Morning Rundown: Will Taylor hits grand slam, Mike Burrows starts, Jase Bowen hits walk-off
Will Taylor's first professional hit is a grand one. Jase Bowen hits a walk-off home run.
The fifth-round pick from this most recent draft, Will Taylor, picked up his first professional hit in grand style on Thursday.
With the bases loaded, Taylor climbed the ladder and drove out his first-ever hit, a grand slam, which gave the Bradenton Marauders a 4-1 lead.
After walking to lead off the eighth inning, he would score from first base on a Jhonny Severino double, tying the game at 5.
The Marauders would lose after Sean Keys singled in Nick Mitchell in the top of the ninth.
Khristian Curtis made his second start since coming off the injured list, and despite walking three in 3.2 innings, he started to figure things out by the end of the night. He also struck out five, allowing just a hit and an unearned run.
Greiber Mendez came on in relief, throwing three innings, allowing one run on one hit and a walk while striking out five.
One out away from another loss, Jase Bowen changed things with one swing of the bat.
His sixth home run of the season was a walk-off home run for the Altoona Curve. It’s been a rough season for Bowen, who has an OPS of .629 in 2024. But he was able to give the Curve a win they seemed nearly sure not to get.
Altoona got seven shutout innings from Grant Ford (3 IP) and Nick Dombkowski (4 IP), with Cy Nielson getting the win after pitching part of the eighth and the ninth.
Mike Burrows made another start with Indianapolis and ran into some trouble after a very good first inning. He allowed two runs on three hits and two walks while striking out two.
All that, except the two strikeouts, came in the second inning, and he worked a clean first. Both of the strikeouts came on swinging strikes with the fastball. He picked up four whiffs on 10 swings with the fastball, which averaged 94.6 mph.
Nick Yorke picked up another three hits, including a double while driving in two. He has 20 hits in 14 games with the Indianapolis Indians.
Altoona Curve transferred C Eli Wilson to the Development List
Pittsburgh Pirates signed free agent RHP Beau Sulser to a minor league contract
RHP Beau Sulser assigned to Altoona Curve
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Top Exit Velocity
Shalin Polanco - BRD - 105 mph - Single
Nick Yorke - IND - 104.1 mph - Double
Esmerlyn Valdez - BRD - 103.4 mph - Flyout
Derek Berg - BRD - 103.2 mph - Single
Keiner Delgado - BRD - 102.7 mph - Lineout
Top Pitch Velocity
Khristian Curtis - BRD - 96.9 mph
Khristian Curtis - BRD - 95.9 mph
Mike Burrows - IND - 95.9 mph
Khristian Curtis - BRD - 95.8 mph
Mike Burrows - IND - 95.8 mph
Most Whiffs
Khristian Curtis - BRD - 11
JP Massey - GBO - 10
Nick Dombkowski - ALT - 8
Michael Plassmeyer - IND - 8
Brady Feigl - IND - 8
Indianapolis Indians - 6 vs St. Paul Saints - 4
Top Hitter - Nick Yorke: 3-4, R, 2 RBI, BB, 2B
Top Pitcher - Brady Feigl: 2 IP, H, BB, 6 K
Altoona Curve - 4 vs Bowie Baysox - 2
Top Hitter - Jase Bowen: 1-4, R, HR, 3 RBI
Top Pitcher - Nick Dombkowski: 4 IP, 4 K
Greensboro Grasshoppers - 1 vs Bowling Green Hot Rods - 5
Top Hitter - PJ Hilson: 1-3, RBI
Top Pitcher - JP Massey: 4 IP, 4 H, ER, BB, 4 K
Bradenton Marauders - 5 vs Dunedin Blue Jays - 6
Top Hitter - Will Taylor: 1-4, 2 R, 4 RBI, BB, HR
Top Pitcher - Greiber Mendez: 3 IP, H, ER, BB, 5 K
DSL Pirates Black - 2 vs DSL Rojos - 9
Top Hitter - Angel Aquino: 1-3, RBI, 2B
Top Pitcher - Eduardo Zapata: 1.1 IP, H, 2 BB, K
DSL Pirates Gold - 13 vs DSL Royals Fortuna - 0
Top Hitter - Kendrick Herrera: 3-3, 4 RBI, R, 2B
Top Pitcher - Adolfo Oviedo: 5 IP, 3 H, BB, 6 K
The annual migration of Beau Sulser back to the pirates organization came a little later this year. Last year he flapped back to Altoona in late June.
Jazz Chisholm has been worth 1.1 fWAR in 14 games, with 7 HRs and plus defense. I find it hilarious that a slew of posters in here didn't want him.
Only making 2.65M this season, but I'm guessing Bob balked at the arb eligible for next season.
Man, he would've made the team better, and he can play all over the diamond.