pick, has made the major league team. �He was already on the 40-man roster. �He'll also have to remain on the 25-man roster, unless he's on the Disabled List, for the entire season, or else be offered back to the Marlins.

1B/OF Steve Pearce has been optioned to AAA Indianapolis. �This is not unexpected, especially with Raynor making the team. �Pearce has this option year left, which others did not have, so this avoids exposing another player to waivers.

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Minor league rosters should be finalized within the next couple of days. �The Indy Indians usually arrive in town by Tuesday and have a couple of workouts. �The minor league season will begin the on Thursday, with the Indians and the West Virginia Power on the road, and the Altoona Curve and the Bradenton Marauders opening at home.

Phillies (Reading Phillies) �4, �Pirates (Altoona Curve) �3 � (box)

The Pirates' spring training schedule ended this afternoon with another game at Citizens' Bank Park in Philadelphia. �The starters got things going, and the Philadelphia starters did all of their scoring, but by the end of the game, it was mostly the AA level players who were on the field -- and they scored two of the Pirates' three runs.

Starter Paul Maholm pitched 3 innings, and allowed 2 runs on 5 hits -- and apparently was not feeling well most of the day. �He gave up a double followed by an RBI single in the 2nd inning, and two singles for the second run in the 3rd inning.

Hayden Penn, who was acquired by the Pirates off waivers from the Marlins this week, made his second appearance in a Pirates' uniform. �He had pitched 1.2 innings and gave up 2 hits (one brought in a run) on Thursday. �Today, he entered the game in the 4th inning, and it was not the inning he wanted to show off to Pirates' management. �Jayson Werth sent Penn's 2-1 pitch over the left field wall for a solo home run. �A double and a single put runners on the corners with no outs. �A double play let the runner from third base score, before Penn struck out the next batter to end the inning.

Brendan Donnelly, Octavio Dotel, Jack Taschner, and Michael Dubee each pitched a 1-2-3 inning to wrap it up for the Pirates. �Dubee, up from the Curve, had the experience of pitching in front of his father, Phillies' pitching coach Rich Dubee, and a host of family and friends -- in the stadium where he hung out with his dad as a teen and a college student.

The Pirates' regulars got the first run on the board, in the 2nd inning. �1B Jeff Clement led off with a single, 3B Andy LaRoche walked, and SS Ronny Cedeno singled to load the bases with no outs. �C Jason Jaramillo popped into an unusual double play: �he popped up to short left field, and the runners held up because it looked like Phillies' shortstop Jimmy Rollins, who was going backwards, was going to catch it. �But at the last second, the ball popped out of his glove. �Clement scored from third, with an RBI going to Jaramillo. �Rollins was able to pick up the ball and fire in to second, to force out Cedeno, and then the relay to third beat LaRoche, for a double play.

The Curve players started entering the game in the 4th inning: �RF Miles Durham, SS Chase d'Arnaud, and 3B Jordy Mercer, with Steve Pearce at first base. �RF�Alex Presley and 2B Josh Harrison came in for the 5th, and C Hector Gimenez in the 7th. �Jim Negrych and Kris Watts each got a pinch-hitting appearance. �D'Arnaud singled in the 6th, but was left on base. �Negrych, Durham, and Pearce led off the 8th inning with consecutive singles, and Negrych came around from second to score easily on Pearce's RBI single. �Presley singled with one out in the 9th, and Watts moved him to third base with a line drive into right field. �Durham's RBI single brought in Presley, but Watts and Durham were left stranded on base when Pearce struck out to end the inning and the game.

That's it for the spring. �The Pirates headed right to Pittsburgh after the game. �They will have a workout tomorrow, and the final roster decisions must be made by 3 pm.

The Indianapolis Indians were also scheduled to play their last spring training game today, against the Phillies' AAA team, the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs. �No word about the results. �Minor league rosters should be announced within a couple more days.

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Phillies 4, �Pirates 2 �(box)

The Pirates left their Florida home and headed north this evening, after a loss in their last Grapefruit League game. �Once again, the Pirates' batters struggled to get hits, managing only 6. �Two of them were solo home runs: �the first by RF Ryan Church in the top of the 1st inning, and the second by C Ryan Doumit in the 4th inning. �There were two doubles, one by minor leaguer PR/LF Miles Durham, and one by SS Ronny Cedeno; LF Lastings Milledge and 1B Jeff Clement both singled.

Starter Daniel McCutchen pitched 5.1 innings and gave up 3 runs (2 earned) on 6 hits and 2 walks, with 3 strikeouts. �The Phillies' first run, in the bottom of the 1st, may have initially been ruled unearned, but became earned when the ball that got past a diving 1B Jeff Clement was changed from an error to a hit. �A hit batter, a stolen base, and an RBI single brought in the run to tie the score at 1-1. �In the 2nd inning, a hit fell in between RF Church and 2B Aki Iwamura, then a walk and a single that brought the run in. �The throw in from CF Andrew McCutchen in short center field, sailed over and past C Doumit at the plate. �Doumit's homer tied the score again, at 2-2.

Daniel McCutchen started the 6th inning with an out and a walk, and that gave Hayden Penn his chance. �A passed ball moved the runner to second base, and a ground out advanced him to third base. �An RBI single broke the tie and the Phillies were up 3-2. �Penn gave up a double, then got out of that inning with two strikeouts. �He pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the 7th. �Octavio Dotel gave up a solo home run on his first pitch for the Phillies' final run.

Several minor leaguers, mainly from the Altoona Curve, got into the game, and several of them will also accompany the major league team to Philadelphia for the next two games to finish out the pre-season. �In this game: �2B Chase d'Arnaud, CF John Raynor, PH Jim Negrych, Miles Durham, and 3B Josh Harrison.

