The action around the system on Saturday:
-P- Indianapolis scored a run in the first inning on an error by the shortstop, breaking their string of four straight shutouts. Later on they even scored some earned runs. Thanks to some rare bad pitching, though, they lost, 11-6. Justin Wilson returned from his groin injury, but lasted only 3.2 IP while allowing four runs. He only walked one, but it took him 93 pitches to make it that far. He allowed seven hits, including two HRs, while fanning four. The Indians tied the game at 4-4, but Bryan Morris gave up four more runs in 2.1 IP to take the loss. He gave up four hits, half of them longballs, while walking one and striking out four. Kris Johnson allowed another two HRs for a total of six given up by Indy pitchers. Evan Meek threw one scoreless inning, striking out the side, although he walked one. Jake Fox went 2-4 to end his hitless streak. Matt Hague was 1-3 with two walks and Chase d'Arnaud 1-4 with one walk, both hits being doubles. Alex Presley went 0-3, but walked twice.
-P- Altoona won its fifth in a row, beating Erie, 6-3. The Curve, who aren't exactly a speedy team, ran wild on the bases, stealing five without getting caught. Even Tony Sanchez got in on the act. Shairon Martis allowed only one hit, a solo HR, over six innings. I kinda thought Martis might be an outside possibility to pitch for the Pirates should a need arise and he has an ERA of 2.00 with Altoona, but this is a guy who's started 19 major league games and now he's in AA. He's also fanned only ten in 18 innings. Vic Black got the side out in order in the 9th for the save and fanned two in the process, although it took him 23 pitches for just the three batters. Sanchez went 2-3 with a walk, Jarek Cunningham went 1-3 with a double and a hit batsman, and Matt Curry went 1-4 with a triple. Robbie Grossman went 0-3 with a walk and now has just two hits in his last 24 ABs.
-P- Bradenton beat Dunedin, 3-0. Tyler Waldron went six innings, allowing three hits and a walk, and fanning four. Mel Rojas, Jr., went 3-4 with his first HR and threw a runner out at home. Alex Dickerson also went 3-4, all singles. The Marauders have largely lived up to a comment from Baseball America at the beginning of the year, with Gerrit Cole and Jameson Taillon providing a great deal of interest, but almost nobody else doing anything of note.
-P- West Virginia lost its 14th of 16 to Greenville, 7-3, but more importantly, Nick Kingham had his best start of the year. Against a very good offensive team, he allowed only one run in six innings on three hits and no walks. He fanned six. Robby Rowland, the pitcher whom the Pirates acquired for Brett Lorin, made his debut in the system, following Kingham with one inning. He allowed a run on two hits. Erstwhile closer Emmanuel De Leon blew the game, giving up five runs in two-thirds of an inning. Alen Hanson went 0-3 with two walks, his 13th steal, and only one error, his 20th. Jose Osuna went 2-5 with his second HR and a double, his 15th. Willy Garcia went 1-3 with two walks.