Tag: Starling Marte

There are plenty of roster intricacies in the Major League Baseball Rulebook that can be difficult to understand in theory and application: Designated for Assignment, waivers, outright assignment, 25-man roster versus 40-man roster, and service time, just to name a few. These intricacies have consistently interested me, and I always had to rely on sites […]

Well, as Ron Burgundy might say, “That escalated quickly.” This wasn’t a topic I anticipated visiting quite this early, but after the entire pitching staff’s performance has seemingly fallen off a cliff, and twenty losses in their last twenty-nine games (as of June 20th) have the team hovering around last place in the division, it […]

It’s no secret—injuries have significantly derailed the Pirates’ season. Many weren’t overly hopeful about the team’s chances this year, but many predicted at least a strong chance to finish above .500, as the team was largely the same as last season and it’s a feat they achieved then. While the club knew about and could […]

Count me among the many, many fans who were shocked when they saw the news that Cole Tucker was called up to start at shortstop less than a month into the season. Tucker has always been a hard prospect to pin down. At first, many thought he appeared to be an overdraft in the first […]

The Pittsburgh Pirates have activated center fielder Starling Marte from the injured list on Tuesday, ahead of their two-game series in Texas against the Rangers. To make room on the 25-man roster, outfielder Jason Martin has been optioned to Indianapolis. Marte has been out since a collision with shortstop Erik Gonzalez landed him on the […]

The Pittsburgh Pirates are having a rough Friday night despite being up on the scoreboard. They saw injuries to starting pitcher Jordan Lyles, center fielder Starling Marte and shortstop Erik Gonzalez. Lyles left with a right hand contusion after a ball hit up the middle caught a piece of his pitching hand. Marte and Gonzalez […]

Back in January, MLB Network had their countdown show for the top 100 players in the majors right now. It airs every year during a slow time, so we always post an article afterwards. This year there was no article because they didn’t have a single player from the Pittsburgh Pirates on the top 100 […]

Tonight on MLB Network, they will have two of their hour long shows for the best players at each position in the majors. The Pittsburgh Pirates have basically come up empty for the first four positions covered, but tonight could be different. MLB Network has a computer generated list based on analytics from the “Shredder”. […]

Sandlot Swashbucklers is on break too!   Don't forget to check out the Futures Game with Starling Marte on Sunday, then the AAA  and Eastern League All-Star Games on Wednesday.  Matt Hague will be participating in the AAA All-Star Game, and five Curve players will be at the Eastern League All-Star Game -- Jeremy Farrell, Starling Marte, Brock Holt, Jeff Locke, and Aaron Pribanic.  



More news to come in a few more days. 

Sunday's action in the Pirates' minor league organization began with an afternoon game in Charleston.  The GCL Pirates have the day off.

Greensboro Grasshoppers  10,  West Virginia Power  2
[ box ] 

Three late-inning rallies gave the Grasshoppers the advantage over the Power this afternoon.   Power starter Colton Cain pitched 4 innings and allowed 3 runs on 4 hits and a walk.  The first 'Hoppers' run came in the 1st inning, on a double and an RBI single.  Cain allowed only one base runner over the next two innings (hit batter), then gave up a 2-run homer in the 4th, to give Greensboro a 3-0 lead. Cain and C Kawika Emsley-Pai had two bases stolen against them in the 1st inning (one runner, two bases), and a double steal in the 4th.  Kevin Decker replaced Cain to begin the 5th, and retired the side in order.  In the 6th, Decker gave up 2 runs on a single, a walk, a sacrifice fly, and an RBI single.  There were three stolen bases in that inning.  Decker was still pitching in the 7th, when 3 more runs scored.  Three more stolen bases contributed to the scoring, which also included two walks, a sacrifice fly, an RBI double and an RBI single.  The Grasshoppers had an 8-0 lead.   

The Power batters went down in order in the first two innings, and had only 3 base runners over the first 6 innings.  Emsley-Pai led off the 3rd with a single lined into left field, but he was thrown out trying to steal second base.   1B Chase Lyles singled in the 5th and was left on base.  SS Kevin Mort singled to open the 6th, and was erased in a double play.  2B Andy Vasquez singled to lead off the 7th, and he was also out in a double play, when CF Mel Rojas lined out to first and Vasquez was easily doubled off.  Finally, after that double play, three consecutive hits pushed the first Power run across the plate.  DH Cole White and Lyles hit back-to-back singles, and LF Rogelios Noris drove in White with a line drive double into left.  

Justin Ennis pitched the 8th inning, and gave the 'Hoppers another 2-run homer, following a single.  The Power got one of the runs back in the 8th.  With two outs, Vasquez was hit by a pitch, and Rojas walked.  White lined a single into center field, and Vasquez came around from second to score.  Jason Townsend pitched a scoreless top of the 9th, and the Power also went down in order in the bottom of the 9th.