Tag: Phillip Irwin

Less action than usual for a Sunday afternoon -- the Bradenton Marauders are still on their All-Star break, and the game between the West Virginia Power and the Lakewood BlueClaws was cancelled due to wet grounds at Appalachian Power Park.  The South Atlantic League All-Star Game will be held on Tuesday. 


Altoona Curve  4,  Harrisburg Senators  1
[ box ] 

LF Quincy Latimore and RF Anthony Norman posted 2 hits each, and Latimore scored 3 of the Curve's 4 runs as Altoona took the win.  Latimore's first hit was a double lined into left field in the bottom of the 2nd inning.  He scored on Norman's single.  The two combined again in the 4th inning for another run.  With two outs, Latimore walked, then Norman singled into right field.  When the Harrisburg right fielder made a throwing error, Latimore had the chance to round third and score.  Latimore homered to lead off the 7th inning, and at that point, he was responsible for all of the Curve runs.  

With former Pirate farmhand Jimmy Barthmaier on the mound for Harrisburg in the 8th, CF Starling Marte began the inning with a single.  Marte advanced to second base on a ground out by 3B Jeremy Farrell, then he stole third base.  C Tony Sanchez's RBI single up the middle brought Marte in to score the final run for the Curve.  

Phillip Irwin made the start for the Curve and pitched 6 scoreless innings.  He hit a batter in the top of the 1st, then retired the next 13 Harrisburg batters, until he gave up a lone single in the 5th.  He allowed a single and a walk in the 6th, for the biggest threat he had faced, but left both on base to end the inning.   Bryan Morris relieved Irwin to begin the 7th inning.  He put the side down in order in that inning, but gave up an unearned run in the 8th.  A throwing error by Sanchez, a double, and an RBI ground out brought in the run.  Morris allowed a single in the 9th, but did not allow another run to score.  Irwin won his first game of the season, and Morris earned his third Save. 

The Altoona Curve had a scheduled day off on Monday, but the Power and the Marauders were in action.


Delmarva Shorebirds  10,  West Virginia Power  7
[ box ] 

A 6-run offensive blast by the Power was enough to tie the score, but not enough for the win.  Delmarva got the game started with a 3-run homer off Zack Von Rosenberg in the top of the 1st, after a double and a single.  Von Rosenberg put runners on base in the next two innings but did not let them come around to score.  A walk and a 2-run homer increased the Shorebirds' lead to 5-0 with one out in the 4th.  A single and a walk followed that homer, and Von Rosenberg was relieved by Porfirio Lopez.  Lopez finished the 4th, but gave up two more runs in the 5th on a single, a walk, a balk, another single, and a fielding error by SS Drew Maggi.  

The Power led off each of the first four innings with a hit:  singles by Maggi (1st), 1B Chase Lyles (2nd), and 3B Eric Avila (3rd), and a double by LF Dan Grovatt (4th).  Grovatt was the only one who scored, on RF Justin Howard's RBI  single.  The Power went into the bottom of the 5th trailing 7-1, and that's when the fireworks started.  With one out, Avila walked, Maggi doubled, and 2B Kevin Mort walked, to load the bases.  Grovatt tapped back to the mound, where the Shorebirds' pitcher thought he could get a force out at the plate.  Instead, he made a fielding error, and Avila scored.  A wild pitch brought in Maggi, then Howard walked to load the bases again.  Lyles' RBI single into center field plated Mort with the third run of the inning.  C Kawika Emsley-Pai was hit by a pitch, forcing in Grovatt, and after a pitching change, DH Elias Diaz brought in both Howard and Lyles with a 2-RBI single, to tie the score at 7-7.  After a fly out, Avila's second walk of the inning loaded the bases again, but a ground out by Maggi ended the inning.  

Zac Fuesser took over on the mound for the 6th, which was scoreless (for both teams).  The top of the 7th began with a missed catch error by Lyles at first.  Fuesser's balk pushed that runner to second base, and a bunt advanced him to third.  He scored on an RBI double, then a walk, two singles, and a fielding error by RF Howard added two more runs.  

