Pittsburgh Pirates Prospects: Rodolfo Castro Goes Deep & More

PITTSBURGH, PA - MAY 15: Rodolfo Castro #14 of the Pittsburgh Pirates in action during the game against the Cincinnati Reds at PNC Park on May 15, 2022 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA - MAY 15: Rodolfo Castro #14 of the Pittsburgh Pirates in action during the game against the Cincinnati Reds at PNC Park on May 15, 2022 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)
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BRADENTON, FLORIDA – MARCH 16: Rodolfo Castro #14 of the Pittsburgh Pirates poses for a picture during the 2022 Photo Day at LECOM Park on March 16, 2022 in Bradenton, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
BRADENTON, FLORIDA – MARCH 16: Rodolfo Castro #14 of the Pittsburgh Pirates poses for a picture during the 2022 Photo Day at LECOM Park on March 16, 2022 in Bradenton, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) /

Rodolfo Castro homers for Triple-A Indy, Double-A Altoona gets rained out, and more in Thursday’s Pittsburgh Pirates minor league roundup

Thursday night saw the Double-A Altoona Curve get rained out as part of Pittsburgh Pirates minor league action. The Triple-A Indianapolis Indians played and were victorious. Indy defeated the Louisville Bats 5-3, improving to 49-51 on the season.

Rodolfo Castro bat leadoff and started at shortstop, going 1-for-4 with a two-run home run. This was Castro’s 12th home run this season at Triple-A. Diego Castillo started in right field and went 1-for-3 with a walk. Travis Swaggerty was 0-for-3 with a walk, and catcher Carter Bins was 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored.

Mason Martin was 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored. Brendt Citta was 1-for-4 with a solo home run, Hoy Park and Mike Jarvis each had a hit as well.

Osvaldo Bido started for Indy. Bido pitched 3 innings, allowing 2 runs, 1 earned, on four this, a walk and an impressive eight strikeouts. John O’Reilly followed Bido, allowing a run on two hits and two strikeouts in 3 innings pitched.

Hunter Stratton was next up out of the Indian bullpen. Stratton walked a batter and struck out four in 2 scoreless, hitless innings of relief. Eric Handhold would pick up a strikeout as part of a 1-2-3 9th inning.

(Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
(Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) /

Greensboro gets doubled up

Thursday night the High-A Greensboro Grasshoppers suffered a 6-3 loss against the Bowling Green Hot Rods. This was just the latest loss in what has been a tough season for the Pittsburgh Pirates High-A affiliates who are now 43-54 on the season.

Jared Jones started for the Grasshoppers and struggled. Jones pitched 5 innings, allowing 6 runs on seven hits, three walks, two home runs and four strikeouts. The 2020 draft pick has tremendous stuff but has struggled to command it all season. As a result, he owns a 5.03 ERA in 96.2 innings pitched across 20 starts. If Jones does not get his control issues figured out ASAP his long-term future may be in the bullpen.

Santiago Florez followed Jones. Florez pitched 2 scoreless innings. He did not allow a hit, walked a pair and struck out five. Wandi Montout pitched the 8th inning, retiring three of the four batters he faced as he worked around a hit batter to post a zero.

Dariel Lopez started at shortstop and continued his great offensive season by going 2-for-4. Lopez scored a run and picked up his 48th RBI of the season. Hudson Head went 1-for-3 with a walk, his 13th double and a run scored.

Jacob Gonzalez was 1-for-3. Abrahan Gutierrez went 1-for-4 with a RBI at first base. One night after his five-hit performance, catcher Endy Rodriguez was 1-for-4.

(Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images)
(Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images) /

Bradenton falls into a big hole, late innings rally comes up short

Low-A Bradenton fell in a 7-0 hole on Thursday night. The Marauders rallied to score 4 runs across the final two innings of the game, but it was not enough in a 7-4 loss that dropped the Marauders to 49-49 on the season.

Bradenton entered the 9th inning trialing 7-3 and made it interesting. With one out in the inning Sergio Campana doubled, which was followed by Wyatt Hendrie and Bubba Chandler drawing a walks. After a Maikol Escotto sacrifice fly cut the deficit to 7-4, Jasiah Dixon, who represented the tying run, lined out to center field to end the game.

Campana finished the games 1-for-2 with his double, a walk and a run scored. Chandler was 0-for-2 with two walks and a run scored, Dixon had a two-hit game with a run scored and Brenden Dixon was 1-for-2 with a RBI.

Luis Peralta started for the Marauders and struggled. Peralta allowed 5 runs on eight hits, two walks, two home runs, and five strikeouts in 4.1 innings pitched. Peralta now has a 6.64 ERA on the season.

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Kelvin Disla got the final two outs of the 5th inning and Carlos Lomeli pitched a scoreless 6th inning. Drew Irvine allowed 2 runs on two hits and two walks in 1 inning pitched. Jack Hartman then pitched a 1-2-3 inning with a pair of strikeouts.

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