DAILY SUMMARY
Top Pitcher: Nathan Baker (6.0 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, 0 HR)
Top Hitter: Brock Holt (3-for-5, 3B, RBI)
Home Runs: None
INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS (AAA)
Result: Durham 6, Indianapolis 1
Starting Pitcher: Justin Wilson (6.0 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, 0 HR)
Top Hitter: Chase d’Arnaud (1-for-3, BB, RBI)
Notes: Justin Wilson (2-2, 2.70) didn’t get a lot of help from his defense today, and allowed three runs on seven hits in six innings, with three walks and five strikeouts. Wilson also didn’t get much help from the offense, as Indianapolis only managed one run on four hits. Chris Leroux (6.92) allowed three runs in an inning of work. Cesar Valdez (4.30) pitched two shutout innings, allowing a walk and striking out three.
Chase d’Arnaud (.221) had the only RBI, going 1-for-3 with a walk, and knocking in Andy Marte (.164), who also went 1-for-3. Gorkys Hernandez (.235) drew a walk and stole his ninth base of the season.
ALTOONA CURVE (AA)
Result: Altoona 6, Erie 5
Starting Pitcher: Aaron Thompson (6.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 0 HR)
Top Hitter: Brock Holt (3-for-5, 3B, RBI)
Notes: Aaron Thompson (3.49) pitched six innings, allowing three runs on six hits, with two walks and two strikeouts. Anthony Claggett (3.38) added a scoreless inning, although Michael Dubee (1-1, 4.91) blew the lead, allowing two runs in two innings of work.
The Altoona offense managed to re-take the lead in the eighth, after Dubee blew the lead in the top half of the inning. With two outs, Brad Chalk (.212) hit an RBI double, bringing in Tony Sanchez (.274) from second base. Brock Holt (.326) followed that with an RBI single, giving Altoona the lead. Holt went 3-for-5 on the day, with a triple. Starling Marte (.330) went 2-for-5 with two RBIs. Jordy Mercer (.173) went 2-for-3 with an RBI.
BRADENTON MARAUDERS (A+)
Result: Palm Beach 3, Bradenton 2
Starting Pitcher: Nathan Baker (6.0 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, 0 HR)
Top Hitter: Jarek Cunningham (2-for-4, 3B, RBI)
Notes: Bradenton was down 2-0 heading in to the eighth inning, but quickly came back to tie the score in the top half of the frame. Robbie Grossman (.284) led off with a single, then scored on a Jarek Cunningham (.276) triple. It was the second hit on the day for Cunningham, who scored when Evan Chambers (.221) followed that up with an RBI double. Bradenton was unable to score any more runs, and Palm Beach scored the go-ahead run in the bottom half of the inning.
Nathan Baker (5.00) had a good start, allowing two runs on eight hits in six innings, with no walks and five strikeouts. Jhonathan Ramos (4.05) pitched a perfect inning, striking out one. Ryan Beckman (0-2, 1.50) got the loss, allowing one run on two walks and a wild pitch, with one strikeout.
WEST VIRGINIA POWER (A)
West Virginia was postponed today.
Tim started Pirates Prospects in 2009 from his home in Virginia, which was 40 minutes from where Pedro Alvarez made his pro debut in Lynchburg. That year, the Lynchburg Hillcats won the Carolina League championship, and Pirates Prospects was born from Tim's reporting along the way. The site has grown over the years to include many more writers, and Tim has gone on to become a credentialed MLB reporter, producing Pirates Prospects each year, and will publish his 11th Prospect Guide this offseason. He has also served as the Pittsburgh Pirates correspondent for Baseball America since 2019. Behind the scenes, Tim is an avid music lover, and most of the money he gets paid to run this site goes to vinyl records.
Hoping this is Grossman’s breakout year.