Casey Sadler pitched the 8th inning for the Power.  He gave up a double and hit a batter, but got out of the inning without a run scoring.  The Power put two runner on in the 7th, when Lyles  and Diaz both walked, but a double play and a fly out ended that inning.  They threatened again in the bottom of the 9th.  Grovatt singled, but was erased in a double play.  Then Lyles walked and Emsley-Pai and Diaz singled to load the bases, but a strikeout ended the game.  

The Curve played an early game on Wednesday afternoon, with the Marauders and the Power playing in the evening: 

Trenton Thunder  7,  Altoona Curve  3
[box] 

A 4-run 6th inning by the Thunder was too much for the Curve to overcome, in an early afternoon game in New Jersey.  The Curve posted 11 hits, with Brad Chalk, playing center field today, collecting 3 hits.  LF Quincy Latimore, 1B Matt Curry, and 3B Jeremy Farrell all had 2 hits each.   

Each team scored one run in the 1st inning.  Chalk began the Curve rally with his first single, but was forced out at second on Latimore's grounder force out at second.  A throwing error by the second baseman on the play let Latimore reach second base.  SS Jordy Mercer singled into right field, scoring Latimore.  Two singles and a grounder force out gave the Thunder a run in the bottom of the inning to tie the game.  

Latimore also double in the 3rd inning, but didn't score.  Curry began a rally in the top of the 4th when he worked a walk.  Farrell singled, pushing Curry to third base, and a passed ball let Farrell move up to second base.  DH Tony Sanchez's RBI ground out scored Curry to give the Curve a 2-1 lead.   Trenton tied it up again in the bottom of the 5th, with a single, a throwing error by starter Aaron Thompson, and a sacrifice fly.  

Chalk singled again in the 5th, but was out in a force play.  The Curve threatened in the top of the 6th.  Curry, Farrell, and Sanchez hit three consecutive singles to load the bases with one out.  C Kris Watts grounded to first for a fielder's choice as a throw back to the plate forced Curry out at home.  A ground out ended the inning, leaving the bases loaded.  

Trenton got to Thompson again in the bottom of the 6th.  With one out, a single, a stolen base, and an RBI single gave Trenton a 3-2 lead.  Matt McSwain relieved Thompson, but the first batter McSwain faced reached base on a fielding error by Curry.  The next batter swatted a 3-run homer, giving Trenton a 6-2 lead.

The Curve got one run back in the top of the 7th.  Chalk and Latimore hit back-to-back line drive singles with one out.  Mercer popped up for an infield fly rule out, then Curry's single through the hole and into left field brought Chalk in to score.  That was all the Curve could get, though.  Sanchez walked to begin the 8th inning, and was erased on a double play, and the next four Altoona batters went down in order.  

McSwain gave up one more run in the bottom of the 7th, on a two-out triple and an RBI single.  Thompson was charged with his 5th loss of the season.  

The Curve had another morning game today.  The Marauders and the Power play on Thursday evening.

Bowie Baysox  4,  Altoona Curve  2
[box] 

Starter Aaron Pribanic struggled in this morning's game, allowing 4 runs on 10 hits and a walk, with only one strikeout in 5 innings.  He suffered his second loss of the season as the Curve lost the series with Bowie, 3 games to 1.

Pribanic had trouble right from the start, when the first Baysox batter of the game tripled into right field.  He scored on a sacrifice fly.  The Curve got the run back in the bottom of the 2nd inning on C Tony Sanchez's solo home run. 

The Baysox struck again in the top of the 3rd, opening the inning with back-to-back singles.  A grounder to first erased the second runner and left Baysox on the corners.  The runner on first stole second, and when Sanchez's throw sailed into center field, the runner on third scored on the error.  A walk to former Pirate farmhand C Steve Lerud and a single loaded the bases.  Pribanic then gave up an RBI single to bring in the lead runner.  A double play ended the rally, and Bowie had a 3-1 lead.  

Pribanic gave up a single in the 4th, but left that runner on base.  The 5th inning began with a double into right field.  Lerud followed with an RBI single, to boost Bowie's lead to 4-1.  Another double play helped Pribanic get out of the 5th.  

After that, the Curve bullpen shut down the Baysox.  Matt McSwain pitched 3 scoreless innings of relief, working around a single in the 6th and another in the 7th.  He retired the side in order in the 8th.  Noah Krol pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the 9th.  

