Tag: Dan Grovatt

Friday evening's action with the Pirates' lower minor league affiliates:

West Virginia Power 6,  Lakewood BlueClaws  1  (completion of suspended game)
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This game was halted by rain last night in the top of the 5th.  The Power had scored one run in the 3rd when C Kawika Emsley-Pai walked, stole second, went to third on an error, and crossed the plate on a ground out.  They rallied again in the 5th, beginning with a single by SS Drew Maggi.  A throwing error on a pick-off attempt put Maggi on third base, and 2B Andy Vasquez brought in Maggi with an RBI single.  Vasquez stole second, and later scored on 1B Justin Howard's single.  DH Chase Lyles walked just before the game was stopped.  When play resumed today, CF Mel Rojas reached base on an error at second base, which also allowed Howard to score.  That gave the Power a 4-0 lead.

Jameson Taillon's start was unfortunately cut short by the suspension.  He had pitched 4 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and hitting one batter, both in the 2nd inning.  Brooks Pounders took the mound on the restart, and he gave up Lakewood's only run in the 6th.  A single, a stolen base, and another single put runners on the corners.  The next batter bounced into a double play, but the runner from third scored.  Pounders gave up a double in the 7th, but did not let that runner score.  He also struck out 3 batters.  

The Power added more insurance in the top of the 7th.  RF Dan Grovatt led off with a walk, and two wild pitches put him on third base.  Lyles' RBI single brought Grovatt across the plate.  Rojas also singled, but was caught in a run-down between first and second bases.  Another run scored in the top of the 9th, when Lyles reached on a fielding error, advanced to second on Rojas' second single, then scored on the second error of the inning.  

Victor Black pitched the final two innings for the Power.  He gave up a single in the 8th, but erased the runner on a double play, then gave up another single in the 9th, but kept Lakewood from scoring.  Pounders earned his 5th win of the season.   

Everyone in action on Thursday evening.... and the State College Spikes begin their season next week on Friday

Altoona Curve   5,  Erie SeaWolves  4
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A 4-run 4th inning gave the Curve a big boost, and a run in the bottom of the 8th gave them the win over Erie.  Starter Mike Colla held the SeaWolves to two hits in the 1st inning, and retired the side in the 2nd and 3rd, to get a good start.  He gave up a walk and a 2-run homer in the top of the 4th, to put Erie onto the scoreboard.  

The Curve had only two walks (3B Jeremy Farrell and CF Starling Marte) and a single by 2B Brock Holt over the first three innings.  Then they too broke out in the 4th inning.  LF Quincy Latimore led off the inning with a solo home run.  After an out, Farrell singled and C Tony Sanchez was hit by a pitch.  RF Brad Chalk hit the first of three singles in the gmae, driving in Farrell from second base.  Sanchez reached third base on the play, then stole home as Chalk stole second base behind him, both reaching safely.  A wild pitch put Chalk on third base, and he scored on Holt's double, to give the Curve a 4-2 lead.  

Colla retired the side in order again in the 5th, then gave up a lead-off homer in the 6th, to bring Erie within one run of the Curve, 4-3.  Colla allowed 5 hits and one walk, with 5 strikeouts in his 6 innings.  He was relieved by Aaron Thompson, who pitched a 1-2-3 7th inning.  Thompson was charged with a Blown Save when he gave up the tying run in the 8th.  A lead-off single, a sacrifice bunt, a walk with a wild pitch on ball four, and an RBI ground out brought the game to a 4-4 tie.   

Jeremy Farrell got the lead back for the Curve with a lead-off home run to begin the bottom of the 8th.  Chalk also picked up his third hit of the game with a single after the home run, but he was thrown out at second base.  Noah Krol pitched the 9th inning, and earned his 12th save with a perfect inning.  

Tonight it's the Bradenton Marauders who have a scheduled night off....

 
Altoona Curve  10,  Erie SeaWolves  5
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The Curve posted 13 hits, with CF Starling Marte leading the barrage with 3 of them.  The Curve jumped out to a 6-0 lead with 2 runs in the bottom of the 1st and 4 more in the 2nd.  2B Brock Holt opened the bottom of the 1st with a double into center field.  Marte's ground out moved Holt to third base, and he scored on SS Jordy Mercer's single into left field.  Mercer advanced to second base on a ground out by LF Quincy Latimore, and he scored on 1B Matt Curry's RBI single.  

