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Tag: Robbie Grossman

2011 Prospect Watching: Marte and Grossman

Moving up through the outfielders in the Pirates' minor league organization:

Starling Marte  --  R/R,  6' 1",  170 lb
Marte is the much-heralded Latin American signing, joining the Pirates' organization in 2007, thanks to scout Rene Gayo. He reached the US after one season in the Dominican Summer League, and jumped up to A+  Bradenton to begin 2011.  Marte jumped out to an amazing start in April, with a .345 average and 9 RBI.  He did strikeout 15 times in 16 games, and also was hit by pitches 4 times in the month.  He kept up the pace in the first week of May (3 more RBI and 2 more times being hit by pitches), then suffered an injury to his left wrist.  Marte eventually had to have the hamate bone removed -- same surgery that Pedro Alvarez had in college.  Marte was out until August, but came roaring back with a .358 average for that month, and 21 more RBI.  He did not have a lot of power either before or after the injury, and his high strikeout rate continued after his return.  He also kept getting hit by pitches -- a total of 15 times over the season.  Marte has good speed, both on the base paths (22 stolen bases) and in center field.  Marte also got in 28 games with Los Aguilas Cibaenas in the Dominican Winter League.  He was surprisingly weak at the plate there, hitting just .213 with 3 RBI and one stolen base.  At age 22, he should be the main center fielder in AA Altoona for 2011.  He'll need to work on that strikeout rate and also work on taking more walks, but expect him to move along quickly.  I'm hoping to see Marte get a little bit of time in Indianapolis at the end of the season.

Robbie Grossman  --   Bats Both / Throws L,  6'1",  190 lb
Grossman was the 6th round draft pick in the 2008 draft.  He spent all of 2010 in A+ Bradenton, and managed to avoid the injury jinx there.  After hitting .266 at A level West Virginia in 2009, he started out with a .309 average for the Marauders in April 2010.  That didn't last long, though, as he slipped to a .185 average for the month of May and .222 in June.  The rest of the season was a little better:  .278 in July and .258 in August.  That gave him .245 over the whole season, with 29 doubles, 3 triples, 4 homers, and 50 RBI.  He hits right-handers better than left-handers (.333 vs. .279), so while he's a better lefty hitter, he's probably not ready to give up switching just yet.  Grossman's strikeout rate was about the same as Marte's in 2010, 118 strikeouts in 125 games.  Grossman played just over half of his games in right field, and just a few in left for the Marauders, and he slid over to center field when Marte was out with his injury.  Marte definitely has the edge over Grossman in center field, both in speed and throwing arm.  Grossman turned 21 shortly after the 2010 season ended, and that puts him in good position to be starting in Altoona for 2011.    

Curve Tie Their Series; Marauders Season Ends

Two of the Pirates' affiliates in playoff action:

Altoona Curve� 6,� Harrisburg Senators� 4 ....������ (box)

The Senators and the Curve battled back and forth, with errors and poor base running on both sides, but it was the Curve who came out on top to even the best-of-5 series at 1 game each.� The Curve scored their runs on 7 hits, 5 of which were doubles.� LF Andrew Lambo and 2B Chase d'Arnaud let the way with two hits each, and Lambo contributed 3 RBI.

Harrisburg scored first, with an unearned run in the top of the first.� With one out, Curve starter Jeff Locke walked two batters, then got the next batter to ground to short, for what should have been a double play.� SS Jordy Mercer made the throw to 2B Chase d'Arnaud for the force out at second, but d'Arnaud's relay to first base was off-target.� The batter was safe, and the runner who had been on second base came around to score.

The Curve got the run back again in the bottom of the 2nd.� 1B Matt Hague led off with a double, moved to third base by tagging up on C Hector Gimenez's fly out, and scored on Andrew Lambo's RBI ground out.� The Curve managed only a double by 3B Josh Harrison in the 3rd, then scored again in the 4th.� Hague and Gimenez opened the 4th with back-to-back walks.� Lambo rocketed a line drive down to the right field corner, bringing in Hague to take the lead.� RF Miles Durham grounded to short, but a quick play by the Senators going to the plate, had Gimenez out at home.� Lambo moved up to third base on the play, and he scored on CF Anthony Norman's sacrifice fly.� Curve up, 3-1.

