What has stood out about Quinn Priester in the early games in Triple-A this year is his high whiff rate. The 2019 first rounder has two starts with double-digit whiff totals, seeing an increase over his...
The Pirates sent down 2020 seventh overall pick Nick Gonzales this spring, relegating him to a depth option for the second base position. He seemed to take that personally, recording hits in nearly every game since,...
Blue Jays 5, Pirates 3 The Pirates lost to the Blue Jays at McKechnie Field this afternoon. Pitchers Mike Crotta, Chris Resop, and Joel Hanrahan each pitched a scoreless inning for the Pirates, with both Crotta and Hanrahan retiring the side in order. Crotta was aided by a leaping catch by SS Pedro Ciriaco. Starter Paul Maholm pitched 5 innings and allowed 4 runs -- a solo homer in the 1st, then a 2-run homer in the 3rd. Another run scored in the 3rd on a walk, a stolen base and a single. Jose Veras allowed one run in the 8th on two singles and a sacrifice bunt, but he struck out the last two batters he faced to get out of the inning.
2B Neil Walker tied the score in the bottom of the 1st with his second home run of the spring. 1B Lyle Overbay and RF Garrett Jones added a run in the 4th. Overbay walked, then advanced to second base on a wild pitch. Jones' single through the right side of the infield brought Overbay across the plate. The Blue Jays helped with the Pirates' final run in the 8th. With two outs, CF Corey Wimberly singled up the middle, and he also moved up to second base on a wild pitch. Three straight walks, to 3B Josh Rodriguez, pinch-hitter Andy Marte, and Jones, forced in Wimberly. The Pirates tried a last-minute rally in the 9th, when C Wyatt Toregas singled and 2B Jordy Mercer walked. A fly out by Wimberly ended the rally, though.
Also in the game today: LF Josh Fields, C Dusty Brown, RF John Bowker.
In Minor League Camp: Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs 6, Indianapolis Indians 5 The Indians had an early lead, as they faced Phillies' star Roy Halladay this afternoon. DH Tony Sanchez picked up 2 RBI with a timely double in the 1st inning, and C Travis Scott added an RBI double in the 2nd inning. The Indians had runners on first and third in the 5th inning, when RF Miles Durham (on third) and DH Gorkys Hernandez (on first) pulled off a double steal, for the Indians' fourth run off Halladay. 2B Christian Colonel made it 5-3 in the top of the 8th with a solo home run. But the Iron Pigs tied the score with 2 runs in the bottom of the 8th, taking advantage of two Tribe errors and a sacrifice fly. Reliever Anthony Claggett then surrendered a double, which drove in the go-ahead run and gave Claggett the loss.
Moving along with the third basemen in the Pirates' minor league organization. Two new faces today, plus a familiar friend:
Jeremy Farrell -- R/R, 6' 3", 200 lb The Pirates selected Farrell in the 8th round of the 2008 draft. His playing time has been limited by a series of injuries, so that he's only played in 73 games and 79 games in his two full years of pro ball. In 2010, it was knee problems. He began the season on fire in A+ Bradenton, hitting .315 in April and .327 in May, with a combined 7 homers and 33 RBI. In June, the knee got bad, had to be drained, then got infected. Farrell was out of the lineup until August, but when he returned, he went right back to hitting, though without the modest power he'd had earlier in the season -- .333 in August, but with no homers and just 6 RBI. He did strike out less in August. Farrell played some first base in State College in 2008, but has been exclusively at third in the two seasons since. He's made 25 and 20 errors at third over those two season (respectively), and that's going to have to improve. Farrell will likely be moved up to AA Altoona for 2011, where his two main jobs will be to cut back those errors and to stay healthy.
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.