Unfortunately, after scoring in the 2nd inning, the Curve batters were also shut down for most of the rest of the game.  2B Brock Holt had singled and stole second base in the 1st inning, then moved to third base on a throwing error by Lerud.  Holt was left standing there on third base when the inning ended.  SS Shelby Ford singled in the 5th but was erased in a double play.  RF Jose Hernandez also singled in the 5th.  CF Starling Marte led off the 6th with a double, and he also doubled in the 8th inning, but both times he was left stranded.   

The Curve rallied again in the bottom of the 9th.  DH Eric Fryer led off with a walk, and 3B Jeremy Farrell singled.  A wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position, and Fryer scored on a sacrifice fly.  The game ended with a strikeout, before the rally could gain any more momentum. 

The Curve were making up a rained out game with a double header:

Altoona Curve  2,  Akron Aeros  0     (Game 1)
(box) 

After shutting out the Aeros last night, the Curve pitching staff continued their dominance with another 7 shutout innings in Game 1 of the double header.  Tonight it was Aaron Pribanic who earned his 4th win with 7 scoreless innings, for a (shortened) complete game.  He gave up 6 hits, no walks, and also worked around two errors by his fielders.  Pribanic had at least one base runner on in all but one inning.  Akron had a small threat going in the 6th, when Pribanic gave up back-to-back singles with one out, but a foul pop ended that inning.  With one out in the 7th, Pribanic gave up a hit, then another batter reached on 3B Jeremy Farrell's throwing error.  Pribanic got a grounder force out and a fly out to end that inning.  

The Curve also posted just 6 hits, but they made them count.  Farrell singled in the bottom of the 2nd, and moved to second base on a wild pitch.  He scored on DH Eric Fryer's single up the middle.  Fryer also advanced to second on another wild pitch, and 1B Miles Durham walked, but they were left on base.  CF Starling Marte contributed the Curve's only other run with a solo home run in the 3rd.  Marte also singled in the 1st inning.  SS Jordy Mercer singled in the 2nd, but was picked off and caught stealing, and singled again in the 6th.  C Tony Sanchez walked in the 4th and stole second base.  


Aeros  8,  Curve  1       (Game 2)
(box) 

Curve starter Bryan Morris continued the streak with 3 scoreless innings, in which he gave up only a walk, and struck out 3 batters.  But the streak ended in the 4th, when Morris started out by giving up a single and a walk.  He was relieved by Matt McSwain.  The first batter McSwain faced dropped down a sacrifice bunt to put both runners in scoring position.  McSwain then walked the next two batters, forcing in a run, before striking out two batters to end the inning.  McSwain came back out in the 5th and began with a hit batter and a walk.  The lead runner stole third base, then scored on an RBI single.  A triple drove in two more runs, to give Akron a 4-0 lead.  

The Curve were held to just 3 hits, and two of those were by LF Quincy Latimore.  Latimore singled in the 1st but was thrown out trying to steal second base.  He singled again in the 4th and was left on base.  The only other hit was a solo home run by C Eric Fryer in the 5th inning, for the only Curve run of the game.  The last 7 Curve batters were retired in order.  

Brian Leach took the mound in relief of McSwain in the 6th and retired the side in order.  The Aeros rallied again in the top of the 7th.  The inning began with a double, a single, and a walk to load the bases.  A triple cleared the bases for 3 runs.  After a walk, a sacrifice fly brought in the 4th run of the inning.  Leach surrendered another single, then was relieved by Noah Krol, who ended the inning with a grounder force out.

The Altoona Curve had a scheduled day off on Monday....

West Virginia Power  9,  Kannapolis Intimidators  8
(box) 

Late inning rallies for a total of 7 runs gave the Power the win over Kannapolis.  1B Matt Curry got the scoring started with a solo home run to begin the bottom of the 2nd.  That run was overwhelmed, though, when the Intimidators exploded for 6 runs in the top of the 3rd.  Power starter Zack Von Rosenberg had allowed only one walk over the first two innings, but that fell apart in the 3rd inning.  A single, a walk, and a triple brought in two runs.  A sacrifice fly gave Von Rosenberg the first out of the inning, but it also scored the runner from third, for a 3-1 lead.  Two more singles, another triple, and another single brought in 3 more runs, for a 6-1 lead, and sent Von Rosenberg to the showers.   Zac Fuesser relieved Von Rosenberg, and Fuesser's first move was to pick off the runner on first base and get him out in a run-down.  A walk and a strikeout ended the inning.  

