Pittsburgh Pirates Prospect Watch 4/9/11

DAILY SUMMARY

Top Pitcher: Aaron Thompson (6.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 0 HR)

Top Hitter: Starling Marte (4-for-5, 2B, SB, R)

Home Runs: Alex Presley (1)

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS (AAA)

Box Score

Result: Columbus 8, Indianapolis 7

Starting Pitcher: Justin Wilson (6 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 6 K, 1 HR)

Top Hitter: Alex Presley (2-for-4, 3B, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB)

Notes: Justin Wilson (3.00) made his debut today for Indianapolis, and continued with his inconsistent control.  Wilson started off strong in the first two innings, with his fastball hitting 94 MPH according to Scott McCauley.  Then his sharpness was gone, with a few four pitch walks.  He finished up the day allowing just two runs on four hits, but walked four.  Tim Wood (27.00) made his Pirates organizational debut, allowing three runs on three hits with a walk and a strikeout in one inning.  Tony Watson (0-1, 3.86) picked up the loss, allowing one run in 1.1 innings.

Alex Presley (.455) had a big day, going 2-for-4 with a triple and a home run, his first of the 2011 season.  Chase d’Arnaud (.364) went 2-for-5 with a two run double in the sixth to tie the game at 2-2.  Gorkys Hernandez (.333), Matt Hague (.500), and Josh Harrison (.333) all had two-hit games.

ALTOONA CURVE (AA)

Box Score

Result: Altoona 6, Erie 2

Starting Pitcher: Aaron Thompson (6.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 0 HR)

Top Hitters: Starling Marte (4-for-5, 2B, SB, R)

Notes: Altoona had a great all-around day for their first win of the regular season.  On the pitching side, Aaron Thompson (1-0, 1.50) had a great start, allowing a run on a walk and a hit in six innings.  Brian Leach (6.75) followed up Thompson with 1.1 innings, allowing a run on two hits.  Leach walked three batters, which is a concern, as he dealt with control issues out of the bullpen in the Arizona Fall League this past off-season.  Michael Dubee (2.70) closed out the final 1.2 innings to get his first save of the year.

Starling Marte (.364) led the offense, going 4-for-5 with a double, and also recording a stolen base.  Brock Holt (.300) went 2-fr-5 with two RBIs.  Jeremy Farrell (.250) went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs.  Jordy Mercer (.250) went 1-for-3 with two walks, an RBI, and a stolen base.  Kris Watts (.400) went 2-for-5 with two runs.

BRADENTON MARAUDERS (A+)

Box Score

Result: Charlotte 14, Bradenton 1

Starting Pitcher: Quinton Miller (3.1 IP, 11 H, 10 R, 10 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 0 HR)

Top Hitters: Ramon Cabrera (2-for-3, 2B, BB)

Notes: A day after beating Charlotte in a pretty convincing fashion, the Marauders had the tables turned on them, losing 14-1.  Quinton Miller (0-1, 27.00) got rocked in his first start of the season, allowing ten runs on eleven hits in 3.1 innings.  Eliecer Navarro (10.13) didn’t do much better, with three runs allowed on three hits in 2.2 innings.  Diego Moreno (0.00) made a rehab start in Bradenton, pitching a perfect inning with three strikeouts.

Ramon Cabrera (.400) went 2-for-3 with a double and a walk.  Jarek Cunningham (.250) went 1-for-5 with a triple and Bradenton’s only RBI.  Aaron Baker (.250) made his debut, going 1-for-4 with a walk.  Chris Snyder (.500) made another rehab start, this time playing as the designated hitter.  Snyder went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.

WEST VIRGINIA POWER (A)

West Virginia had a double header postponed.  They are scheduled for a double header tomorrow.