Pittsburgh Pirates Prospects: Connor Scott Home Run & More

A Connor Scott 1st inning home run helped powered the Altoona Curve to a victory and more in Sunday’s Pittsburgh Pirates minor league roundup

Pittsburgh Pirates players wrapped up their rehab assignments on Sunday. Despite having these players in the lineup, Indy suffered a 7-4 loss. This loss dropped the Indians to 37-39 on the season.

Ben Gamel started in left field and bat leadoff for the Indians. Gamel went 2-for-5 with 2 runs scored. Gamel is expected to re-join the team’s active roster when they start a two-game series against the New York Yankees on Tuesday.

Yoshi Tsutsugo was the team’s designated hitter, going 2-for-4 with a double and 3 RBI. Like Gamel, Tsutsugo is expected to re-join the MLB club on Tuesday and appears to be ready to go for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Ji-Hwan Bae started at shortstop, going 3-for-4 with a walk and a run scored. Right fielder Cal Mitchell also had a 3 hit night, going 3-for-5 with a RBI. Catcher Carter Bins, first baseman Mason Martin and third baseman Taylor Davis all had a hit as well.

Hunter Stratton worked as an opener for Indy. Stratton allowed 3 runs on 3 this, a walk and 2 strikeouts in 2 innings pitched. Noe Toribio followed, allowing 4 runs on 4 hits, 2 walks, a home run, and no strikeouts in an inning pitched.

Cam Alldred pitched 3 scoreless innings. Alldred allowed a hit, walked a batter and struck out 3. Sooner rather than later, Alldred deserves another MLB chance with the Pirates. Travis MacGregor then pitched the final 2 innings of the game, allowing a hit, walk a pair and striking out 3.

Double-A Altoona got back within a game of .500 on season on Sunday

Sunday saw the Double-A Altoona Curve defeat the Harrisburg Senators 7-3. With the victory, the Double-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates are now just a game shy of .500 on the season with a record of 36-37.

Outfielder Connor Scott, who was arguably the key piece of the Jacob Stallings trade with Miami, was 1-for-3 in the Curve victory. Scott hit a 3-run home run, his 2nd home run of the season, and scored a run in the victory. Scott’s home run came in the 1st inning and quickly set the tone for the game.

Third baseman Jared Triolo was 1-for-4 with a RBI. Aaron Shackelford served as the team’s designated hitter going 2-for-4 with a run scored. Brendt Citta was 1-for-4 with a run scored and a RBI, so was shortstop Liover Peguero. Right fielder Matt Fraizer was 1-for-3 with a run scored.

Luis Ortiz started on the mound for the Curve. Ortiz allowed 2 runs on 4 hits, walk, a home run and 3 strikeouts in 4 innings pitched. Jeffrey Passantino followed, allowing a solo home run a nd striking a batter out in 3.1 innings pitched. Tahnaj Thomas finished things off for the Curve, striking out a pair in 1.2 scoreless innings pitched. It has taken a lot of work, but this outing lowered Thomas’s ERA to below 4.00 on the season to 3.99.

Greensboro suffers a 10-7 loss

A wild back and forth affair saw the High-A Greensboro Grasshoppers suffer a 10-7 defeat on Sunday. Following this loss agains the Hickory Crawdads, the Grasshoppers are now 31-43 on the season.

Local product Justin Meis started for the Grasshoppers, allowing a run on 5 hits, a walk and 3 strikeouts in 4 innings pitched. In his last 4 starts Meis has now allowed 3 runs with 18 strikeouts in 20 innings pitched.

Ricky DeVito followed Meis, allowing 2 runs on a hit, 2 walks and 2 strikeouts in 1.2 innings pitched. This was the beginning of a long night for the Grasshopper bullpen. Jack Carey allowed 3 runs in 1.1 innings pitched, while Garrett Leonard recored just one out, allowing 3 unearned runs. Eddy Yean got the final two outs for the Grasshoppers in the 8th inning, walking a batter and allowing an unearned run.

Yoyner Fajardo played second base and bat leadoff for the Grasshoppers. Fajardo was 1-for-3 with  2 walks and a run scored. Catcher Endy Rodriguez was 2-for-4 with his 8th home run of the season, a walk, 2 RBI and a run scored.

Designated hitter Abrahan Gutierrez was 2-for-5 with a RBI. Ernny Ordonez was 2-for-5 with a home run and 4 RBI. Right fielder Luke Brown went 2-for-4 with a run scored for the Grasshoppers.