Matt Morris Report: More good starting pitching

-- Chris Volstad didn't have a good second start, giving up four runs, three earned, in Indianapolis' 6-1 loss to Louisville.  John Holdzkom had a rough 9th inning, retiring only two batters while allowing two runs on three hits and a bases-loaded walk.  He again struggled to throw strikes, managing only 15 out of 29 pitches.  The Indians' offensive problems continued, although Deibinson Romero did hit the team's first HR of the season in its eighth game.  Steve Lombardozzi was 2-4 with a double and Alen Hanson 2-5.  Elias Diaz was 0-4 and threw out Ivan De Jesus stealing.

-- Altoona outlasted Akron in eleven innings, 2-1.  Jason Creasy overcame some control issues to throw five shutout innings for the second time in two starts.  He gave up two hits and three walks while throwing only 46 of 81 pitches for strikes.  Creasy went six straight starts last year without a walk, so the control issues were unusual for him.  He fanned four.  Tom Harlan struck out three in two and two-thirds scoreless innings of relief, but Collin Balester gave up a run in the 9th.  The Curve eventually won on four walks.  Max Moroff led off the 11th with a free pass.  With a bunch of struggling hitters behind him, Josh Bell was sent up to bunt, which he did successfully.  Akron then inexplicably walked the struggling Willy Garcia on purpose and retired the even more struggling Stetson Allie.  But Edward Salcedo and Eric Wood both walked to end the game.  Keon Broxton went 2-5, but struck out three times.  Bell was 1-3 with a triple and a walk and Garcia 1-4.  Allie was 0-5 with two whiffs and is now hitting .083.

-- Bradenton shut out Dunedin, 6-0.  Frank Duncan (pictured -- no, that's not Vance Worley) had his second good start, throwing five shutout innings.  He gave up three hits and a walk, and struck out three.  Isaac Sanchez retired all nine batters he faced, fanning four, and Ryan Hafner struck out another two in a perfect 9th.  JaCoby Jones had a double and his third HR in four ABs.  Jose Osuna and Jin-De Jhang each went 3-4, and Austin Meadows and Justin Maffei each 2-5.  Reese McGuire was 0-5.

-- West Virginia rallied late to beat Lexington, 4-2.  Starter Alex McRae gave up two runs, one earned, in five innings.  He allowed five hits, walked none and struck out five.  Sam Street pitched the last two innings for the save, giving up three hits and fanning four.  Chase Simpson went 1-2 with two walks, and tied the game in the 8th with his first HR.  Cole Tucker was 1-3 with a walk and Pablo Reyes 1-3 with a triple.  Jordan Luplow made his full-season debut, playing third and going 0-4.  Taylor Gushue also went 0-4.  Tito Polo! had a rough game, going 0-2 with a walk, letting in a run with an error, and killing a rally by overrunning third base.