Cannonballs coming: Good day for Kevin Kramer

Indianapolis' doubleheader got rained out, which cost Justin Masterson his first start for the Pirates in AAA.

-- Altoona (31-23) got blanked by a trio of struggling Binghamton pitchers in a 3-0 loss.  Tyler Eppler retired the first 13 hitters he faced before allowing two runs in the fifth.  He gave up just the two runs on four hits in seven innings.  Eppler walked none and struck out five.  The Curve had only three hits, with Austin Meadows, Reese McGuire and Jose Osuna all going 1-3.  McGuire had a double and Meadows his eighth triple.  Others:

Harold Ramirez:  0-4 (0-for-12 in last three games)
Erich Weiss:  0-4
Barrett Barnes:  0-3
Edgar Santana:  IP, 2 H, ER

-- Bradenton (31-24) beat Lakeland, 8-5.  Kevin Kramer (pictured) was 3-4 with a double, his third HR, three runs and three RBIs.  Cole Tucker was 2-5 and is off to a 6-for-18 start for the Marauders.  Yeudy Garcia struggled once again, lasting only four innings while throwing 83 pitches.  He gave up two runs on solo HRs and allowed six hits overall.  Garcia walked three and struck out six.  Others:

Taylor Gushue:  2-5, 2B
Connor Joe:  1-3
Tate Scioneaux:  2 IP, H, 2 BB, 4 K
Luis Heredia:  IP, H, 2 K, Sv

-- West Virginia (29-26) lost to Augusta, 3-1.  Bret Helton gave up three runs, two earned, in six and two-thirds innings.  Ke'Bryan Hayes went 4-4.  Others:

Tito Polo:  0-4
Mitchell Tolman:  1-4
Carlos Munoz:  0-3
Daniel Arribas:  0-3

No result was available for the DSL Pirates.