Matt Morris Report: Two GCL Bucs have good US debuts

The West Virginia Power were off.

-- Indianapolis lost to Gwinnett, 2-0.  The Indians had only two hits, singles by Steve Lombardozzi and Keon Broxton.  Wilfredo Boscan gave up two runs in six innings.  John Holdzkom threw two scoreless innings, allowing one hit and no walks, and striking out two.  He threw 18 of 20 pitches for strikes.

-- Altoona dropped the first game of its doubleheader with Harrisburg, 7-2.  Zack Dodson got roughed up for a dozen hits and seven runs in six and two-thirds innings.  He walked one and struck out two.  Utility player Andy Vasquez made his tenth career mound appearance to get the last out.  Stetson Allie went 1-3 with a double and Mel Rojas 1-3 with a triple.

The Curve got a split with a 4-3 win in the second game.  Thomas Harlan got a spot start and allowed just one run on four hits and two walks in five innings.  He struck out five.  Altoona went with a lot of backups and had only five hits.  Gift Ngoepe reached base three times on a double, a hit batsman and an intentional walk.

-- Bradenton lost to Charlotte, 2-0, in a game shortened to four and a half innings by rain.  Reese McGuire and Wyatt Mathisen had the only two hits.  Tyler Eppler threw a four-inning "complete game," giving up both runs on four hits and no walks.  He struck out three.

-- The West Virginia Black Bears lost to Williamsport, 7-4.  J.T. Brubaker had a rough pro debut, giving up five runs on six hits in two and two-thirds innings.  He walked none and struck out two.  The Bears had only five hits.  Danny Arribas had a HR.  Casey Hughston and Albert Baur made their pro debuts.  Hughston went 0-4 with two strikeouts and Baur went 1-4 with a double.  Kevin Newman was 1-3 and Kevin Kramer 1-4.

-- The GCL Pirates rallied from a 5-0 deficit to win their opener, 8-5, over the Blue Jays.  Second baseman Raul Siri (pictured) went 3-5 with a HR and four RBIs.  Siri had a big year as a slightly overage player in his debut in the Dominican Summer League last year, so he's one of the more interesting players with the rookie league team now.  Another such is Adrian Valerio, a glove-first shortstop who was one of the Pirates' most significant signings in 2013.  He went 2-4 with a walk and three runs scored.  Center fielder Michael De La  Cruz, returning to the GCL after a dismal season there last year, went 2-3 with a walk.   Luis Escobar, who's one of the better pitching prospects the Pirates had in the DSL last year, failed to get out of the 1st inning, allowing three runs while recording only two outs.  Jose Batista faced the minimum in two innings of relief, striking out three.  Mister Luciano (for real) got the save.

-- The DSL Pirates lost to the Yankees2, 7-5.  Adonis Pichardo gave up four runs, three earned, on eight hits in four and a third innings.  He walked none and struck out two.  Mikell Granberry, Jeremias Portorreal, Huascar Fuentes and Ramy Perez each went 2-4.  Fuentes hit his second HR, Portorreal had a triple and Perez had a double.  Yondry Contreras was 0-5 and Christopher Perez 0-4.