The 2nd inning began with a walk by C Tony Sanchez, followed by a ground-rule double by DH Kris Watts.  Both runners held their place on a short fly out and a strike out, then Marte singled, driving in Sanchez.  Marte stole second base, and the Erie pitcher threw a wild pitch, allowing Watts to score.  A 2-run homer by Mercer brought in Marte and gave the Curve the 6-0 lead.  

Erie got two of the runs back in the top of the 3rd off starter Jeff Locke.  A single and a hit batter gave the SeaWolves 2 runners on base with 2 outs.  The lead runner came in on a fielding error by Mercer, then a single plated the second unearned run of the inning.  A double, a fielding error by Latimore, and a sacrifice fly gave Erie a third run in the 4th inning.

The Curve kept adding on.  Watts blasted a solo homer in the 3rd.  In the 5th, Curry doubled, then scored on Sanchez's line drive single into center field, and the Curve led 8-3.  Sanchez also stole second base and went to third on a throwing error, but was left there when Watts struck out.  

Locke pitched 6 innings and allowed 3 runs (1 earned) on 6 hits, no walks, while striking out 8 batters.  Tim Alderson came on in relief to begin the 7th, but he got into trouble right away.  With one out, he gave up a single and three consecutive walks, driving in a run.  Michael Dubee replaced Alderson, and he got the next batter to ground out, but that brought in another run, also charged to Alderson.  Dubee ended the inning with a strikeout.  Dubee also pitched a scoreless 8th inning, allowing 2 singles.  Noah Krol pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the 9th.

Altoona rallied one more time in the bottom of the 8th.  With one out, Watts was hit by a pitch, and RF Brad Chalk ripped a triple into right field, easily scoring Watts.  Chalk scored on Holt's RBI single, and Marte also added a single -- his third of the game.  

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
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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.  

Sunday action with the Pirates' lower minor leaguers:

Portland Sea Dogs  12,  Altoona Curve 4
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The Sea Dogs posted 17 hits on their way to 12 runs, scoring in three big innings.  They began with 3 runs in the top of the 1st off Curve starter Aaron Pribanic, who suffered the loss.  A walk, two singles, and two doubles brought in the runs in the 1st.  Portland added a run in the 2nd on a single, two stolen bases, a fielding error, and an RBI ground out.  Pribanic retired the side in order in the next two innings, but gave up one more run in the 5th on three singles.  Pribanic gave up the 5 runs on 8 hits and 2 walks, with 4 strikeouts.  He threw 90 pitches with 61 strikes.  

The Curve were held to 6 hits, and three of them belonged to C Kris Watts, including a solo homer.  SS Jordy Mercer had 2 hits, both solo home runs.  CF Starling Marte's double was the other run.  Watts singled and 3B Jeremy Farrell was hit by a pitch in th 2nd inning, but both were left on base.  Mercer put the Curve onto the scoreboard with his first home run in the 4th, and Watts also singled after the homer.  

Aaron Thompson pitched a scoreless 6th inning for the Curve, then Donnie Veal, who was just promoted from the Marauders, pitched the 7th.  Veal gave up a solo homer to lead off the 7th, then gave up a single and a 2-run homer, giving Portland an 8-1 lead.  Things got even worse in the 8th, with Diego Moreno on the mound.  a single, a double, and a walk loaded the bases, then a grand slam raised Portland's lead to 12-1.  

Mercer's second home run came in the bottom of the 8th, after Marte's double.  Watts picked up his third hit in the bottom of the 9th, a solo home run, but that was all the Curve could get.   

Saturday evening's action with the Pirates' lower minor league affiliates.

Don't forget to vote for the All-Star Teams:
Pirates/MLB:  vote here
Indianapolis Indians/International League:  vote here
Altoona Curve/Eastern League:  vote here



Portland Sea Dogs  4,  Altoona Curve  0
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The Curve were held to just 6 base runners -- 3 singles and 3 walks, and could not push any of them around to score.  SS Jordy Mercer was the only Curve to reach base in the first 5 innings.  He walked to lead off the 2nd inning, but was out at second base when 1B Matt Curry flied out.  

Starter Mike Colla retired Portland in order in the first two innings, but gave up a solo home run in the 3rd.  He gave up another solo blast in the 4th, and struck out the other three batters in that inning.  In the 5th, a lead-off double and an RBI single gave the Sea Dogs their third run in the 5th.  Portland's third homer of the game made it 4-0 in the 6th.  Colla left after 6 innings, having allowed 7 hits (3 homers and 4 other hits), one walk, and 6 strikeouts.  He threw 94 pitches, with 58 strikes.  

