Pittsburgh Pirates Minors: Teams Sweep the Day

The Pittsburgh Pirates took a loss late last night against the Cubs.  The organization’s minor league teams all brought home wins last night.

Yesterday, all four of the Pittsburgh Pirates minor league affiliates were in action.  With the big league club losing, the four minor league teams were able to bring home victories.  All the teams got strong pitching performances from their staffs.

Triple-A Indianapolis took on the Charlotte Knights of the Chicago White Sox organization. Indianapolis beat the Knights by a score of 7-3.  The Pittsburgh Pirates top pitching prospect Mitch Keller started for Indianapolis.  Keller once again had a rough start, only making it through four innings while giving up three earned runs on eight hits.  His control was a little better this start, walking one and striking out three.

Former starter now reliever Clay Holmes ended up getting the win when he threw three scoreless innings in relief of Keller.  Veteran relievers Brandon Mauer and Michael Feliz pitched scoreless innings to end the game.  On the offensive side, Ke’Bryan Hayes and Bryan Reynolds led the pack, both having multi-hit games.  Hayes went 3-5 with two doubles, a home run, and three runs batted in.  Reynolds also added a home run, his third of the year.  Outfielder Trayvon Robinson had a four-hit game, with all four being singles.

The Altoona Curve won by a score of 3-2 and had some late game heroics.  Lefty Cam Vieaux got the start for the Curve and pitched six scoreless innings, striking out four hitters but also walked four.  Reliever Tate Scioneaux ended up getting the win in the 12th inning.  Bligh Madris and Jerrick Suiter were the only two with multihit games, with Madris going 2-5 and Suiter going 2-4.

The Bradenton Marauders beat the Charlotte Crabs once again.  Big righty Oddy Nunez got the start and threw pretty well.  The 6’8” Dominican native got through six innings of work and only allowed two runs with four strikeouts.  Former outfielder turned reliever, Luis Escobar picked up the save.  Travis Swaggerty led all hitters going 2-5 with a run scored and batted in.  The former first-round pick also picked up a stolen base.  Pittsburgh Pirates right fielder Gregory Polanco also continued his rehab, going 1-3 with a walk.

The final team to look at is Low-A Greensboro.  The Grasshoppers beat the Charleston RiverDogs via a shut out.  Starting the game was Osvaldo Bido, an intriguing right-handed pitching prospect who has now improved to 2-0 on the year and has yet to give up a run.  He struck out five while only walking one and only giving up three hits.  Zac Susi was the only player on the Grasshoppers with multiple hits, going 2-4 with a run scored.  First baseman Mason Martin went 1-3 with two runs batted in and a double.