The Power got one of the runs back in the bottom of the 3rd, on 3B Eric Avila's double and a fielding error on LF Dan Grovatt's bouncer to short.  Fuesser gave up a pair of walks and a single in the 4th, but a timely double play kept any runs from scoring.  He also gave up a pair of singles in the 5th, but was aided by an outfield assist from Grovatt.  Kannapolis scored again in the 6th, with a two-out ground-rule double and an RBI single.  Two more doubles gave Kannapolis another run in the top of the 7th, for an 8-2 lead.

Then the Power burst out with 7 unanswered runs over their last two at-bats to take the lead and the win.  With one out, DH Jairo Marquez lined a single into left field, and Avila drove him in with a triple.  SS Drew Maggi's ground out plated Avila.  2B Kevin Mort singled and pinch-hitter Rogelios Noris walked, but they did not score in that inning.  The Power continued the surge right where they left off in the 8th.  RF Justin Howard led off with a double and CF Mel Rojas was hit by a pitch.  C Kawika Emsley-Pai loaded the bases with a walk.  Marquez drove in Howard with a single grounded into right field, leaving the bases still loaded.  Avila bounced to short, for a force out at second base, but Rojas scored the second run of the inning on the play.  After an out, Mort singled, plating Emsley-Pai, then Noris tripled in both Avila and Mort, for the tying and go-ahead runs.  

Zach Foster relieved Fuesser for the final two innings.  Foster allowed a double and hit a batter with a pitch in the 8th, but two strikeouts left them stranded.   He also walked a batter in the 9th, but got two more strikeouts to preserve the Power lead and earned his first win of the season.  

The Curve played a (mostly) morning game today; the Marauders and the Power play in the evening.

Altoona Curve  13,  Harrisburg Senators  2
(box) 

The Curve had a great morning today, blasting away at the Senators with 13 runs on 18 hits.  All but one of the starting lineup had at least one hit, and that one was not starting pitcher Jeff Locke.  Locke singled twice and came around to score, doing his share, and reliever Anthony Claggett also had a hit.  CF Starling Marte, SS Jordy Mercer, and 1B Miles Durham each had 3 hits, and two of Mercer's hits were home runs.  Mercer contributed 5 RBI, while Durham and RF Jose Hernandez each had 3 RBI.

The game actually began in Harrisburg's favor.  Marte doubled in the top of the 1st, then moved to third base on a wild pitch, but got no further.  In the bottom of the inning, Locke began by hitting the lead-off man with a pitch, then gave up a single to give Harrisburg runners on the corners.  An RBI ground out brought in the first run, then an RBI single added a second run.  After another single, Locke finished the inning with a tapper back to the mound.  

After that inning, it was all Altoona.  Locke shut down the Senators, retiring the next 12 batters in order.  He gave up a single and a double in the 6th, but left both runners in scoring position.  Locke threw 79 pitches (57 strikes) in earning his second win of the season.  

The Curve put their hitting shoes on in the 3rd.  Locke and 2B Brock Holt led off with back-to-back singles.  That chased the Senators' starter, and brought in former Indy Indian and Curve Jimmy Barthmaier.  Barthmaier got Marte to ground into a force out at second, but could not get the double play.  Marte stole second base, then Mercer blatsed his first homer, a 3-run shot over the left field wall, to give the Curve a 3-2 lead.  

Locke singled again in the 4th inning, though he was left on base.  Marte singled to begin the 5th, and was moved to second on LF Quincy Latimore's sacrifice bunt.  Mercer singled, and Marte came around from second base to score.  Mercer stole second, and he scored on C Eric Fryer's double.  Then Fryer scored on Durham's 2-run homer for a 4-run inning, giving the Curve a 7-2 lead.  Holt singled and came around to score on Latimore's RBI single in the 6th.  

The Curve put up another 4-run inning in the 7th.  3B Jeremy Farrell, the only Curve position player without a hit in the game, was hit by a pitch to begin the inning, and Fryer reached base on a fielding error.  Durham doubled, driving in Farrell, then Hernandez's 3-run homer gave the Curve a 12-2 lead.  Mercer's second home run, a solo homer, provided the Curve with their final run in the 8th.  