The Curve threatened in the 6th inning, with a walk by DH Kris Watts and singles by RF Brad Chalk and 2B Brock Holt loading the bases with one out.  But CF Starling Marte bounced into a double play to end the inning.  Mercer singled in the 7th, and he was also erased with a double play.  Chalk walked in the 9th, but was left on base.  

Matt McSwain pitched 2 scoreless innings for the Curve in relief of Colla.  He gave up two singles, but one was eliminated with a double play, and the other was left stranded.  Noah Krol pitched the top of the 9th, allowing a walk and a single.   

West Virginia Power  5,  Lexington Legends  4
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Jameson Taillon surrendered 4 runs on 8 hits in 5 innings, but he still pulled out his second win of the season.  The 4 runs all came in the bottom of the 6th inning.  The Legends started the inning with back-to-back doubles, driving in one run.  A single and a fielding error by LF Rogelios Noris added a second run, then a 2-run homer made the score 4-0.  

The Power tied the score in the top of the 4th.  RF Dan Grovatt started the rally with a walk, and moved to second base on a wild pitch.  DH Kawika Emsley-Pai and C Elias Diaz also walked, loading the bases.  With two outs, 2B Andy Vazquez lined a single into center field, bringing in Grovatt and Emsley-Pai, and leaving runners on the corners.  Another walk, to 3B Eric Avila, loaded the bases again.  Then SS Drew Maggi lined another 2-RBI single into right field, plating Diaz and Vasquez to tie the game at 4-4.  

Grovatt began another rally in the 5th, with a single.  A passed ball advanced Grovatt to second base, and he moved up to third base on 1B Justin Howard's ground out.  Emsley-Pai drove Grovatt in with a single up the middle, and Grovatt came in with the go-ahead run.  

Taillon worked around at least one runner on base in 4 of his 5 innings.  He had a batter reach on a throwing error by Avila in the 1st, and he also gave up a single in the bottom of the 1st.  Taillon allowed a single and a double in the 3rd, but a double play helped him out of that jam.  He also gave up a lead-off single in the 5th, but retired the next three batters on three ground outs.  

Casey Sadler relieved Taillon to begin the 6th.  Sadler pitched 3 scoreless innings and allowed just one single in the 6th, and a walk in the 8th.  He struck out 3 Legends' batters.  Jason Townsend earned his 5th Save of the season with a scoreless 9th, allowing a single.  

After taking the lead in the 5th, the Power put at least one runner on base in every inning for the rest of the game.  Maggi tripled in the 6th, and Howard singled in the 7th.  Noris reached base on a fielding error in the 8th.  Both Grovatt and Howard walked in the 9th inning.  None of them could push around to score.  

Thursday evening's action with the Pirates' lower minor leaguers...

Altoona Curve  5,  Trenton Thunder  1
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Starter Jeff Locke struck out 8 Trenton batters in his 5.1 innings of work, while getting plenty of run support -- 3 home runs from his offense.  The only run Locke surrendered came in the bottom of the 2nd, when Trenton loadd the bases on a walk, a hit batter, and a single.  Another walk by Locke forced in the run, then a strikeout and a double play got him out of the inning.  Locke allowed only a walk and a double over the next three innings.  He began the 6th with a pair of walks and a strikeout before being relieved by Diego Moreno.  

Meanwhile, the Curve were pounding out the hits -- a total of 15, including 3 by 2B Brock Holt.  Each Curve batter had at least one hit.  1B Matt Curry, who had two hits in the game, began the Curve scoring with a solo home run to lead off the top of the 2nd.  Holt led off the 3rd with a line drive single to short, then moved to second on LF Quincy Latimore's walk, and scored on SS Jordy Mercer's RBI single.  

Back-to-back solo homers by Latimore and Mercer added another 2 runs in the 5th inning.  The Curve loaded the bases on three consecutive singles in the 6th -- by RF Jose Hernandez, Holt, and CF Brad Chalk, but Latimore struck out to end the inning and leave all three runners on base.  The final Curve run scored in the 8th.  The inning began with back-to-back singles by DH Travis Scott and 3B Greg Picart.  Picart was picked off first and caught stealing, but Scott advanced to third, and he was plated by Hernandez's sacrifice fly.  Holt also tripled in that inning.  