The Senators came right back in the top of the 5th to tie the score again.� Jeff Locke had kept the Senators from scoring over three innings, despite having runners on base in both the 2nd (walk and single) and 3rd (double and walk).� Another double led off the 5th, then Locke got the next two batters out.� The next batter lifted a fly deep into the left-center field alley, which sailed beyond Norman's leap and to the wall.� Lambo couldn't get to it either, and the runner scored.� The Senators made it runners on the corners when a short fly ball skipped off d'Arnaud's glove and bounced away.� That was all for Jeff Locke, who had pitched 4.2 innings and allowed 2 runs so far, one earned and one not, on 4 hits and 4 walks, with 5 innings.� Derek Hankins relieved Locke, but he threw a wild pitch, which allowed the runner from third to score, also charged to Locke.� Hankins ended the inning with a strikeout, but the score was tied again, 3-3.

Curve and Marauders Both Fall To Big Innings

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.

Pribanic Shines As Marauders Take Game One

Bradenton Marauders� 5,� Charlotte Stone Crabs� 0 ....�� (box)

The Marauders broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the 7th with a big 4-run inning to take the win in their first playoff game.� Starter Aaron Pribanic earned the win with 7 scoreless innings of work.

Pribanic scattered 6 hits and one walk over those 7 innings.�� The first batter of the game singled, but a pickoff at first helped Pribanic get out of the inning.� He worked around a single and a walk in the 2nd inning, and around another single in the 3rd.� Pribanic retired the Stone Crabs in order in the 4th, but got into a jam in the 5th when he gave up three singles to load the bases with one out.� A timely double play, started by 2B Shelby Ford, who stepped on second base himself, then fired on to 1B Calvin Anderson, got Pribanic and the Marauders out of that jam without a run scoring.� Pribanic went on to retire the side in order in the 6th and 7th innings.

Charlotte starter Matthew Moore was also having a great night.� He struck out 9 Bradenton batters over the first 6 innings, while allowing only one hit.� He also walked 6 batters, though, and the walks were what ultimately got him into trouble.� The Marauders threatened in the bottom of the 1st, when both Ford and RF Robbie Grossman walked.� A wild pitch allowed Ford to move to third base.� CF Starling Marte grounded to first base, but the Charlotte first baseman threw home, and Ford was out on the basepath.� A strikeout ended that inning.� 3B Adam Davis walked in the 2nd inning, and Grossman singled and LF Quincy Latimore walked in the 3rd, but none of them could come around to score.� The Marauders went down in order in the three middle innings, including the side striking out in the 5th.

Matthew Moore began the bottom of the 7th by walking Anderson, and Anderson was replaced by pinch-runner Adenson Chourio. A wild pitch moved Chourio to second base.� Moore struck out Davis, his 10th batter of the game, then intentionally walked DH Jordan Newton. That was the end of Moore's night, and he was relieved by Marquis Fleming, and Fleming did not have a good night.� He began by giving up a grounder through the right side of the infield for a single to SS Greg Picart. Chourio raced around from second base to score the first run of the game.� Shelby Ford followed with a double into the left-center field gap, bringing in both Newton and Picart from first base.� Robbie Grossman grounded out to first, and Ford advanced to third base.� Starling Marte drove a liner into left field for a double, and Ford also scored, to give the Marauders a 4-0 lead.

Fleming came back out to pitch the bottom of the 8th.� C Eric Fryer began the inning with a double down the right field line.� Both Erik Huber, who had come into the game in place of Calvin Anderson, and Adam Davis flied out, but Jordan Newton skipped a bad hop off the glove of the Charlotte shortstop and into short left field.� Newton was credited with a hit, and Fryer came around to score one more run while the Stone Crabs were chasing down the ball.

Kyle McPherson came on in relief of Pribanic, to begin the 8th inning.� By then, the Stone Crabs were a bit stunned.� They went down in order, including 2 strikeouts in the 8th.� McPherson got some help from Shelby Ford, who made a perfectly-timed leaping catch of a line drive to begin the 9th inning.� The Stone Crabs did get a two-out hit, on a ball that fell into short left field, but McPherson got a pop out to short right field, easily played by Robbie Grossman, to end the game.

NOTES:

The Marauders will play Game 2 tomorrow in Charlotte.� The Tampa Yankees beat the Dunedin Blue Jays 3-0 in the other Florida State League round one game.

The Altoona Curve begin their playoffs on Wednesday, facing the Harrisburg Senators in Altoona.