Anthony Claggett relieved Locke in the 7th inning.  He pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the 7th, then worked around a hit batter and a single in the 8th, to keep the Senators from scoring again.  Tim Alderson finished the game for the Curve, with a perfect 9th inning.  

The Pirates' lower minor league affiliates wrap up the month of April:

Erie SeaWolves  5,  Altoona Curve  0
(box)

The Curve were held to just 3 hits, plus two walks, as they were shut-out by the SeaWolves.  Their first hit of the game came in the 2nd inning, when 3B Jeremy Farrell singled, then moved to second base on a wild pitch.  The inning ended with Farrell being forced out at third base.  Altoona had their biggest threat with two runners on base in the 3rd inning -- a line drive single into left field by RF Eric Fryer and a walk to DH Jose Hernandez.  A ground out put both runners into scoring position, but they too were left stranded.  The Curve went down in order until LF Quincy Latimore's single in the 6th.  1B Miles Durham was the only base runner for Altoona in the last three innings, when he walked in the 7th.

Jeff Locke made the start for the Curve.  He pitched 6 innings but was the victim of some errors in the field behind him.  He gave up one earned run but 4 unearned runs, and was charged with the loss.  Erie's earned run came in the 2nd inning, on a double, a walk, and an RBI single.  The second base runner who tried to score was gunned down at the plate on a throw in from Fryer in right field to C Tony Sanchez.  The top of the 4th inning began with a single, and the next batter grounded to short for what should have been a double play.  But a missed catch error by 2B Brock Holt left both runners safe.  A walk loaded the bases, and a grounder allowed the lead runner to score.  A triple drove in two more runs, to give Erie a 4-0 lead.  Erie began the 6th inning with a double and a single, and with two outs, a fielding error by Farrell at third allowed another unearned run to score.  

Tim Alderson relieved Locke and pitched 3 hitless and scoreless innings.  The only batter to reach base against Alderson was hit by a pitch, then erased in a double play.   

The Marauders had an early game today, for the school kids.  The Curve and the Power play later:

Bradenton Marauders  8,  Palm Beach Cardinals  1
(box) 

The Marauders swept a series for the first time this season with today's win over the Cardinals.  It was an early game following a late night, but the Marauders were awake and ready to go at 10 am, less than 12 hours after last night's rain-delayed game.  For the second game in a row, every member of the line-up reached base at least once.  

Phillip Irwin made his first start after coming out of extended spring training.  He went 2 innings, and allowed a run in the 1st, as he had to work around an error in each inning.  The top of the 1st began with a walk, then a stolen base, and the runner moved up to third when C Carlos Paulino's throw to second base went wild for an error.  That runner scored on the first of two singles, but Irwin closed down the inning with a strikeout and a ground out.  A fielding error by SS Benji Gonzalez put another runner on base in the 2nd, and after a stolen base and a walk, the Cardinals had runners on the corners.  Irwin got out of the jam with a fly out.  

The Marauders took the lead in the bottom of the 2nd inning without posting a hit.  LF David Rubinstein was hit by a pitch, then 1B Cole White walked.  Two wild pitches let Rubinstein score and put White on third base.  After a walk to 2B Kelson Brown, the third wild p itch of the inning let White come in to score.   A passed ball and two more walks, to CF Robbie Grossman and 3B Elevys Gonzalez, loaded the bases, but a fly out ended that inning without any further scoring.  The Marauders led 2-1.  

Brett Lorin took over for Irwin to begin the 3rd inning.  Lorin pitched 6 scoreless innings, scattering 6 hits and a walk, plus 4 strikeouts.  Palm Beach had 2 singles in the 4th, though the first runner was tagged out trying to reach third base on the second single.  The Cardinals also had 2 singles in the 6th, but Lorin was not worried by either of those threats.

