Tag: James McDonald

Pirates  2,  Yankees  0

Six Pirate pitchers combined to shut out the Yankees at McKechnie Field this afternoon.  James McDonald and Aaron Thompson each pitched 2 scoreless innings, and each allowed 2 hits.  That was all the hits the Yankees could get.  Daniel McCutchen pitched 2 innings, retiring 6 batters in order, including 2 strikeouts.  Chris Resop, Ramon Aguero, and Daniel Moskos  all contributed one scoreless and hitless inning, and Moskos earned the save.  

The Pirates posted just 6 hits.  Two of those belonged to C Chris Snyder.  He singled to lead off the 3rd inning, but was caught trying to steal second base, then singled again to begin the 6th, and was replaced by pinch runner Jeremy Farrell.  2B Josh Rodriguez bunted Farrell to second base, and SS Pedro Ciriaco drove in the first run of the game with an RB double into left field.  The Pirates scored again in the 7th, when DH Garrett Jones opened the frame with a walk.  1B Steve Pearce bounced a ground-rule double over the left field wall, moving Jones to third base.  3B Josh Fields brought in Jones with a sacrifice fly.  

CF Alex Presley walked, singled, and was hit by a pitch in the game.  LF John Bowker also singled.  Also getting in the game:  CF Gorkys Hernandez, LF Miles Durham, RF Andrew Lambo, 1B Garrett Atkins, RF Matt Diaz, C Wyatt Toregas, 2B Brian Friday, and SS Corey Wimberly.  Doug Bernier, who played for the Indy Indians in 2010, got into the game for the Yankees.   




Other notes:
The Pirates have signed 3B Christian Colonel to a minor league contract.  Colonel was the Rockies' 5th round draft pick in 2003.  He has played all around the field, he has spent more time in the infield, and most of those at third base.  More about Colonel to come in the next few days.
Former Pirate farmhand C James Skelton (Bradenton 2010) signed with the Brewers.  



 

A host of roster moves today, in view of the Pirates' activity at the trading deadline, which will affect the Indianapolis Indians.

SS Argenis Diaz and 1B Jeff Clement have been promoted from the Indians to the Pirates.� They will take the roster spots vacated when INF Bobby Crosby and OF Ryan Church were traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The Pirates acquired ss Pedro Ciriaco from the Diamondbacks.� He is a 24-year-old Dominican native who has been with AAA Reno this season.� In 87 games, Ciriaco is hitting .259 with 15 doubles, 7 triples, 6 homers, and 51 RBI.� He's also stolen 14 bases.� That overall batting average doesn't tell the whole story, though.� He started the season slowly, hitting just .184 in April (when he got into only 9 games) and .222 in May.� He turned it around in June, when he hit.296 and July, hitting .293.� Ciriaco also played in the Futures game earlier this month.� Last season with AA Mobile, Ciriaco hit .296 with 54 RBI and 38 stolen bases, and was named to both the mid- and post- season Southern League All-Star Teams.� He is also a very strong defensive shortstop with a good arm.� He is expected to join the Indians.

The addition of C Chris Snyder (the main player coming to the Pirates in the trade with Ciriaco) might make you wonder what will become of C Erik Kratz, especially when Ryan Doumit comes off the disabled list (he's had yet another concussion).� The Pirates (for now) are saying that Snyder and Kratz will be the team catchers, and that Doumit will be playing some first base and some outfield.� Of course, Clement will be playing some first base too...�� This also suggests that Jason Jaramillo will be returning to the Indians.

As expected, RHP Daniel McCutchen was recalled to the Pirates to make the start on Saturday and remain in the rotation.� For now, reliever Steven Jackson is still with the Pirates, and reliever Justin Thomas might be called up for a few days since it's not entirely clear when all the new pitchers will be joining the Pirates.

The Pirates traded reliever Octavio Dotel to the Dodgers for RHP James McDonald, who will be joining the Pirates, and OF Andrew Lambo, who will be joining the Altoona Curve.� Lambo is a California native who will turn 22 in a couple of weeks.� He was drafted by the Dodgers in the 4th round of the 2007 draft and spent all of 2009 at AA Chattanooga, where he hit .256 with 39 doubles, 11 homers, and 61 RBI.� He had played in 47 games for Chattanooga this season, and hit .271 with 11 doubles, 4 homers, and 25 RBI, but he has missed a big chunk of the season because he tested positive for banned substances (not PED's) and was suspended for 50 games.� The Pirates seem to feel this was a one-time mistake, and not likely to be repeated.� Since returning at the end of June, Lambo has hit .219 with 2 homers and 12 RBI.

The Pirates traded reliever Javier Lopez to the Giants for 1B/OF John Bowker and RHP Joe Martinez, and both of them are expected to be assigned to Indianapolis.� Bowker is a 27-year-old California native, who has split this season between the Giants and AAA Fresno.� In 51 games with Fresno, He has a .310 average, with 12 doubles, 14 homers, and 36 RBI; with the Giants, in 41 games, he has hit .207 with 3 doubles, 3 home runs, and 8 RBI.

Joe Martinez,� a righty pitcher from New Jersey, has made 4 appearances (one start) with the Giants this season, totalling 11 innings.� He's allowed 15 hits and 6 runs (4.91 ERA) with 6 walks and 3 strikeouts.� The 27-year-old has spent most of the season with AAA Fresno, where he has made 13 starts and one relief appearance, earning a 5-3 record and a 3.32 ERA.� In 81.1 innings, Martinez has allowed 78 hits and 30 earned runs, 26 walks, and struck out 65.� His ERA has dropped a little over the course of the season -- 3.60 in April, 3.29 in May, 3.00 in July.

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Their heads must be spinning....