Cannonballs coming: Oneil Cruz homers twice

— Indianapolis (4-4) got blasted by Buffalo, 11-1. Alex McRae had a rough start, giving up eight runs, six of them earned, on nine hits in five and two-thirds innings. A possibly rusty Clay Holmes didn’t do any better in his first outing for Indianapolis this year, allowing three runs on four hits and three walks in two innings. He fanned three and threw only 20 of 39 pitches for strikes. The Indians went with a Sunday lineup that didn’t produce much offense when it mattered, going 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position. Jordan Luplow returned to the lineup and went 0-5. He’s now 2-for-20 on the season.

Chris Bostick: 0-3, 2 BB
Kevin Kramer: 2-5
Jose Osuna: 1-4, 2B
Max Moroff: 0-3, BB
Jacob Stallings: 0-3, BB

— Altoona (5-2) beat Erie, 6-2. Dario Agrazal gave up two runs on six hits in five innings. He walked one and struck out two. Sean Keselica and Tate Scioneaux followed with four scoreless innings, striking out six between them. Elvis Escobar had the big hit, a bases-loaded triple. Jason Martin got his first hits as a Pirate, going 3-4 with a triple. Cole Tucker reached base four times, going 2-3 with two walks. He’s now batting .370/452/519.

Stephen Alemais: 0-4, BB
Will Craig: 0-4, BB
Logan Hill: 1-4, BB
Ke’Bryan Hayes: 1-3

— Bradenton (7-2) beat Clearwater, 4-3, in ten innings. Luis Escobar threw six shutout innings, allowing four hits and no walks, with four strikeouts. He threw 50 of 77 pitches for strikes, so he seems to be making progress with his control issues. Escobar left with a 2-0 lead, but Angel German coughed up gopher balls to the first two hitters he faced. German did retire the next six hitters, fanning four. The Marauders took a 3-2 lead in the top of the ninth, but Scooter Hightower allowed a one-out HR to tie it up again and send the game into fake baseball time. The Marauders quickly scored a phony run on a single by Adrian Valerio, but they then got two runners thrown out on the bases to keep their lead at one. Fortunately, Clearwater couldn’t even score a phony run. Valerio finished 2-5 with a double and three RBIs.

Jared Oliva: 1-4, 2B
Bligh Madris: 2-5
Hunter Owen: 0-5, 3 K
Lucas Tancas: 2-3
Tyler Gaffney: 2-4, 2B

— Oneil Cruz (pictured) hit his second and third HRs of the season, the first one a three-run shot in the first inning, as West Virginia (4-5) beat Hickory, 6-4. Cruz finished 2-3 with two walks. Starter Gavin Wallace gave up three runs on eight hits over six innings. He walked none and struck out five. Chris Sharpe was 2-3 with a walk.

Lolo Sanchez: 0-5
Cal Mitchell: 0-4, BB
Dylan Busby: 0-3, 2 BB
Mason Martin: 1-4, BB, 2B