Yeah, that's right. While the Pirates' offense was embarrassing itself Friday with 11 strikeouts and various other examples of mind-numbing ineptitude, all four farm teams had just as much trouble making contact. At least the motel internet gods managed to connect.
-P- Indianapolis managed to fan only ten times in a 4-1 win over Norfolk, but then, they didn't come to bat in the 9th. Daniel Cabrera allowed one run over six innings on seven hits and two walks. He fanned three. Cabrera has pitched well in his last two AAA starts after a shaky first one. As with Jo-Jo Reyes, I'm not sure what to hope for. Speaking of which, Doug Slaten allowed one hit and fanned two in the 9th to pick up his 6th save. His ERA is 0.51. Gorkys Hernandez went 2-3 and had a two-run single. Chase d'Arnaud went 1-3 with a double and a walk, and now has five hits in his last 11 ABs. Matt Hague went 2-4 and Jordy Mercer had an infield hit to extend his hitting streak to 12. Jake Fox was not in the lineup (and was/was not catching a bus?).
-P- Phil Irwin's return did not immediately bolster the sagging Altoona rotation as the Curve lost to Erie, 7-3. Irwin lasted five innings and allowed four runs on five hits and a walk, while fanning one. Altoona hitters fanned 11 times against three pitchers who range from mediocre to bad, none of whom is a strikeout pitcher. Robbie Grossman went 1-5 and Brock Holt 2-5, each with a double. Tony Sanchez went 0-5 and fanned three times. Matt Curry went 0-4 with a walk and two Ks. Jeremy Farrell hit his first HR.
-P- Bradenton came from two down to tie in the 9th on a two-run, one-out HR by Gift Ngoepe, his 4th (twice as many as Neil Walker, Nate McLouth, Casey McGehee, and Rod Barajas combined). Unfortunately, the Marauders lost in the 10th, 4-3, to Clearwater. Hunter Strickland made his first start since being hit by a line drive in his third start. He allowed two runs in the first and threw two scoreless innings after that. Jeff Inman threw two scoreless innings with no hits, walks or Ks. Quinton Miller gave up the losing run in the 10th. Ngoepe finished the game 3-5, while Mel Rojas, Jr., went 2-5 to raise his average to .291. The Marauders fanned 15 times.
-P- West Virginia also rallied late, scoring one run in the 8th and three in the 9th to tie their game 4-4, but then gave up four in the 10th to lose to Charleston, 8-4. Ryan Hafner started and pitched shutout ball for four innings before wilting in the 5th. He went 4.1 IP, allowing two runs on six hits and three walks, while fanning two. Orlando Castro coughed up the four 10th inning runs to lose it. Dan Gamache and Gregory Polanco each went 2-4 with a double. Polanco is now hitting .306. Alen Hanson went hitless for the third straight game, no doubt an example of regression. He's now hitting .355. The Power hitters fanned 13 times.