The Pirates also took a scoreless tie into the bottom of the 7th inning, when they busted the game open with a big inning.� None of the 8 new call-ups got into the game, though.

Marauders Clinch Playoff Spot

On Friday night, all of the Pirates' minor league affiliates lost.� On Saturday night, all but State College won....

Bradenton Marauders� 4,� Charlotte Stone Crabs� 2 ...���� (box)

The Marauders assured themselves at least a spot in the playoffs with this win tonight.� Nate Adcock won his 11th game of the season with 2 runs allowed in 5.2 innings of work.� He gave up a run in the bottom of the 1st, with a 2-out walk, a wild pitch, and two singles.� He surrendered another run on a walk and a double to lead off the 3rd inning.� He scattered 4 more hits, but left two stranded and erased two with double plays.� In the top of the 6th, Adcock got two outs and gave up a single, then that runner stole both second and third base.� He was relieved by Kyle McPherson, who finished that inning with a strikeout, then gave up just one hit over the next 2 innings, including 3 more strikeouts.� Noah Krol earned his league-leading 34th save of the season with a scoreless 9th inning, working around a missed catch error.

Bradenton picked up one run in the 2nd inning, when C Eric Fryer singled, then moved to second base on a groundout.� 3B Adam Davis' RBI single brought in Fryer.� The Marauders were on the receiving end of several walks over the next few innings -- one in the 3rd to SS Shelby Ford, one in the 4th to Fryer, three in the 5th to DH Jordan Newton, 2B James Skelton, and RF Robbie Grossman to load the bases -- but all were left on base.� They did score again in the 6th, when LF Quincy Latimore led off with a single.� He was forced out at second on Fryer's grounder, leaving Fryer at first.� Davis singled again, advancing Fryer to third bse, then Newton doubled in both Fryer and Davis, to take a 3-2 lead.� They added an insurance run in the 4th.� Grossman singled with one out, then scored on CF Starling Marte's double.� The Marauders threatened again in the 8th, as Davis was hit by a pitch and Newton walked, then Skelton bunted them both into scoring position.� A strikeout and a ground out ended the inning, but it turned out to not matter, and the Marauders season is going to continue beyond the weekend.

Losses All Around

Losses for all of the Pirates' affiliates on Friday night:

Reading Phillies� 9,� Altoona Curve� 4 ...������� (box)

The R-Phils attacked Curve starter Jared Hughes early, and the Curve bats could not keep up.� Hughes retired the side in order in the 1st inning, but gave up 3 unearned runs on a walk, a single, and two errors in the 2nd inning -- the throwing error was by Hughes.� A walk, a double, and a single added 2 more runs in the 3rd inning.� In the 4th inning, Hughes gave up another 3 runs on two singles, a triple, and a double by former Indy Indian Tagg Bozied.� Hughes was done after those 4 innings, having allowed 8 runs (5 earned) on 7 hits and 2 walks, though he struck out 6 batters.

The Curve hitters were hitless in the first 4 innings.� The only batter to get on base was CF Anthony Norman, who reached in the 3rd on Bozied's fielding error at first.� Two home runs, one by C Kris Watts in the 5th, and one by 2B Chase d'Arnaud in the 6th, got the Indians onto the scoreboard, but they were still trailing 8-2.

Each team scored in the 7th.� Tom Boleska had relieved Hughes to begin the 5th inning, and he retired the first 7 batters he faced in order.� Then in the 7th, he walked Bozied, then gave up a single and a double, allowing Bozied to score.� In the bottom of the frame, 1B Matt Hague led off with a single, then scored on singles by Watts and Norman, to make it 9-3.� The Curve added one more run in the bottom of the 9th, when SS Jordy Mercer, Hague, and RF Miles Durham led off the inning with three consecutive singles to load the bases.� Watts' sacrifice fly plated Mercer, but two ground outs ended the inning without any further scoring.� Bryan Morris pitched two perfect innings to wrap it up for the Curve.

The Curve have won the Eastern League's Western Division title, and will begin the first round of playoffs on Wednesday.� None of the other playoff slots have been settled yet.� The Bowie Baysox and the Harrisburg Senators are tied for second place in the Western Division.� The Trenton Thunder are in first place in the Eastern Division, with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats 2.5 games behind, with 3 games left to play.

Irwin: Another 7 No-Hit Innings;

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.