The Marauders picked up some insurance runs in the 5th, with DH Aaron Baker having his second big-hitting game in a row.  Elevys Gonzalez walked and went to second on a wild pitch.  He scored on Baker's RBI double into center field.  After a walk to Rubinstein, Paulino singled in Baker.  A wild throw by the Cardinals' catcher on a pick-off throw allowed Rubinstein to score the third run of the inning, and the Marauders were up 5-1.  They added 2 more runs in the 6th.  Grossman lined a double into left field, and Elevys Gonzalez singled, moving Grossman to third.  Baker plated Grossman with a single into right field.  When the Cardinals' right fielder went to catch Rubinstein's fly ball and had his feet slip out from under him, that was ruled an error, and Gonzalez scored as well.  That gave the Marauders a 7-1 lead.  

The final run of the game came in the bottom of the 8th, when Grossman doubled into left field, Elevys Gonzalez singled, and RF Adalberto Santos brought in Grossman with a sacrifice fly.  Porfirio Lopez finished the game for Bradenton with a scoreless 9th inning, allowing just a single.  Lorin earned the win -- his first win of the season.
 

Continuing to look at the Pirates' minor league pitchers, moving upward in the organization:

Hunter Strickland  --   R/R,  6' 5",  200 lb
Strickland was the Red Sox' 18th round pick in the 2007 draft, and he was traded to the Pirates in July 2009 in the deal involving Andy LaRoche.  He joined the West Virginia team, and made 8 starts over the rest of the season (43 innings), going 4-2 with a 3.77 ERA for the Power.  Strickland returned to West Virginia to begin the 2010 season, where he made another 8 starts for another 43 innings.  His results were not as good -- an 0-4 record and a 5.86 ERA, with 58 hits and 28 earned runs.  Both his walk rate (8, 1.7 walks/ 9 innings) and his strikeout rate (15, 3.1 K/ 9 innings) were low.  In mid-May, Bradenton needed a pitcher, and Strickland was promoted.  He made two strong relief appearances, combining for 7.2 scoreless innings, allowing 4 hits and one walk, with 5 strikeouts.  Then he made two starts, and got blasted -- 8 runs (4 earned) on 8 hits and 2 walks in 2.1 innings, and 3 runs on 4 hits and 3 walks in 4 innings.  At that point, Strickland was having tightness in his right forearm (or maybe it had been there already, and that was why he had been struggling), and he went on the DL, missing the remainder of the season.  Strickland should be ready to go for 2011, and at age 22, he should be back in Bradenton, where he will need to get back on track.


Phillip Irwin  --  R/R,  6' 3",   220 lb 
Irwin was the Pirates' 21st round pick in the 2009 draft.  He pitched well for State College in his pro debut in 2009, with a 2.12 ERA despite a 1-2 record in 29.2 innings for the Spikes.  Irwin was assigned to West Virginia to begin the 2010 season.  He had a solid month of April, making one relief appearance and 3 starts.  In 15 innings, he allowed 3 earned runs (1.80 ERA) on 11 hits and struck out 13 batters for the month.  Then Irwin went onto the DL for a month (injury not specified).  When he returned, he made two relief pitches, for 3 combined scoreless innings), then got back into the starting rotation.  He had an up-and-down rest of the season, finishing with a 6-3 record and a 3.35 ERA.  In a total of 113 innings, he allowed 99 hits and 42 earned runs with just 20 walks and 111 strikeouts.  Irwin said that his tougher starts allowed him to remain focused and kept him motivated during the season.  He was rewarded with a promotion to Bradenton for their brief playoff run, and got into one game.  He threw 1.2 innings and allowed 3 runs on 3 hits, with 2 strikeouts.  Irwin enjoyed his time in Bradenton, and said that he had fun and learned from some of the more experienced players.  The 24-year-old should get a return to Bradenton for the 2011 season, where he says his goal is to "stay healthy and focused".  

 

Harrisburg Senators� 10,� Altoona Curve� 5 ....������ (box)

Two 5-run innings gave the Senators the advantage over the Curve in the first game of their Eastern League playoff series.

The Curve jumped out to the early lead in the bottom of the 1st.� 2B Chase d'Arnaud led off with a walk, and 3B Josh Harrison followed by blasting a home run over the left-center field wall, to give the Curve a 2-0 lead before they even had recorded an out.� Two outs later, LF Andrew Lambo reached base on a fielding error by the Senators' 2B Steve Lombardozzi.� C Hector Gimenez worked a walk, and RF Miles Durham singled into left field to bring in Lambo from second base, and the Curve had a 3-0 lead.