Moreno finished the 6th inning for Locke with a strikeout and a pop out.  Then he struck out the side in the 7th inning.  Michael Dubee pitched 2 scoreless innings to end the game.  He loaded the bases with a double, a single, and a walk in the 8th, but got out of that jam with a strikeout and a force out.  Then he worked around a single for a scoreless 9th.  

The Power had an early game today, while the Curve and the Marauders are scheduled for the evening:

West Virginia Power  3,  Hickory Crawdads  2  
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Three Power pitchers combined to hold Hickory to just 4 hits in the late-morning start.  Colton Cain earned his 4th win of the season, going 6 innings and allowing 2 runs, only one of which was earned.  He gave up 3 hits and 2 walks, and struck out 5 batters.  Two of those 3 hits came in the top of the 1st -- a lead-off single, then after two outs moved the runner to second base, another single when the batter beat out the throw on a grounder to third base.  But Power 1B Justin Howard was paying attention, and he was able to throw from first base back to the plate, where C Elias Diaz tagged out the runner who had rounded third and was trying to score.  

Three consecutive hits began the bottom of the 1st for the Power:  singles by SS Drew Maggi and CF Mel Rojas, and an RBI double by RF Dan Grovatt, who drove in Maggi.  DH Cole White brought in Rojas with an RBI ground out, to give the Power an early 2-1 lead.  

Cain retired the side in order in the 2nd, then began the 3rd by giving up a double.  A sacrifice bunt moved that runner to third base.  The next batter was hit by a pitch, giving Hickory runners on the corners.  Then a wild pitch by Cain and a throwing error on Diaz as he tried to retrieve the ball, let both base runners score, to tie the game.  

The Power put runners on base over the next two innings, but base running problems eliminated the runners -- picked off and caught stealing, and being caught off base on a fly out for a double play.  2B Andy Vasquez singled to lead off the 5th, and he too was doubled off first base when Maggi flied out.  Rojas walked after Maggi was out, then Grovatt doubled for the second time in the game, and also drove in his second run, as Maggi gave the Power the lead.  

Cain allowed only 2 walks over his last three innings of work.  Vincent Payne made his first appearance for the Power this season, with 2 scoreless innings.  He retired the side in order in the 7th, then gave up a walk in the 8th, but that runner was caught stealing.  Zac Fuesser pitched the 9th.  He gave up a single, but also picked the runner of first base, and was credited with his first Save.  

The Power had only two base runners over the last 3 innings, when 3B Eric Avila walked and was erased in a double play, and a single by Grovatt, for his third hit of the game, in the 8th.  Grovatt stole second base, but was left on base.   

The Bradenton Marauders have a scheduled day off on Memorial Day, while the Altoona Curve and the West Virginia Power have afternoon games.

Altoona Curve  8,  Binghamton Mets  0
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 Mile Colla pitched 6 scoreless innings for the Curve, to earn his fourth win of the season.  Colla was a man on a mission, keeping the game zipping right along -- the game was done in less than 2.5 hours.  He gave up 4 runs, and no walks, while striking out 2 batters.  Colla retired the first 6 batters he faced.  He gave up back-to-back singles to open the 3rd inning, then left them in place, as he set down the next three to end the inning.  He worked around a lead-off batter in the 4th, putting down the next three batters in that inning, and three in a row in the 5th also.  The last hit Colla allowed was a 2-out double in the 6th, which ended with a fly out.  

The Curve bats were slow to get going too.  They went down in order for the first four innings, then got to the Mets' starter Bradley Holt in the 5th.  SS Jordy Mercer led off the 5th with a walk, and with one out, 3B Jeremy Farrell singled, then C Kris Watts homered, giving the Curve a 3-0 lead.  The inning continued with RF Brad Chalk reaching second base on a throwing error by the Mets' shortstop, then moving to third base on Colla's sacrifice bunt.  A wild pitch allowed Chalk to score, for a 4-1 lead.  

The Curve came right back in the 6th inning, scoring 4 more runs off the Binghamton relief pitcher.  LF Quincy Latimore began with a solo home run.  Mercer followed the homer with a single into left field, then the newest Curve just up from West Virginia, 1B Matt Curry, also singled.  Farrell made it three singles in a row, bringing in Mercer.  Watts walked to load the bases, and Chalk singled into right field, driving in both Farrell and Watts.  

 Bryan Morris took over for Colla to begin the 7th inning.  Morris pitched 3 scoreless and hitless innings, retiring all 9 batters he faced in order.  Morris also contributed a hit in the 8th inning, when he lined a single into right field.  He earned his second save of the season.

