Morning Rundown: Pirates unable to complete sweep, Altoona comeback, Konnor Griffin signs

Pirates drop final game in Houston, Altoona makes a huge comeback, and first round pick signs.

Aug 01, 2024

The Pirates couldn’t hold a 4-0 lead after the offense jumped out on Astros’ starter Framber Valdez early.

Joey Bart hit a two-run home run, one of three hits on the night for the catcher.

Making his first start for the Pirates, Jake Woodford pitched five solid innings, working himself out of danger after the defense had several mishaps.

Oneil Cruz committed three errors on the night, two of which came on the same play. It was a rough overall series for Cruz, who committed five total errors and struggled at the plate.

Clinging on to a 4-3 lead, the Pirates brought in newly acquired lefty Jalen Beeks, who got two outs but left a runner on second as Derek Shelton took him out for Colin Holderman to face a pinch-hitter.

Mauricio Dubon hit a two-run, go-ahead home run on the first pitch he saw from Holderman, giving the Astros the lead and eventually the win.

The Pittsburgh Pirates signed three 2024 draft picks on Wednesday, including first-round pick Konnor Griffin.

The signing price was $6,532,025 which is slightly over the $6,216,600 slot value for the ninth overall pick.

Pittsburgh also announced the signing of LHP Jacob Bimbi (11th round) and OF Andrew Patrick (17th round), leaving just two draft picks unsigned.

It doesn’t seem that the other two will get signed, however.

The Altoona Curve was down by a touchdown heading into the bottom of the seventh.

It was a tie game going into the top of the eighth.

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Eight Altoona batters reached base before Richmond recorded the first out. Six runs were scored before Jase Bowen struck out swinging. They added two more in the bottom of the eighth, completing the come-from-behind victory.

Four Altoona hitters collected multi-hit games, with Tres Gonzalez leading the way with three. He, Nick Cimillo, and Sammy Siani all drove in multiple runs.

Only one of their 14 hits went for extra bases, a double by Gonzalez.

Po-Yu gave up three runs in the third and another in the fifth as he struggled to locate his pitches, but still worked through and completed 6.1 innings pitched.

Jaden Woods pitched the final two frames, earning the win on the day, his third at the Double-A level.

It was the night of the comebacks, as the Bradenton Marauders also erased a large deficit but ultimately fell to the Palm Beach Cardinals.

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The Marauders scored seven runs in the top of the ninth, erasing a 6-1 lead from the Cardinals, but the home team scored three in the bottom of the frame and won on a walk-off single by Jose Cordoba.

Four former FCL Pirates made their 2024 Bradenton debuts—Jhonny Severino, Yordany De Los Santos, Zander Mueth, and Clevari Tejada.

Severino went 0-4 with a walk and strikeout.

De Los Santos picked up a hit in four at-bats, driving in a pair while walking once.

Mueth started and pitched two innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on one hit and four walks while striking out one. He also hit JJ Wetherholt with a pitch in the first.

Tejada came in after Mueth and pitched another two, allowing three runs on three hits and two walks while striking out a pair.

On Wednesday, the Pirates announced that RHP Carlson Reed was promoted to High-A Greensboro.

Reed, 21, was the Pirates’ fourth-round pick in the 2023 draft out of West Virginia. He pitched 77.2 innings with Single-A Bradenton and had a 5-3 record with a 2.43 ERA and 96 strikeouts.

After the trade of Patrick Reilly, whose move opened up the rotation spot, Reed now leads the Pirates minor leagues with 96 strikeouts.

SS Mike Jarvis assigned to Altoona Curve from Indianapolis Indians
RHP Carlson Reed assigned to Greensboro Grasshoppers from Bradenton Marauders
Indianapolis Indians activated LF Billy McKinney

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