It didn't last long, as the Senators sent 10 batters to the plate and scored 5 runs in the top of the 2nd.� Curve starter Rudy Owens had worked around a walk to Lombardozzi in the 1st inning, but got into trouble quickly in the 2nd.� A walk and a single began the inning, then a grounder to the diving 1B Matt Hague produced a force out at second base.� A double into right-center field brought in both base runners, and the Senators had made it a one-run game, 3-2.� A bunt attempt by the Senators' pitcher, Tom Milone, went right to Owens on the mound, and he turned it into a fielder's choice out at third, leaving Milone on first base.� But Lombardozzi walked again, then a single loaded the bases.� Owens had two outs with those bases loaded, and he got an 0-2 on the next batter -- and another single drove in two more runs, and the Senators had the lead.� That sent Owens to the showers after just 1.2 innings.� Jared Hughes came out of the bullpen, and he loaded the bases again by walking the first batter he faced.� A passed ball by Gimenez allowed the runner in from third base (unearned run, charged to Owens), and when a ground out ended the inning, the Senators had a 5-3 lead.

Milone had the Curve bats under control for the next 6 innings.� D'Arnaud doubled in the 2nd inning, but was left on base when three other Curve batters struck out.� Hughes reached base in the 4th on a fielding error, but was also left stranded. � Durham singled in the 6th, but was also left on base.� Harrisburg's reliever Hassan Pena pitched the 7th inning, and he also retired the Curve in order.

Hughes did even better than Milone over his next 3 innings -- he retired those 9 Harrisburg batters in order.� Bryan Morris was next out of the bullpen.� He retired the side in order in the 6th, and worked his way out of a jam in the 7th.� That inning began with a single, then Lombardozzi reached on fielding error, when his grounder bounced off 3B Harrison's glove.� With two on and none out (instead of one on and one out), Morris got a strikeout.� Another single loaded the bases, then Morris ended the inning with a three-pitch strikeout and a blazing line drive that went straight to Harrison's glove.

Mike Dubee took the mound for the Curve to begin the 8th inning, and he found trouble quickly.� Back-to-back singles opened the inning, then Dubee got a strikeout.� An RBI single followed, then Lombardozzi drove a liner down the right field line and into the bullpen, plating the second run of the inning.� An intentional walk loaded the bases, and a grounder to third yielded a force out at third, but Harrison's throw to first rolled away from 1B Hague, and instead of an inning-ending double play, two more runs scored and the inning continued.� Another single dropped in, in short left field, to drive in the fifth run of the inning.� Craig Hansen relieved Dubee, and he got the pitcher Pena to fly out to end the inning.

�

Thursday's action for the Pirates' lower minor league affiliates:

West Virginia Power� 3,� Rome Braves� 0 ...��� (box)

On July 24th, Power starter Phillip Irwin pitched 7 hitless and scoreless innings.� Tonight, he again threw 7 scoreless innings, though this time he scattered 3 hits.� Last time, he walked two batters, and tonight he did not walk any.� Both times, Irwin struck out 8 opponents.� Irwin's toughest inning tonight was the 4th, when he gave up a double and a single, and hit a batter.� Luckily, the first runner was doubled off second base in a line-out double play.� The other two runners pulled off a double steal, but a strikeout ended the inning with them both still in scoring position.� Irwin retired the next 9 batters in order to finish his evening and earn his 6th win.� Zach Foster earned his 6th save with two scoreless innings of relief, allowing only a walk.

The Power were held to just 5 hits, but they also took advantage of three Rome errors in one inning.� In the 2nd, 1B Aaron Baker began the inning by reaching base on a fielding error.� He moved to second base on a passed ball, but was out at third when RF Andy Vasquez reached on a fielder's choice.� Vasquez stole second base, and scored on LF Rogelios Noris' RBI single.� Noris advanced to third base when the Rome pitcher made a throwing error on a pick-off attempt, then scored on C Jairo Marquez's double, which was also complicated by a fielding error.� Marquez added another run in the 5th, with a solo home run, his second of the season.� Vasquez singled in the 4th inning, but was thrown out trying to steal second base.� SS Benji Gonzalez doubled to lead off the 8th inning, but was left stranded.