Pittsburgh Pirates Alen Hanson Has A Day

Well, it took awhile, but Alen Hanson had a day against Peoria (3-7,) the worst team in the Arizona Fall League.  While Hanson has had his struggles in the AFL for the Scottsdale Scorpions (4-6), what he has exceled at is hitting with runners in scoring position.  The trend continued when in the eighth inning with the bases drunk and nobody out, Hanson hit a two-run single.

Hanson had a lead off single off Kyle Hunter, who has struggled in his last two starts, to start the game and later scored his first run of the game.  In his second at-bat, Hanson hit a liner into right field for his second hit of the day.  The hit was erased when the Scorpions shortstop was thrown out on the base paths.

He reached base for the third straight time in the fifth inning when he was drilled by a fastball from Adys Portillo and would later race home for his second run of the game.

With an opportunity to reach base four consecutive times, Hanson flew out with a runner on first to end the sixth inning.

But the big opportunity for Scottsdale was when Hanson stepped to the plate in the eighth and ripped his two-run single.  The Scorpions shortstop has an .857 OPS with runners in scoring position now-with three hits in seven at-bats.  It pushed the Scorpions lead to 7-4 as Scottsdale piled on seven runs in the final two innings in the 12-7 victory.

Hanson ended his day going 3-for-5, easily his best performance of the young season scoring three runs and driving in two.  He is now hitting .286 and if you believe in clutch, .429 with runners in scoring position.