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The Indy Indians were scheduled to play a AAA game against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees this afternoon. �No word on the results.

The Pirates moved six pitchers and one catcher to minor league camp today. �Jeff Karstens, who had been a starter for the Pirates in 2009 but was removed from the 40-man roster after the season, could be either a starter or a long reliever in Indianapolis to begin 2010. �Relievers Brian Bass, Anthony Claggett, Vinnie Chulk, Steven Jackson, and Jeremy Powell were all sent to Indianapolis. �Powell pitched for the Indians in 2009, and signed a minor league contract for 2010. �Bass and Chulk also were signed as free agents over the winter. �Also sent to Indy was another free agent, catcher Luke Carlin, who will likely play a back-up role for the Indians.

That leaves the Pirates with relievers DJ Carrasco and Jack Taschner. Neither of them are on the Pirates' 40-man roster, so two roster moves will have to be made to accommodate them. �There are a few more players and positions who remain in question. �Infielder Ramon Vasquez seems to have lost out to a group of other infielders (Aki Iwamura, Delwyn Young, Bobby Crosby, and Ronny Cedeno) and the Pirates are trying to trade him before they have to just release him. �A decision has to be made between the two prospective back-up catchers Erik Kratz and Jason Jaramillo. The Pirates have to determine whether or not they will keep Rule 5 outfielder John Raynor. �Steve Pearce might also be optioned back to the Indians, since he has an option left and is being squeezed out by Jeff Clement at first and a host of outfielders. �Then, the Pirates just picked up reliever Hayden Penn yesterday and have promised to give him a good look before making a decision.

In today's Grapefruit League action: � �Twins 4, �Pirates 1 �(box)

Apparently the Pirates used up all of their extra bat-power in yesterday's 15-hit attack. �Today at Fort Myers, they managed only 4 hits and one run in the loss to the Twins. �A host of minor leaguers got a chance to have some fun with the big leaguers today, but they were no match for Twins' starter Francisco Liriano, who allowed just 3 hits and 3 walks in 6 scoreless innings. �In fact, the Pirates didn't have a hit until the 5th inning, when LF Robbie Grossman singled. �SS Bobby Crosby and C Jason Jaramillo also singled. �The Pirates' only run came in the 9th inning, when 2B Shelby Ford tripled, then scored on C Erik Kratz's RBI ground out.

The Pirates have picked up pitcher Hayden Penn off waivers from the Marlins today, and designated outfielder Brandon Moss for assignment.

Penn is a righty starting pitcher, who was originally drafted by the Orioles in the 5th round of the 2002 draft. �He began his pro career in 2003 at two Rookie levels, then quickly moved up the ladder -- A+ and A levels in 2004, and AA and the major league level in 2005. �Penn spent most of 2006 at the AAA level (Ottawa), where he earned a 7-4 record and a 2.26 ERA in 14 starts. �He also made 6 starts for Baltimore in that season, but did not fare well there (0-4 and a 15.11 ERA). �Penn missed a bit of 2006 due to appendicitis, and a lot of 2007 due to injury. �He was back in full force in 2008 at AAA Norfolk, where he made 21 starts (99.2 innings) for a 6-7 record and a 4.79 ERA. �He allowed 110 hits and 53 earned runs, with 35 walks and 65 strikeouts. �The California native was with the Orioles for spring training in 2009, but on April 1st was traded to the Marlins, where he made one start and 15 more appearances in long relief, for a total of 22 innings. �He struggled with his control in those innings, giving up 19 earned runs on 30 hits and 20 walks, with 27 strikeouts. �Penn was designated for assignment and passed through waivers, so was assigned to AAA New Orleans. �In New Orleans, he went back into the starting rotation for all but one appearance, and pitched another 70 innings, allowing 32 earned runs on 70 hits and 26 walks, with 62 strikeouts. �He posted a 2-4 record and a 4.11 ERA. �The soon-to-be 25-year-old reported to Marlins' spring training as a candidate for their starting rotation. �He made 5 appearances in Grapefruit League play, two good and three disappointing. �On March 10th, Penn pitched 3 perfect innings with one strikeout, and on March 16th, he went 3.1 innings and allowed only one home run, and one more strikeout. �But he gave up 2 runs on 3 hits in 2 innings on March 5th, and more recently, gave up 4 runs on 5 hits in 1.2 innings on the 21st and 5 runs on 5 hits on the 26th. �Penn was put on waivers, and is now on the Pirates' 40-man roster. �He was out of options when he was with Baltimore and Florida, so he's still out of options for the Pirates. �If they decided they don't want him at the major league level, then he'll have to go through waivers to be sent to AAA.

In order to make room for Penn on the 40-man roster, the Pirates removed Brandon Moss and designated him for assignment. �Now he'll have to clear waivers before he can be assigned to AAA, or else the Pirates can release or trade him. �Moss came to the Pirates in 2008 in the trade involving Jason Bay, the Red Sox, and the Dodgers. �He struggled at the end of the 2008 season, and then again in 2009. �He did better at the plate in May, but then found himself on the bench again when Andrew McCutchen, Garrett Jones, and Lastings Milledge joined the team. �With those three firmly entrenched in the Pirates' lineup, and Jose Tabata on the way, Moss was going to have some tough competition. �Then, the Pirates signed Ryan Church, took John Raynor in the Rule 5 draft, and talked about keeping Steve Pearce around too.... getting to be pretty crowded in that outfield, even if some of the spillover could handle first base. �Now it looks like Jeff Clement is going to handle most of the first base duties, and the outfield gets even more crowded. �Moss appeared in 19 Grapefruit League games, but had just 3 hits in 37 at-bats, and that certainly didn't help his cause. �While the Pirates might say that they still like Moss and hope he can get through waivers and get to wait around at AAA, he might be better off if another club has a spot for him.

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