Pittsburgh Pirates Prospects: 6 Home Runs for Greensboro, Indy Gets Rained Out & More

Altoona splits a doubleheader, home run party for High-A Greensboro, and more in today's Pittsburgh Pirates minor league roundup

On Wednesday, the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians were rained out. Due to this, the top farm club of the Pittsburgh Pirates will play a doubleheader on Thursday. This left the Altoona Curve as the top Pirate farm club in action on Wednesday.

Altoona plays two

Due to a rain out from July, the Double-A Altoona Curve played a doubleheader against the Erie SeaWolves on Wednesday. Game one of the twin bill saw the Curve defeat the SeaWovles by a score 4-2.

Sean Sullivan started game one and threw a 7 inning complete game. Sullivan allowed 2 runs on seven hits, a walk, a home run, and five strikeouts. In 18 games (17 starts) with Altoona this season Sullivan now owns a 4.11 ERA to go with 27 walks and 67 strikeouts in 81 innings pitched.

At the plate, Tsung-Che Cheng remained red hot for the Curve. Cheng went 2-for-2 with a double, two runs scored, and a RBI. This brought his hitting streak to 16 games. Matt Fraizer was 1-for-2 with a walk and a run scored, Connor Scott was 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI, and Eli Wilson was 1-for-3 with a run scored.

Game two of the doubleheader saw a 3-run 6th inning sink the Curve in a 5-2 loss. After splitting the twin bill, the Curve are now 49-52 on the season.

Justin Meis started game two for the Curve, allowing a run on three hits, a walk, and five strikeouts in 4 innings pitched. Tyler Samaniego allowed a hit, while walking a batter and recording a strikeout in a scoreless 5th inning.

Noe Toribio took the ball in the 6th inning with the game tied at 1. After hitting a batter he allowed a game-tying base hit. Then with two outs in the inning, he allowed a 2-run home run to make the score 4-1 SeaWolves. Toribio allowed a 5th run in the top of the 7th.

Matt Gorski started the scoring for Altoona in game two with a solo home run in the 4th inning, giving him 14 on the season. Cheng singled in the 6th inning, extending his hitting streak to 17 games. Carter Bins grounded out to bring in a run, making the score 4-2 SeaWolves after 6 innings.

Lolo Sanchez, who doubled earlier in the game, and Norkis Marcos drew backt-to-back two-out walks in the bottom of the 7th inning. These two walks brought the tying run to the plate. Jackson Glenn would then ground out to end the game.

Disastrous 1st inning sinks Bradenton in loss

The Bradenton Marauders allowed a touchdown to the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels in the bottom of the 1st inning. Falling in a 7-0 hole is never a recipe for success for any baseball team. This disastrous start led to the Pirate Low-A affiliate losing to the Mighty Mussels 10-5 to fall to 59-44.

In just his fourth game appearance since 2021, Drake Fellows started for Bradenton and it did not go well. Fellows recorded just one out in the 1st inning, allowing 4 runs on three hits and a walk. Miguel Fulgencio got the final two outs of the 1st inning, but not before allowing 3 runs on four hits, a walk, and a home run.

Owen Kellington pitched 3 innings allowing an unearned run on just one hit. However, he walked five batters and threw two wild pitches. Jaden Woods and Yoldin De La Paz were the only bright spots for the pitching staff combining to pitched 3 scoreless innings. Owen Sharts pitched the 8th inning, allowing 2 runs on two hits and two walks.

Mitch Jebb bat lead off for the Marauders, going 1-for-4 with two walks and two stolen bases. FEllow 2023 draft pick Garret Forrester 1-for-3 with a walk and two RBI. Charles McAdoo continued his blistering start to his professional career going 2-for-4 with a walk and a RBI. Lonnie White Jr. is 1-for-3 with two runs scored, a RBI, and a stolen base.

Overall, it was a night of wasted opportunities for the Marauder offense. They went just 3-for-16 with runners in scoring position, leaving 14 men on base.