Morning Rundown: Pirates lose ugly game, Omar Alfonzo, Mitch Jebb have four hit days
Pirates get shutout, Omar Alfonzo and Mitch Jebb have big nights.
In a huge series against an opponent they are competing with for a Wild Card spot, the Pittsburgh Pirates put up a clunker game, losing 6-0 while collecting just five hits all game.
It was an ugly night in general. The game was delayed due to rain, and then even further as there were issues draining the field of water.
The game didn’t officially get back underway until 9:40 pm ET and ended just after midnight.
Game two will have Marco Gonzales on the mound for the Pirates and will face Michael King.
Zander Mueth made his second start with Bradenton on Tuesday. Once again, walks were an issue, and he finished with five in 2.2 innings. That’s nine walks (to three strikeouts) in 4.2 Bradenton innings.
The fastball sat 92-94 most of the game while getting up to 95 mph. He picked up eight whiffs on 20 swings (40%), a fantastic number, especially considering how much he struggled to throw strikes.
Two of the 2024 draft picks, Duce Gourson (ninth round) and Derek Berg (10th round), made their professional debuts on Tuesday. Gourson drove in a run after drawing a bases-loaded walk.
Yordany De Los Santos went 1-4 with a run and RBI. He hit a blop single the other way that plated the run.
Another FCL pitcher, 18-year-old Carlos Castillo, made his Bradenton debut. He pitched well in his first inning but ran into some trouble the following. In total, he allowed two runs on five hits while striking out a batter. His fastball was anywhere between 91 and 94 mph.
Omar Alfonzo was promoted to High-A Greensboro and made an immediate impact on the Grasshopper lineup.
Before the promotion, the 21-year-old catcher was hitting .253/.353/.388 with eight home runs and a wRC+ of 115 in 86 games with Single-A Bradenton this season.
In his first at-bat, he took a breaking ball over the right-center field fence for a home run. His next three trips to the plate were all singles, and he finished the night off with a walk. Alfonzo drove in the first four runs of the day for the Grasshoppers in what turned out to be a 9-5 win over the Rome Emperors.
Alfonzo wasn’t the only hitter to have a great night, as Mitch Jebb also picked up four hits, one a double. He got on base in the first inning with a bunt single before stealing second and was driven home on the Alfonzo home run.
Jebb scored three times on the night as well.
SS Christopher Orelin assigned to DSL Pirates Black from DSL Pirates Gold
DSL Pirates Black activated RHP Yeison Martinez from the 60-day injured list
RHP Levi Sterling assigned to FCL Pirates
Greensboro Grasshoppers placed C Wyatt Hendrie on the 7-day injured list retroactive to August 1, 2024
SS Wyatt Sanford assigned to FCL Pirates
RHP Matt Ager assigned to FCL Pirates
SS Konnor Griffin assigned to FCL Pirates
LHP Josh Hartle assigned to FCL Pirates
Altoona Curve released LF Dustin Peterson
LHP Dominic Perachi assigned to Altoona Curve from Greensboro Grasshoppers
C Derek Berg assigned to Bradenton Marauders
SS Duce Gourson assigned to Bradenton Marauders
RHP Landon Tomkins assigned to Greensboro Grasshoppers from Bradenton Marauders
RHP Carlos Castillo assigned to Bradenton Marauders from FCL Pirates
C Omar Alfonzo assigned to Greensboro Grasshoppers from Bradenton Marauders
RHP Garrett McMillan assigned to Greensboro Grasshoppers from Bradenton Marauders
Indianapolis Indians transferred SS Andres Alvarez to the Development List
Indianapolis Indians placed LHP Justin Bruihl on the 7-day injured list retroactive to August 5, 2024
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Top Exit Velocity
Esmerlyn Valdez - BRD - 107.6 mph - Home Run
Jack Suwinski - IND - 105.1 mph - Flyout
Isiah Kiner-Falefa - PIT - 104 mph - Flyout
Shalin Polanco - BRD - 103.9 mph - Single
Matt Gorski - IND - 103.8 mph - Home Run
Top Pitch Velocity
Kyle Nicolas - PIT - 98.1 mph
Kyle Nicolas - PIT - 97.8 mph
Kyle Nicolas - PIT - 97.6 mph
Kyle Nicolas - PIT - 97.5 mph
Kyle Nicolas - PIT - 97.5 mph
Most Whiffs
Zander Mueth - BRD - 9
Dominic Perachi - ALT - 9
Wilber Dotel - GBO - 8
Aaron Shortridge - IND - 7
Justin Meis - ALT - 7
Indianapolis Indians - 4 vs Nashville Sound - 8
Top Hitter - Malcom Nunez: 1-3, R, RBI, BB, HR
Top Pitcher - Michael Plassmeyer: 2 IP, H, 3 K
Altoona Curve - 0 vs Portland Sea Dogs - 7
Top Hitter - Nick Cimillo: 3-3, BB, 2B
Top Pitcher - Emmanuel Chapman: IP, 3 K
Greensboro Grasshoppers - 9 vs Rome Emperors - 5
Top Hitter - Omar Alfonzo: 4-4, 4 RBI, HR, R, BB
Top Pitcher - Elijah Birdsong: 2 IP, 2 H, BB, 3 K
Bradenton Marauders - 9 vs St. Lucie Mets - 5
Top Hitter - Esmerlyn Valdez: 1-4, 2 R, RBI, BB, HR
Top Pitcher - Inmer Lobo: 2.1 IP, H, BB, 2 K
DSL Pirates Black - 3 vs DSL Brewers 1 - 4
Top Hitter - Anthony Sosa: 1-3, R, 2 RBI, HR
Top Pitcher - Wifrailyn Jaquez: 6 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 3 K
DSL Pirates Black - 1 vs DSL Brewers 1 - 2
Top Hitter - Yosmar Gimenez: 1-1, R, 3B
Top Pitcher - Janderson Linares: 4 IP, 4 H, BB, 4 K
DSL Pirates Gold - 6 vs DSL Royals Fortuna - 5
Top Hitter - Kendrick Herrera: 1-2, R, 2 BB, RBI, SB
Top Pitcher - Adolfo Oviedo: 3 IP, 3 H, 5 K
DSL Pirates Gold - 1 vs DSL Royals Fortuna - 4
Top Hitter - Kendrick Herrera: 1-3, SB
Top Pitcher - Keuri Almonte: 2.1 IP, H, 2 BB, 3 K
BA just posted their mid-season farm system rankings. Had the Pirates 27th.
Noticed Cimillo at the curve game the other day, obviously a pretty big dude but he looked pretty good. He crushed what should've been an absolute bomb of a HR that went straight over the foul and was called a foul ball. Could this be a guy to get excited about? More so for the power than anything else