Pittsburgh Pirates Prospects: Travis Swaggerty Keeps Getting on Base & More

Travis Swaggerty continues to get on base at Triple-A, a wild extra inning victory for Bradenton and more in Sunday’s Pittsburgh Pirates minor league roundup

Sunday afternoon saw the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians defeat the Louisville Bats 11-8. With the win, the top farm club of the Pittsburgh Pirates improved to 51-52 on the season while capping off a 5-2 week against the Bats.

Travis Swaggerty started in right field for the Indians and went 0-for-1. However, Swaggerty drew four walks and scored a run. This performance raised his OPS on the season at Triple-A to .784 and his on-base percentage to .352. Swaggerty continues to push to be re-called by the Pittsburgh Pirates and given a legitimate look in the outfield.

In the leadoff spot Hoy Park was 0-for-4, but he drew a walk and drove in a pair of runs. Diego Castillo was 2-for-4 with a walk and two RBI. Jared Oliva hit a pair of doubles, while also drawing a walk, scoring two runs and driving in a run. Mason Martin was 0-for-2 with three walks and Rodolfo Castro was 0-for-4 with a run scored and a walk.

Jerad Eickhoff started for the Indians and struggled. The veteran righty allow 5 runs on eight hits, a walk and four strikeouts in 3.2 innings pitched. Cam Alldred got the final out of the 4th inning, Nick Mears then surrendered a run on two hits and a walk while getting the first two outs of the 5th inning.

Noe Toribio followed Mears and allowed 2 runs while walking three batters, hitting a batter and striking out a pair in 2.2 innings pitched. Eric Handhold pitched 2 perfect innings of relief to finish off the game for the Indians.

Bullpen struggles sinks Double-A Altoona in a 6-4 loss against Akron

Sunday saw the Double-A Altoona Curve fall to the Akron RubberDucks 6-4. This loss was largely due to a poor day for the Altoona bullpen. With the loss, the Curve have fallen to on the season.

Aaron Shortridge started for Altoona and turned in one of his best starts since he made his season debut after missing the start of the season recovering from injury. In 4 innings pitched he allowed 2 runs, only 1 earned, on four hits, a walk and two strikeouts. It should also be noted that the unearned run that scored came via a throwing error on an errant pickoff attempt by Shortridge.

After Shortridge left the game pitching Austin Roberts pitched a scoreless 5th inning, it was at this point that pitching woes began for the Curve. Cristofer Melendez pitched 2 innings, allowing 2 runs on three hits, a walk and three strikeouts. The normally reliable Nick Dombkowski pitched the 8th inning, allowing 2 runs on two hits, one of which was a home run. Bear Bellomy would then pitch a scoreless 9th inning for Altoona.

Despite the loss, the Curve were able to get the winning run to the plate in the 9th inning. Liover Peguero, who finished 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored, drew a two out walk. After Aaron Shackelford drew a walk of his own, Josh Bissonette singled home Peguero to cut the RubberDucks lead to 6-4. Matt Fraizer then struck out to end the game.

To circle back to Peguero, he also made this tremendous defensive play in the game.

Shackelford’s 9th inning walk was part of a big day for the first baseman. He finished the game 3-for-3 with a walk, a run scored, his 18th double, 19th home run and three RBI. Shackelford now has an .825 OPS on the season as he pushed for a promotion to Triple-A.

Greensboro offense explodes in late innings to secure a win

Entering the 6th inning on Sunday afternoon the Greensboro Grasshoppers were trailing the Bowling Green Hot Rods 4-1. Well, a three-run 6th inning was the start of Greensboro scoring 10 runs across the final four innings of the game on their way to an 11-7 victory.

Sean Sullivan started for the Grasshoppers and contributed to their early hole. Sullivan allowed 3 runs on three hits, a walk, three strikeouts and a home run in 3 innings pitched. However, all 3 runs allowed by Sullivan were unearned due to a Francisco Acuna error.

Even as the Grasshopper bats got going the pitching would continue to struggle.

Jack Carey allowed allowed a run while walking two batters in 3 innings pitched. Santaigo Florez followed Carey. Florez only recorded one out while allowing a pair of runs on two hits and a walk. Florez has had a miserable season, now owning a 7.25 ERA in 49.2 innings pitched. Eddy Yean, who has also struggled this season, allowed a run on two hits and four strikeouts in 1.2 innings pitched. Cam Junker was the lone Grasshopper pitcher to post a zero on Sunday, pitching a 1-2-3 9th inning which included a strikeout.

The bats are what carried the day for Greensboro.

Right fielder Yoyner Fajardo was 3-for-5 with a triple, a walk, a RBI and a run scored. Dariel Lopez started at third base going 3-for-6 with two RBI and three runs scored. Slugging first baseman Jacob Gonzalez was 2-for-5 with his 12th double a RBI and a run scored, while designated hitter Abrahan Gutierrez was 1-for-2 with three walks and a run scored.

Hudson Head went 1-for-2, and Jackson Glenn was 2-for-5 with three RBI and a run scored. Catcher Eli Wilson was 2-for-4 with his 4th double of the season and he scored a pair of runs. Acuna helped make up for his error by going 2-for-5 with a double, run scored and a RBI.

Outfielder Luke Brown was the lone Grasshopper batter who was in the starting lineup that failed to record a hit. However, he still drew a walk and scored a run.