Morning Rundown: Pirates win series agianst Reds, Carlson Reed continues dominance of Clearwater
Luis Ortiz has stellar start, Pirates defeat Reds.
The Clearwater Threshers earned a guaranteed playoff spot by winning the first half of the Florida State League West division. They finished 14 games ahead of the Bradenton Marauders and were, at times, clearly the best team in the FSL.
None of that has mattered to Carlson Reed.
The former West Virginia pitcher continued his dominance of the Threshers on Wednesday, pitching six innings of one-run baseball, walking two and striking out eight.
That was the first run he allowed against Clearwater, which was the fourth time he faced them this season.
In 19.2 innings pitched against the Phillies Single-A team, Reed has allowed just 11 hits while walking seven and striking out 28. The ERA went up to 0.47 after giving up that run.
Reed has been among the best pitchers in the FSL this season and has had his way with one of the better teams there.
With the win on Tuesday, the Marauders are now 4-1 in the second half of the season.
The Pittsburgh Pirates got a fantastic start from Luis Ortiz, clinching their series against the Cincinnati Reds on the road.
Ortiz struck out seven across six innings, allowing just one run. While settling in as more of a pitch-to-contact pitcher, Ortiz was able to generate 19 whiffs against the Reds.
Rowdy Tellez and Andrew McCutchen hit home runs, and Bryan Reynolds extended his hitting streak after going 1-5. Tellez, Connor Joe, and Jason Delay picked up multiple hits on the day.
Kyle Nicolas and Aroldis Chapman came out of the bullpen to close things down and improve the Pirates’ record to 39-41.
After a day off on Thursday, the Pirates will head to Atlanta for a weekend series against the Braves.
Pittsburgh Pirates optioned LHP Justin Bruihl to Indianapolis Indians
Pittsburgh Pirates sent C Henry Davis on a rehab assignment to Altoona Curve
Pittsburgh Pirates sent RHP Quinn Priester on a rehab assignment to Indianapolis Indians
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Top Exit Velocity
Rowdy Tellez - PIT - 112.2 mph - Groundout
Axiel Plaz - BRD - 110.8 mph - Lineout
Omar Alfonzo - BRD - 106.5 mph - Lineout
Omar Alfonzo - BRD - 105.8 mph - Single
Ke’Bryan Hayes - PIT - 105.3 mph - Lineout
Top Pitch Velocity
Aroldis Chapman - PIT - 102.3 mph
Aroldis Chapman - PIT - 102.2 mph
Aroldis Chapman - PIT - 99.5 mph
Aroldis Chapman - PIT - 99.4 mph
Aroldis Chapman - PIT - 99 mph
Most Whiffs
Luis Ortiz - PIT - 19
Carlson Reed - BRD - 16
Sean Sullivan - ALT - 13
Dominic Perachi - GBO - 5
Tyler Samaniego - ALT - 4
Indianapolis Indians - PPD
Altoona Curve - 6 vs Akron RubberDucks - 11
Top Hitter - Yoyner Fajardo: 3-5, 2 R, 2B, SB
Top Pitcher - Sean Sullivan: 6 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
Greensboro Grasshoppers - 1 vs Jersey Shore BlueClaws - 6
Top Hitter - Hudson Head: 2-4, RBI
Top Pitcher - Dominic Perachi: 6 IP, 4 H, ER, BB, 4 K
Bradenton Marauders - 8 vs Clearwater Threshers - 7
Top Hitter - Shalin Polanco: 2-4, 2 RBI, R, 3B, HR
Top Pitcher - Carlson Reed: 6 IP, 4 H, ER, 2 BB, 8 K
Luis Ortiz has given up two walks *this month*.
Completely different pitcher when he's got his control down.
Wednesday, June 26
39 down. 42 to go.
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Pirates win 6-1 at Cincinnati with solid baseball all around. We are beginning to get some separation in the Logjam Central. The Bucs are in third place, 2.5 games behind the Cardinals and 2.5 games out of last place. They’ve put the Reds below them and need to look up the table instead of down.
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CARROTS ON THE HOUSE!!!
@> Rowdy Tellez is not dead. He is very much alive and percolating in the clean-up spot of the batting order. He needs to bring Xander along wherever he goes, apparently. But that game winning oppo-bomb was just what our stats guys envisioned when they brought him in. Good on ya, Rowdy!
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@>@> Kyle Nicolas. (Welcome to the Carrot Leader Board, son. What kept ya?) He’s a handsome kid who can throw a baseball pretty hard but into which zip code has been a quandry until recently. Only one walk while covering the seventh and eighth and it may be that the Bucs are developing yet another leverage reliever.
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@>@>@> Louis L’Ortiz! The Frenchman gets the win with six strong and you have to think the pitching in Pitchburgh is starting to get contagious. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of this rotation at this point!
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Some notes: It is da Wabbit’s esteemed opinion that the Bucs are very close to catching heck. They need a bit of a streak, yes, and the pitching seems strong and apt to improve with a number of arms on the way back… Like I said… Who wouldn’t want to be on this pitching staff before the train leaves the station, right? There seems to be a synergy of confidence coming clear. When the Pirates brought in Falter, Perez and Gonzalez, we felt underwhelmed, but each has shown something so far this season. Leave alone the Allegheny Electric Company of Keller, Skenes and Jones. It is incumbent on this batting order to score 4 or more on 7 out of 10 days and this team will be very good.
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“Woulds’t thou, Hassan, like all this treasure for thy very own?”
-Wabbit