Pittsburgh Pirates Prospects: Big Day for Nick Gonzales, Jack Brannigan Grand Slam & More

Curve get walked off in 13 innings

In was an extra innings war in Bowie on Sunday afternoon. When the dust settled, the Double-A affiliate of the Pirates, the Altoona Curve, were walked off by the Bowie Baysox 7-6 in 13 innings. With the loss, the Curve are now 52-59 on the season.

Two late inning rallies appeared to but the Curve over the top but were not enough.

Altoona trailed 3-1 entering the 9th inning. With two outs and two runners on base in the top of the 9th, Chavez Young launched a 3-run home run. His 2nd long ball of the season gave Altoona a 4-3 lead. This lead, however, was short lived as Bowie socred via solo home run off Tahnaj Thomas in the bottom half of the inning to send the game to extra innings.

Grant Ford walked two and struck a batter out in a scoreless 11th and 12th inning, leading to the Curve regaining the lead in the top of the 13th. The 3rd Double-A home run of the season from Juan Jerez made the score 6-4 Curve. But Oliver Garcia failed to hold the lead, allowing 3 runs as Bowie walked the Curve off 7-6 in the bottom half of the inning.

Sean Sullivan started for Altoona and pitched well. He allowed 3 runs on four hits, two walks, a home run, and six strikeouts in 5 innings pitched. Michell Miliano also pitched 2 scoreless innings of relief, allowing a hit and striking a batter out.

Blowout win for Greensboro

Sunday afternoon the High-A Greensboro Grasshoppers improved to 61-50 on the season by rolling over the Bowling Green Hot Rods. The Grasshopper offense exploded for a 12-5 victory over the Hot Rods, led by a pair of home runs.

The home runs started early. With the bases loaded and no one out in the 1st inning. Jack Brannigan hit a grand slam. Brannigan's 10th home run with the Grasshoppers set the tone for Greensboro as they scored 6 runs in the 1st inning and never looked back.

Center field Luke Brown also hit a home run. Brown's solo shot came in the 6th inning and was part of a 2-for-3 game that say Brown score a run and drive in 4. The home run was Brown's 4th of the season.

Third baseman Francisco Acuna also had a multi-hit game going 2-for-4 with a double and a RBI. Sammy Siani was 1-for-3 with a double, two walks, and two runs scored. Jase Bowen went 3-for-4 with a double, two runs scored, and a RBI. Termarr Johnson was 1-for-4 with a run scored.

Po-Yu Chen started for Greensboro and lasted just 3 innings. Chen allowed 3 runs on four hits, no walks, and two strikeouts. He threw 37 of 60 pitches for a strike and uncorked a wild pitch. Joshua Leoschorn followed with 3 scoreless innings, striking out two.

Lefty Julian Bosnic was next up and pitched 1.2 innings. Bosnic allowed 2 runs on two hits, two walks, and two strikeouts. Dante Mendoza allowed a hit, hit a batter, and struck a batter out in 1.1 scoreless innings to finish the game.

Bradenton offense shutdown, spoils 2 dominant innings from Paul Skenes

Despite 2 dominant innings from Paul Skenes, you can read more about that here, the Low-A Bradenton Marauders fell to the Lakeland Flying Tigers 6-0 on Sunday afternoon. The loss was due to a very poor offensive day for the Marauders, a loss that dropped Bradenton to 64-49 on the season.

Bradenton finished the day with just one base hit. This lone hit was a single by Rodolfo Nolasco. Nolasco also drew two walks. Lonnie White Jr., Yordany De Los Santos, and Justin Miknis each drew a walk while Jesus Castillo was hit by a pitch. That was it for Marauder base runners.

Following the dominant performance of Skenes, Luis Peralta took over on the mound for Bradenton. Peralta pitched 3 scoreless innings, allowing five hits, he issued a walk, and struck out four. Darvin Garcia pitched a scoreless 6th inning and Jaden Woods struck out four in 2 scoreless innings.

With the game tied at 0, Elijah Birdsong started the 9th inning for the Marauders. Birdsong walked two batters and allowed four hits, including a home run, on his way to allowing 6 runs while recording just two outs. Miguel Fulgencio was summoned to get the final out of the 9th inning and did so by retiring the long batter he faced.