Saturday evening with the Pirates' lower minor league affiliates:

Altoona Curve  8,  Binghamton Mets  6
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First, the Curve and the Mets had to finish up yesterday's game, which had been suspended in the 7th inning, with the score tied at 6-6.  Binghamton had scored 4 runs in the 1st, and one run in both the 4th and 5th.  The Curve had tied the score with 3 runs in each of the 5th and 6th innings.  The big hit in the 5th was CF Starling Marte's triple, and the big hit in the 6th was pinch-hitter Eric Fryer's triple.   Curve starter Aaron Thompson had allowed all 6 Binghamton hits on 9 hits, no walks, with 4 strikeouts in his 5 innings of work.  Tim Alderson came on to pitch in the bottom of the 6th, and allowed a hit but maintained the tie.  

The top of the 7th began with a single by LF Quincy Latimore, who was replaced at first base by SS Jordy Mercer on a grounder force out at second.  Mercer stole second base, then took third on a wild pitch.  3B Jeremy Farrell walked to put runners on the corners, and that's when the game was suspended.  When they picked it up again this afternoon with a new relief pitcher, two quick outs left Mercer and Farrell still standing on the corners.  

Anthony Claggett came on in relief of Alderson, and in a double switch, Shelby Ford took over at first base for Miles Durham.  Claggett kept the Mets from scoring in the bottom of the 7th.  Then Ford gave the Curve the lead with a solo homer in the top of the 8th.  The Curve added an insurance run in the top of the 9th, when Mercer and Farrell led off with a pair of singles.  Pinch-hitter Kris Watts moved both runners into scoring position with a ground out, then RF Brad Chalk lined a single into left field.  Mercer scored easily on the play, but Farrell was out at the plate on the throw in from left field.  

Claggett held on to the lead with a scoreless bottom of the 8th, allowing just one hit.  He was credited with his third win of the season.  Noah Krol earned his 10th Save of the season with a scoreless 9th.  He walked the first batter of the inning, then retired the next three batters with two fly outs and a pop out.

Friday evening's action with the Pirates' lower minor league affiliates:

Altoona Curve  6,  Binghamton Mets  6
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Rain halted the game between the Curve and the Mets in Binghamton, NY in the top of the 7th inning, with the score tied at 6-6.  Starter Aaron Thompson got into trouble early in the game, when he gave up 4 runs to the B-Mets in the bottom of the 1st.  A single and a hit batter led off the inning, then two fly outs and a wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position.  Three singles brought in a run each, and a double added the 4th run of the inning.  Thompson gave up a hit in each of the next two innings, but erased one with a double play, and left the other stranded.  A solo homer in the bottom of the 4th gave the Mets a 5-0 lead, then a single, a double, and a sacrifice fly gave the Mets their 6th run in the 5th. 

The Curve put one runner on base in each of the first four innings, but none of those runners came around to score.  2B Brock Holt walked in the 1st, but was out in a double play.  C Tony Sanchez singled in the 2nd and moved to second base on a wild pitch.  Holt smacked a ground-rule double in the 3rd, and SS Jordy Mercer walked and got as far as third base in the 4th.  

1B Miles Durham got the Curve going with a rally in the top of the 5th, when he was hit by a pitch.  Thompson tried for a sacrifice fly, but it turned into a forcer out of Durham at second base, leaving Thompson on first.  Holt singled, then CF Starling Marte tripled into right field, scoring both Thompson and Holt.  LF Quincy Latimore singled into left field, bringing in Marte, to cut the B-Mets' lead to 5-3.

The Mets made it 6-3 in the bottom of the 5th, but the Curve came right back with another 3 runs in the top of the 6th to tie the game.  A fielding error at shortstop put 3B Jeremy Farrell on base, and Sanchez's double let Farrell came around to score from first base.  RF Brad Chalk walked, then pinch-hitter Eric Fryer drove in base runners with the second triple of the game.  

Tim Alderson came on to pitch the bottom of the 6th, and he worked around a single, to maintain the tie.  The top of the 7th began with a single by Latimore, and a grounder force out by Mercer, leaving Mercer on first base.  Mercer stole second and then moved to third base on a wild pitch.  Farrell walked, to give the Curve runners on the corners  -- and that's when the storms halted the game.  

The game will resume on Saturday prior to the regularly scheduled game.  This game will finish as a 9-inning game, but the regularly scheduled game will probably be a 7-inning game.