All Hands on Deck: Oneil Cruz goes deep

By Brian Cartwright Jul 26, 2019, 12:08am EDT

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The Pirates recalled RHP Alex McRae from Indianapolis while optioning RHP Luis Escobar back.

RHP Will Kobos (6.05 ERA in 19 ¹⁄₃ IP) was promoted from West Virginia to Greensboro. He was a 19th Round pick in 2018 and played all last year at Bristol where he had a 7.11 ERA and 42 K’s in 31 3/2 innings.

The DSL Pirates-2 placed LF Stilwatt Valerio (0-for-4 in two games) on the 60 day Injured List and add 20 year old RHP Darvin Garcia, who was signed on July 22, to their roster.

Games

Triple-A

Indianapolis (52-50) drops 3-2 score at Syracuse (51-52)

Outfielder and occasional pitcher J.B. Shuck opened for the Indians in a bullpen game and struck out four of the nine batters he faced over two scoreless innings, including three K’s in row to get out of a bases loaded jam in the second, He allowed one hit and two walks, but threw just 23 of 45 pitches for strikes.

Sean Keselica (3.13 ERA in 54 ²⁄₃ IP) followed Shuck to the mound and gave up all three Syracuse runs in three and two thirds innings on five hits, including a solo homer by Aaron Altherr in the fifth.

RF Kevin Kramer (260/338/403) hit a solo homer for Indianapolis in the fifth, his sixth of the year.

Double-A

Altoona (52-49) falls 3-1 to visiting Richmond (37-64)

Starter Pedro Vasquez (7-3, 3.29) allowed two runs and left quite a few on base as he allowed six hits and two walks in three and two thirds innings, He struck out four.

High-A

Bradenton (56-46) wins 4-2 over visiting St. Lucie (56-47)

The only run off starter Gavin Wallace (3-5, 4.07) in six innings was a solo homer in the second. He allowed four hits and two walks while fanning five.

SS Oneil Cruz (331/364/551) was 2-for-4 and blasted his seventh home run fo the year and second in three games, a two-run shot in the third.

Oneil Cruz took this ball for a ride!

Watch the @pirates' No. 4 prospect drill his 2nd jack in 3 games for @The_Marauders ➡️ https://t.co/4wvv17QEG2 pic.twitter.com/0lAgcBnrr0
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) July 26, 2019

Low-A

Greensboro (61-40) drops 4-1 decision in 7 innings to visiting Asheville (46-57)

Steven Jennings (5-9, 5.02) pitched well, allowing two runs in five innings on five hits and two walks, including a solo homer in the third.

Greensboro (61-41) blanked 4-0 in 7 innings by visiting Asheville (47-57) in makeup of July 23 postponement

In game two the Grasshoppers couldn’t score at all, managing only three hits without a walk.

Winston Nicacio (2.76 ERA in 29 ¹⁄₃ IP) made his first appearance since being promoted, allowing two runs, one earned, on four hits and no walks in five innings, striking out four.

Short Season A

West Virginia (21-17) walks off 4-3 over visiting Batavia (24-16)

CF Matt Fraizer’s (278/322/352) double set up the tying run in the bottom, then he scored the game winner on 1B Nick Patten’s (172/277/299) ground single to left.

J.C. Flowers allowed one run over the first three innings, striking out five. Grant Ford (3.24 ERA in 16 ²⁄₃ IP), the third pitcher, was dominant over the final four innings, allowing no runs on two hits and a walk while fanning eight batters.

Fraizer and 3B Jared Triolo (248/314/422) each had two hits.

Advanced Rookie

Bristol (16-19) come from behind for 10-8 win at Burlington (19-17)

Down 7-4, the Pirates exploded for five runs in the top of the eighth, keyed by a grand slam by C Eli Wilson.

None of their four hurlers had much of a game, combining to allow twelve hits and eight walks. Starter Santiago Florez (3.86 ERA in 21 IP) was lifted after walking four of the seven batters he faced, with three of them scoring. He threw only 18 of 37 pitches for strikes.

The Pirates scored their ten runs on only six hits as they drew fifteen walks. RF Fernando Villegas (250/351/333) was 3-for-4 with a walk.

Rookie

GCL Pirates at Rays was postponed.

Dominican Rookie

Pirates-1 (22-24) edged 2-1 at Rays-2 (28-17)

17 year old right-hander Andy Maldonado (8.75 ERA in 23 ²⁄₃ IP) threw four hitless innings, walking three and striking out four.

RF Luis Tello (283/352/321) was 3-for-4.

Pirates-2 (38-8) victorious 7-3 over visiting Giants (18-28)

The Pirates made the most of five hits and five walks as they scored seven times, including a four-run second inning.

Starter Sergio Umana (2.42 ERA in 44 ²⁄₃ IP) allowed two runs in five innings on three hits and two walks. Two relievers then combined to allow only one hit over the final four innings.

DH Alex Mojica (361/487/598) was 1-for-2 with a pair of walks.