Pittsburgh Pirates Prospects: 6 Dominant Innings From Quinn Priester, Big Day for Lonnie White Jr., More

Quinn Priester dominated, a multi-hit game for Lonnie White Jr., and more Pittsburgh Pirates minor league action

The top farm club of the Pittsburgh Pirates was victorious on Saturday night. Triple-A Indianapolis Indians defeated the Columbus Clippers 3-1. With the win, the Indians improved to 33-40 on the season.

Quinn Priester started for Indy and set the tone. In his best start yet at Triple-A and one of the best of his entire professional career, Priester struck out 11 batters while pitching 6 scoreless innings. Priester allowed just three hits, walked two, threw 61 of 96 pitches for strikes, and induced seven ground ball outs.

This outing lowered Priester's ERA on the season to 4.36 in 74.1 innings pitched. He's walked 32 batters, struck out 76, and has allowed just 5 home runs. At some point this season the Pirates need to put Priester into the starting rotation to see what he can do.

Yohan Ramirez followed Priester, allowing a hit in a scoreless inning. Ramirez also hit two batters. Lefty Daniel Zamora pitched a 1-2-3 8th innings with two strikeouts. Hunter Stratton allowed a solo home run and issued a walk in the 9th, but slammed the door shut to earn his 1st save of the season.

Offensively, Canaan Smith-Njigba led the way for Indy. Smith-Njigba was 2-for-4 with a 2-run home run to give him 8 on the season. His home run took a 1-0 8th inning lead for Indy and made it 3-0, helping to put the game away.

Endy Rodriguez was 0-for-3 with a RBI, Chris Owings was 2-for-3 with a walk, and Jared Triolo stayed hot going 1-for-4 with a double. Mark Mathias had a single and drew a walk, while Alika Williams also collected a base hit.

Double-A Altoona gets blown out

It was a long one for Double-A Altoona on Saturday. Facing one of the most talented lineups in all of minor league baseball, the Curve pitchign staff was rocked in a 15-1 loss against the Bowie Baysox to fall to 33-34 this season. This performance makes Anthony Solometo's dominant performance on Friday night even more impressive.

Brad Case started for the Curve and was shelled. In 2.2 innings pitched Case allowed 7 runs on seven hits, a walk, a home run, and four strikeouts. Matt Eckelman followed and was also hit hard allowing 8 runs on five hits, five walks, two home runs, and no strikeouts in 2 innings pitched.

Lefty Omar Cruz helped to settle things down. In 3.1 scoreless innings pitched Cruz retired all 10 batters he faced and struck out two. Bear Bellomy allowed a hit and struck a batter out in a scoreless 9th inning.

Continuing his rehab assignment, veteran Ji Man Choi went 0-for-3 with a strikeout. Andres Alvarez provided most of the Curve offense going 3-for-4. Connor Scott was 1-for-4 with a RBI, Abrahan Gutierrez was 0-for-2 with two walks and a run scored, and Claudio Finol was 1-for-4.

Offensive explosion carries High-A Greensboro

An offensive explosion and excellent bullpen work carried the High-A Greensboro Grasshoppers to victory on Saturday. The Grasshoppers defeated the Winston-Salem Dash 12-2 to improve to 37-29 on the season.

Bubba Chandler started for the Grasshoppers and allowed just 2 runs. However, those 2 runs came on five hits, a walk, and four strikeouts in just 3.2 innings pitched. His ERA this season still sits at an ugly 6.33.

Logan Hogmann followed Chandler, allowing two hits, issuing a walk, and striking a batter out in 2 scoreless innings pitched. Jack Carey struck a batter out in 1.1 scoreless innings pitched, Michell Miliano and Santiago Florez each pitched a scoreless inning as well.

At the top of the lineup Tres Gonzalez went 1-for-5 with a double and a run scored. Mike Jarvis was 1-for-3 with a double, a walk, and three runs scored. Brenden Dixon launched his 5th home run of the season while going 2-for-3 with a walk, two runs scored, and two RBI.

Sammy Siani was 1-for-4 with a RBI. Third baseman Shawn Ross was 2-for-5, scoring twice and driving in a pair of runs. Shortstop Maikol Escotto went 2-for-4 with a triple, three RBI, and two runs scored.

FCL Pirates win in 8 innings

It took 8 innings instead of 7, but the FCL Pirates were victorious on Saturday. Following a 6-5 walk off victory over the FCL Orioles, the FCL Pirates are now 11-4 on the season.

Their rally began in the 7th inning. Jhonson Pena and Javier Rivas hit back-to-back doubles in the bottom of the 7th inning, tying the game at 5. Pena would draw a bases loaded walk in the bottom of the 8th inning to bring in the walk off run.

Pena finished the game 2-for-4 with a double, a triple, a walk, run scored, and a RBI. Rivas was 2-for-4 with a double, run scored, his 1st home run of the season, and three RBI. Lonnie White Jr. was 2-for-3 with his 2nd double of the season, a walk, run scored, and two RBI.

Righty Gilbero Alcala started for the FCL Pirates. Alcala allowed 2 runs on a hit, two walks, and a strikeout in 2 innings pitched. Highly thought of righty Cristopher Cruz followed, allowing an unearend run while walking a pair and striking a batter out in 1.1 innings pitched.

Joaquin Tejada, who was acquired in the Tyler Anderson trade two summers ago, allowed 2 runs on two hits, a walk, and two strikeouts in 1.2 innings pitched. Hung-Leng Chang pitched a scoreless 6th inning, and Jorge Ramos pitched 2 scoreless innings to finish the game.