Curve Split Two, Owens Wins #11, Cain Wins #1

Lots of action for the Pirates' minor league affiliates on Thursday....

Richmond Flying Squirrels� 9,� Altoona Curve� 6�� (Game 1)..� (box)

This was the wrap-up of a suspended game from... awhile back.� 2B Jordy Mercer had 3 hits in the game with an RBI, and LF Jim Negrych had a single, a double, and an RBI for the Curve.� The Curve scored first, with 3 runs in the bottom of hte 1st, on a double by 3B Shelby Ford, an RBI single by Mercer, walks to both C Kris Watts and LF Brandon Jones (back when he was still on the team), and a 2-RBI single by RF Miles Durham.

Richmond came back to tie the score with 3 runs in the top of the 2nd, on four singles and a throwing error by 1B Matt Hague. Then they took the lead with another 3 runs in the top of the 3rd, on a walk and three doubles.� Starter Tim Alderson was responsible for 6 runs (5 earned) on 7 hits and a walk over 3 innings.� Dustin Molleken took over for Alderson, and retired the side in the top of the 4th inning.� The Curve began the bottom of the inning with a walk to Durham, a single by CF Anthony Norman, and a sacrifice bunt by Molleken, to put both runners into scoring position.� That was when play was halted.� When the game resumed, SS Chase d'Arnaud singled, scoring Durham.� PH/3B Josh Harrison grounded to short, which let Norman score also.� Mercer singled again, but was left on base.� The Curve had closed the gap, 6-5

Derek Hankins took over for Molleken after the restart.� He pitched 5 innings, scattering two hits and a walk over the first four of those innings.� The Curve also put runners on base in the 5th, 6th, and 7th innings, but did not score.

In the top of the 9th, Hankins gave up a single and an RBI double, then three more singles, increasing Richmond's lead to 9-5.� The Curve got one of the runs back in the bottom of the 9th, when Hague walked, and moved to third on a fielding error that also put Watts on base.� Jim Negrych singled into left field, bringing in Hague from third.� Watts also tried to score, coming from second base, but he was out at the plate on the throw in from left field, ending the game.

Curve� 5,� Flying Squirrels� 1�� (Game 2)..� (box)

The Curve turned the tables in the second game, which was scheduled for only 7 innings.� Rudy Owens buzzed through 6 scoreless innings, allowing only 2 hits and one walk, while striking out 5 batters.� He surrendered a single in the 2nd and a double in the 4th, then a walk in the 6th.� It was Owens' 11th win of the season.� Daniel Moskos wrapped things up in the 7th inning.� He loaded the bases with two walks and a single.� A grounder force out brought in Richmond's only run, but then Moskos ended the game with a strikeout.

2B Jordy Mercer's bat was still hot, as he collected another 2 hits.� He and LF Jim Negrych both singled in the 4th, then C Hector Gimenez reached on a throwing error, which brought in Negrych with the first run of the game.� A walk to 3B Josh Harrison and singles by 1B Matt Hague and Mercer scored Harrison with another run in the 5th.� SS Chase d'Arnaud added three more runs with a 3-run homer in the 6th, also plating CF Anthony Norman, who had walked, and pinch-hitter Andrew Lambo, who had singled.

Owens Wins #10

Pirates' lower minor leaguers on Saturday...

Altoona Curve� 10,� Binghamton Mets� 4 (box)

The Curve posted 14 hits, with two big innings, as all but one member of the starting line-up had at least one hit in the game, as starter Rudy Owens earned his 10th win of the season.� SS Jordy Mercer doubled three times and 1B Matt Hague doubled twice, with 4 RBI.� Even Owens doubled, walked, and scored twice.

Owens got off to a little bit of a shaky start on the mound.� He gave up a double, a single, and a sacrifice fly to begin the bottom of the 1st.� A single and a double gave the Mets a second run in the 3rd.� Owens settled in after that, and allowed just one hit in each of the 4th and 5th.

The Curve got one run back in the top of the 4th, after putting runners on base in each of the first three innings but failing to score.� In the 4th,� Mercer hit his first double, and he scored on RF Miles Durham's RBI single.� Then they broke through in the 5th.� Owens led off the inning with a walk.� LF Jose De Los Santos singled, then 3B Josh Harrison bunted both runners into scoring position.� 2B Jim Negrych was intentionally walked to load the bases.� Hague cleared the bases with a double into left field, then Mercer hit his second double (this one was a ground-rule double), plating Hague.� The Curve had a 5-2 lead.

