Pittsburgh Pirates Prospects: Strong Thomas Harrington Start, Chase De Jong Rehab Continues & More

High-A Greensboro has one of two in scheduled DH rained out

Originally, the High-A Greensboro Grasshoppers were slated to play two on Friday. However, due to the same rain storm that rained out the Pittsburgh Pirates the Grasshoppers only played on of their two scheduled games. In this game, the Grasshoppers lost to the Rome Braves 6-0 to fall to 12-6 on the season.

So far this season Braxton Ashcraft had been one of the best stories in the Pirate minor league system. Friday night, however, he turned in his worst start of the season thus far. Ashcraft allowed 4 runs on five hits, two home runs, no walks, and two strikeouts in 4 innings pitched.

Dante Mendoza followed Ashcraft, allowing a hit and walking a batter in a scoreless inning pitched. Oliver Mateo struck a batter out in a 1-2-3 6th inning. In the 7th inning, Drew Irvine allowed 2 unearned runs on a hit, a walk, and a wild pitch. Irvine was hurt by a throwing error of his own.

Greensboro's offense had just two hits on the night. Jackson Glenn hit a double and Sammy Siani had a single. Will Matthiessen drew a walk, Hudson Head was hit by a pitch, and that was it for Greensboro base runners.

Late innings offensive eruption leads to Low-A victory

For much of the night Low-A Bradenton found themselves clinging to a 1-0 lead. The Marauders then scored 6 runs across the final 3 innings of the game to help them cruise to a 7-0 victory over the Dunedin Blue Jays, improving to 12-7 on the season.

A solo home rub by Deivis Nadal gave the Marauders a 1-0 lead in the 2nd inning. The score remained 1-0 until the 7th inning when the late inning Marauder explosion began. Up until that point, pitching was carrying Bradenton.

Leading the way for the Bradenton pitching staff was Thomas Harrington. In 6 scoreless innings pitched he allowed just three hits, walked three, and struck out four while throwing 48 of 77 pitches for strikes.

Harrington now owns a 2.89 ERA in 18.2 innings pitched in four starts this season. Harrington has allowed just one home run to go with a 6:19 BB:K ratio. Viewed as a pitcher who could climb the farm system quickly after being drafted out of college last season, Harrington may not be at Low-A much longer.

Elijah Birdsong followed with 2 hitless, scoreless innings pitched. Birdsong walked a pair and struck out a pair. Mike Walsh hit a batter and struck out a pair in a hitless, scoreless 9th inning.

Bradenton scored 3 runs in the 7th inning, 2 runs in the 8th, and another run in the 9th. This explosion put the game on ice for the Marauders. Alexander Mojica, Nadal, and Geovanny Planchart drew three straight walks to start the 7th inning. After Jesus Castillo singled in a pair of runs, Rodolfo Nolasco walked to reload the bases before a Tres Gonzalez bases loaded walk made it 4-0.

In the 8th inning Planchart doubled home Mojica to make the score 5-0. A Castillo sacrifice fly made the score 6-0 Marauders. Gonzales then launched his 1st home run of the season to make the score 7-0 Marauders.