Pittsburgh Pirates Prospects: Liover Peguero Hits a Home Run & More

An offensive explosion for Triple-A Indianapolis, a Liover Peguero home run and more in Sunday’s Pittsburgh Pirates minor league roundup

Sunday afternoon saw an offensive explosion for the top farm club of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Following a 19-9 victory over the Omaha Storm Chasers, the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians are now 70-64 on the season.

Plenty of Indian batters had a big day at the plate, one of which was Blake Sabol. Sabol started in left field and went 2-for-4 with a walk, a double, a run scored and three RBI. Shortstop Ji-Hwan Ba was 2-for-4 with three walks and four runs scored, Bligh Madris was 1-for-5 with three RBI and Jose Godoy was 1-for-4 with a two-run home run.

First baseman Mason Martin also got in on the offensive fun, going 2-for-5 with two doubles, a walk, a run scored and three RBI. Designated hitter Carter Bins drew a walk and drove in a pair, Kevin Padlo also had two RBI. Diego Castillo drove in a run, and Brendt Citta drove in a pair with his 3rd home run of the season.

Recent waiver claim Peter Solomon started for the Indians. Solomon allowed 2 runs on three hits, three walks and two strikeouts in 3 innings pitched. Joe Jaques pitched a scoreless 4th inning with a strikeout, Cody Bolton struck out a pair in 2 scoreless innings pitched, and and Hunter Stratton fired a scoreless 7th inning.

Cam Alldred started the 8th inning and things quickly went south. Alldred recorded just two outs, allowing 7 runs on seven hits and a walk. Travis MacGregor then recorded a pair of strikeouts while pitching 1.1 scoreless innings to finish the game.

Altoona suffers wild extra innings loss

The Pittsburgh Steelers were not the only ones who played a wild game on Sunday afternoon. The Pittsburgh Pirates Double-A affiliate, the Altoona Curve, played a wild affair of their own. Unfortunately, unlike the Steelers, the Curve would come up short.

Altoona fell to the Erie SeaWolves 6-5 in 11 innings, falling to 67-64 on the season. The game saw a combined 5 runs get scored in extra innings before the game ended on a walk-off sacrifice fly for Erie in the 11th inning.

With the game tied at 3, Lolo Sanchez hit a one-out sacrifice fly in the top of the 10th inning to give the Curve a 4-3 lead. Erie would tie the game with a sacrifice fly of their own in the bottom half of the inning to send the game to an 11th inning.

With a runner on third and one out, Matt Gorski reached on an error in the top of the 11th inning. On the error Liover Peguero scored, giving the Curve a 5-4 lead. Unfortunately, the lead would be short lived. After a single, walk and fielder’s choice, the SeaWolves had tied the game and had the winning run at third base in the bottom of the 11th inning. Erie would then walk it off on a sacrifice fly.

Brad Case pitched the 11th inning for Altoona, allowing 2 runs, 1 earned, a hit and a walk while recording just one out. Before Case, Colin Selby pitched 2 innings of relief allowing a run on two hits, a walk and three strikeouts. Selby’s run was not earned though as it was the extra inning runner who scored.

Aaron Shortridge started for the Curve, allowing a run on four this, two walks and a strikeout in 3 innings pitched. Jeffrey Passantino pitched a scoreless 4th inning before Omar Cruz allowed 2 runs on four hits, a walk and a strikeout in 1.2 innings pitched. Cam Junker struck out three batters in 1.1 scoreless innings pitched and Tyler Samaniego struck a batter out in a scoreless 8th inning pitched.

Peguero had a notable offense game for the Curve, hitting a two-run home run ot give him 9 on the season. Henry Davis was 1-for-4 with a double, run scored and a RBI. These were to only two hits of the day for the Curve. Aaron Shackelford drew two walks and Sanchez drew a walk, Fabricio Macias and Nick Gonzales were each hit by a pitch. Other than the extra inning runners, that was it for Curve base runners.