The next inning began with a solo home run by Miles Durham.� One out later, Owens doubled, and De Los Santos singled.� A fielding error on a ball hit to third by Harrison let Owens score.� Negrych brought in both Owens and De Los Santos with another double, and Hague made it three doubles in the inning with his 26th of the season, bringing in Negrych with the fifth run of the inning.� The Curve were up, 10-2.

Mike Colla relieved Owens to begin the 6th.� He gave up a solo homer in that inning, and another solo homer in the 8th, but retired the other 12 batters he faced in 4 innings.� Owens earned his 10th win of the season, and Colla earned his first save.

Gonzalez’s Walk-Off Homer, Krol’s 30th Save

A busy Friday for the Pirates' minor league affiliates:

Bradenton Marauders� 5,� Jupiter Hammerheads� 3 (box)

The Marauders posted 14 hits, with each member of the line-up collecting at least one.� C Eric Fryer had a perfect 4-for-4 night, with all four hits singles.� SS Greg Picart had 2 singles, and LF Quincy Latimore doubled and homered.� They scored only 5 runs on those 14 hits, though, leaving 13 runners on base.

Bradenton began scoring in the 2nd inning, on Fryer's first single and an RBI double by 1B Calvin Anderson. Latimore's double and a single by DH Jeremy Farrell to score Latimore added another run in the 3rd.� Latimore's home run over the left field wall made it 3-0 in the 5th inning.� The Marauders took advantage of an error by the Hammerheads to score agin in the 6th.� With one out, Greg Picart singled and 2B Shelby Ford reached on a fielding error in left field, which let the speedy Picart score from first base.� Ford went to third base on the error, and he scored on RF Robbie Grossman's RBI single.

Nate Baker earned his 2nd win with the Marauders, going 6 shutout innings and allowing only 2 hits, with 4 walks and 5 strikeouts.� Three of those walks came in the bottom of the 1st inning, but Baker got out of that bases-loaded jam with a pop out and two fly outs.� He had two more runners in scoring position in the 2nd, with a walk and a double, but got out of that jam too.� The other single he allowed came with two outs in the 3rd.� After that single, Baker retired the next 10 batters he faced, to finish his night.

Craig Hansen came on in relief of Baker to begin the 7th.� He kept Jupiter from scoring in the 7th, despite two runners in scoring position from a hit batter, a single, and a wild pitch.� The Hammerheads' only runs came in the 8th, and only one of the three runs was earned.� A double and two walks loaded the bases, and a sacrifice fly brought in the earned run.� After a second out, Hansen was relieved by Duke Welker. The first batter Welker faced took a ball into center field, but an error by CF Starling Marte caused two unearned runs to score.� Welker finished that inning with a line out to short.

Noah Krol earned his 30th save of the season with a perfect 9th inning.� He leads the Florida State League in saves -- #2 has 28 saves and #3 has 21 saves.� How many saves do you need to have before you get promoted?

Spikes’ All-Stars All Play; Moskos’ 19th Save

Tuesday:� The Indianapolis Indians have a scheduled day off.� The State College Spikes are on their All-Star break, with three of their players, Jhonathan Ramos, Matt Curry, and Adalberto Santos chosen to participate in the game.

NY-P All-Star Game:

AL Affiliate All-Stars 4,� NL Affiliate All-Stars� 3 (box)

A 3-run rally in the bottom of the 8th gave the host AL All-Stars the win in Staten Island tonight.� The NL Stars threatened in the top of the 1st, when 2B Cesar Hernandez (Williamsport/Phillies) tripled, but he was thrown out at home on a fielder's choice.� Spikes' 1B Matt Curry grounded out in that inning.� The NL Stars did get onto the scoreboard in the 2nd inning, with a solo home run by LF Miguel Alvarez (Williamsport/Phillies).

After having gone down in order in the first two innings, the AL side tied it up in the 3rd inning on three singles, by 3B Adam Gaylord (Aberdeen/Orioles),� SS Jose Mojica (Staten Island/Yankees), and CF Felix Sanchez (Lowell/Red Sox).� The NL Stars came right back in the next inning with two runs.� RF Cory Vaughn (Brooklyn/Mets) led off with a single.� After a pop out by Matt Curry, Alvarez lined a single into center, pushing Vaughn to third base, then Alvarez moved up to second base on the throw in from center.� 3B Joe Bonfe (Brooklyn/Mets) grounded to short, where AL SS Jose Garcia (Lowell/Red Sox) made a throwing error, allowing both Vaughn and Alvarez to score to give the NL a 3-1 lead.

