Cannonballs Coming: Lots of struggling starters

-- Indianapolis (49-50) fell under .500 with a 2-0 loss to Lehigh Valley.  Ryan Vogelsong made a rehab start and allowed a two-run HR in the first inning for all the game's scoring.  Vogelsong left after four innings due to a stiff neck (sub. req'd), allowing four hits, walking none and striking out two.  Elias Diaz, now on option rather than rehab assignment, went 2-3 with a double and a walk.  Since Adam Frazier's promotion, the Indians have averaged 3.4 runs per game, compared to 4.3 prior to that.  (Obviously there have been other changes in that time, including Josh Bell's brief promotion.)

Alen Hanson extended his slump to 0-26 over his last seven games.  Hanson has become an incredibly frustrating prospect, as he clearly is very talented but his bat completely disappears for long periods.  He's made significant strides in some areas.  After drawing just four walks and striking out 38 times in April and May, for instance, he has 17 walks and 16 whiffs in June and July.  He started July on a 17-for-35 tear before falling into his current tailspin.  He's leaving the Pirates in a difficult spot, because after this year he's out of options.  And the major league team needs a second baseman, because Josh Harrison isn't getting the job done.

Max Moroff:  0-2, 2 BB
Josh Bell:  1-4
Willy Garcia:  1-4

-- Altoona (52-44) lost the first game of its doubleheader with Hartford, 4-2.  Alex McRae gave up three runs in the first, but managed to last five and two-thirds, allowing four runs on nine hits.  He walked none and struck out six.  The Curve had just two hits.

Kevin Newman:  0-3
Harold Ramirez:  1-3
Eric Wood:  0-3
Barrett Barnes:  0-1, 2 BB

The Curve also lost game two, 2-1, as Montana DuRapau gave up a walkoff single in the bottom of the seventh.  John Kuchno went four and two-thirds innings in a spot start, allowing one run on four hits and a walk.  He struck out four.  Altoona had only five hits.

Newman:  0-3
Wood:  0-3
Reese McGuire:  1-3
Barnes:  1-2, 2B, BB (batting .421 in July)
Edgar Santana:  1.2 IP, 2 H, BB, 2 K

-- Bradenton (51-44) lost to Clearwater, 5-2.  J.T. Brubaker failed to survive the first inning due to a pitch count of 32, only 17 of which were strikes.  He was charged with two runs and walked three while recording only two outs.  Connor Joe (pictured) continued his recent surge, going 3-4 to raise his overall line to 276/330/396.  Tito Polo went 2-4 with his second FSL HR.  Jerrick Suiter hit his fourth.

Kevin Kramer:  1-4
Tate Scioneaux:  4.1 IP, 2 H, ER, BB, 2 K

-- Mitch Keller struggled in West Virginia's (49-46) 5-4 walkoff win over Charleston.  Keller gave up three runs, two earned, on seven hits and a walk.  He left after four and two-thirds innings with his pitch count at 91.  Keller struck out four.  Seth McGarry failed to hold a 4-3 lead in the top of the ninth, but Mitchell Tolman came through with a two-out, bases-loaded single in the bottom half to end it.  Tolman finished 2-5.  Casey Hughston went 2-4 with a double, finally climbing above the Mendoza Line at .203.  Christian Kelley was 2-3 with his first pro HR.

Daniel Arribas:  1-4
Julio Vivas:  3.1 IP, H, BB, 5 K
McGarry:  IP, H, ER, BB, 2 K

-- Bristol (12-14) lost to Bluefield, 8-1.  All of the runs in the game except the last two scored by Bluefield were unearned, with Bristol committing five errors.  Starter Nestor Oronel gave up just one unearned run on three hits and a walk in five innings.  The Pirates had only six hits, half of them by Victor Fernandez.  He was 3-4 with a triple and is now hitting .373.  Garrett Brown was 0-5, dropping him to .291.  After a hot start, he's hitting .189 in his last nine games.

Adrian Valerio:  0-3, BB
Michael De La Cruz:  1-3, BB
John Pomeroy:  2 IP, 2 ER, 4 BB, 2 K

-- The GCL Pirates (10-13) lost to the Phillies, 10-6.  Starter Miguel Hernandez couldn't throw strikes, walking five in four and a third innings.  He was charged with five runs, four earned.  The overage Henrry Rosario continued to provide a chunk of the Pirates' offense, going 3-4 with a triple.

Yondry Contreras:  0-2
Felix Vinicio:  2-4
Johan De Jesus:  2-4, 2B

-- The DSL Pirates (15-24) beat the Indians, 8-5.  The Pirates got their runs with only five hits, as they benefited from nine walks, two hit batsmen and four wild pitches.  Samuel Inoa went 2-4 with three RBIs and Eddy Vizcaino 2-3 with two doubles and a walk.  Wilmer Contreras got the win with three and two-thirds innings of relief.  He allowed a run on three hits, walked none and fanned six.

Christopher Perez:  0-2, 2 BB
Serton Apostel:  1-4, 2B, BB