That score held for the next four innings.� Matt Curry left the game after 4.5 innings, and LF Adalberto Santos came into the game at the same time.� Santos walked in the 6th -- one of only a few batters to reach base in the middle innings.� Santos stole second base, then advanced to third when the throw from AL C Julio Rodriguez (Connecticut/Tigers) went wild.� Jhonathan Ramos came on to pitch the bottom of the 6th for the NL team.� He quickly got the first two outs, then gave up two ground ball singles, but struck out PH/RF Trent Mummey (Aberdeen/Orioles) to end the inning.

Chase Johnson (Williamsport/Phillies) was on the mound for the NL Stars in the bottom of the 8th.� The AL Stars rallied with a double by 1B James Robbins (Connecticut/Tigers) and a single by Julio Rodriguez to open the inning.� Robbins scored on a ground out, then Rodriguez stole third base.� After a walk to Mummey, Chase Johnson was relieved by Ryan Fraser (Brooklyn/Mets).� But Fraser walked the first batter he faced, 3B Matt Perry (Connecticut/Tigers) to load the bases.� That set up for a sacrifice fly by DH Ryan Enos (Connecticut/Tigers), which brought in Rodriguez with the tying run.� SS Jose Garcia (Lowell/Red Sox) lined a single into left field, scoring Mummey with the go-ahead run, before a strikeout ended the inning.

Santos led off the top of the 9th with a ground out, and despite a walk, two more strikeouts ended the game.

Marauders Blast Cardinals, Power Split DoubleHeader

A little lighter schedule in the Pirates' lower minor leagues tonight -- the Altoona Curve and the State College Spikes both had scheduled days off.

The Pirates have signed their top two draft picks, righty pitchers Jameson Taillon and Stetson Allie, just a few hours before the midnight deadline.� That makes 27 of 50 draft picks signed.� Check out the complete list here.

Bradenton Marauders� 9,� Palm Beach Cardinals� 1 (box)

The Marauders posted 12 hits and scored in each of their last three at-bats as they bombarded the Cardinals.� 3B Jeremy Farrell led the charge with 3 hits, while SS Shelby Ford and C Eric Fryer had 2 hits and 2 RBI each.

Starter Brian Leach earned his 6th win of the season with 5 innings of work, in which he allowed only one unearned run, on 6 hits and a walk, while striking out 5 batters.� He worked around a hit in each of the first two innings, and then got out of a small jam after two singles in the 4th by striking out the next 2 batters.� The 5th inning began with a batter reaching on a fielding error by Farrell.� A single and a fielder's choice loaded the bases.� Leach's only walk of the game forced in the unearned run.

The Marauders also picked up an unearned run, which came in the 3rd.� 2B Adam Davis doubled, then scored when DH James Skelton's bunt was complicated by a throwing error on the Cardinals' pitcher.� They scored again (earned this time) in the next inning, when LF Quincy Latimore led off with a walk, followed by Farrell's ground rule double and Fryer's RBI single.

The Marauders broke the game open with 4 runs in the 6th. Latimore again led off with a walk, and Farrell singled.� Fryer moved them up a base each with a sacrifice bunt.� 1B Calvin Anderson singled, scoring both Latimore and Farrell.� Davis walked, then a throwing error laoded the bases again.� This time it was Ford's single which brought in two runs, Anderson and Davis, and the Marauders had a 6-1 lead.

Latimore led off an inning with a walk for the third time in the 7th inning.� That was followed by singles from both Farrell and Fryer, driving in Latimore with the Marauders' 7th run.� In the 8th, Skelton had a turn at leading off an inning with a walk.� Ford singled, but he was out at second on RF Robbie Grossman's grounder force out.� Back-to-back doubles by CF Starling Marte and Latimore brought in Skelton and Grossman, though Marte was out at the plate trying to score on Latimore's double.

Duke Welker pitched 2 scoreless and hitless innings for the Marauders, allowing just 2 walks.� Craig Hansen also went 2 innings, with a hit batter in the 8th, and a single in the 9th.� The single was followed by a game-ending double play.