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The Pirates claimed RHP Parker Markel off waivers from Seattle Mariners. The 28 year old right-hander was drafted and signed by Tampa out of junior college in 2010. After being released in 2016 he made his way to the independent American Association where in 2018 for Sioux City he found a strikeout pitch, with his k-rate jumping to 13.5 per nine innings. This year he was signed by the Mariners and after 62 strikeouts (and 21 walks) in 34 minor league innings he found himself in Seattle, in The Show for the first time. Five games later he’d allowed 9 runs and three long balls in four and two thirds innings and hit the waiver wire. Being a six foot four right-hander with a fastball that average 95.7 mph for the Mariners, Neal Huntington pounced.
Markel was assigned to Indianapolis and to make room on the 40 man roster Rookie Davis was transferred to the 60 day Injured List. Davis has missed the last seven weeks with a blister on his right middle finger along with a 5.65 ERA.
Indianapolis also activated LHP Tyler Lyons from the Paternity List.
Bradenton sent LF Daniel Amaral on a rehab assignment to the GCL Pirates. He’s been out since June 28.
Greensboro placed 2B Kyle Mottice on the 7-day Injured List with a lower back strain. He hasn’t played since July 20 after missing the three games before that. The Grasshoppers also activated 3B Michael Gretler from the Injured List. He’d been out the minimum, since July 19.
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Games
Triple-A
Indianapolis (53-51) wins 7-6 in 10 innings at Rochester (51-54)
RF Will Craig drove in the fake runner from third with one out in the tenth on a base loaded ball that dropped in left field but where the defense recovered to get a force at third.
Mitch Keller (7-4, 3.41) got hit hard, allowing five runs in four and two thirds innings, three of them on a pair of homer among six hits and a walk. He struck out five. Three times in his last five starts Keller hs allowed three or more runs in less than six innings.
Dovydas Neverauskas (3.82 ERA, 46 K’s in 35 1⁄3 IP) struck out three in two perfect innings and Geoff Hartlieb (2.62 ERA, 45 K’s in 34 1⁄3 IP) fanned five in his two innings, but got a blown save when Rochester tied the score and sent the game to extras with a pair of doubles in the bottom of the ninth.
3B Kevin Kramer (264/342/414) homered for the second straight day, his seventh of the year. He had two hits, as did SS Cole Tucker (274/346/457) and 1B Hunter Owen (293/363/557).
Double-A
Altoona (52-51) falls 6-5 in 11 innings to visiting Richmond (39-64)
Long reliever Beau Sulser (7-1, 2.42) made his second start, allowing just one unearned run in four innings on two hits and two walks while fanning five.
The Curve led 3-2 into the ninth when Richmond scored twice to take the lead but 2B Mitchell Tolman’s (257/344/351) double and RF Bligh Madris’ (259/327/387) sacrifice fly in the bottom of the inning sent it to extras. Both teams scored in the tenth and Richmond scored once in the eleventh, but 1B Logan Hill (262/346/435) grounded into a double play with runners on first and second to end the game.
SS Brett Pope (233/300/280) went 3-for-4 while Hill, Tolman, LF Chris Sharpe (263/354/434) and CF Jared Oliva (279/362/421) each had two hits.
High-A
Bradenton (57-47) edges visiting St. Lucie (57-48) by 3-2 score
Aaron Shortridge (5-4, 3.69) allowed two runs over six innings on four hits, one a solo homer, and two walks while fanning three.
He left with the score tied at two, then in the bottom of the seventh, after 1B Mason Martin (262/366/582) and 3B Dylan Busby (218/319/463) both walked, 2B Adrian Valerio (211/247/282) singled to right to drive in the decisive run.
Martin had put the Marauders ahead 2-0 in the first when his double drove in LF Lucas Tancas (276/326/404) and SS Oneil Cruz (326/358/535), giving him 97 RBI on the year.
Low-A
Greensboro (63-41) pulls out 3-2 win over visiting Kannapolis (45-59)
21 year old right-hander Alex Manasa (8-3, 3.43) recovered from two shaky starts with six shutout innings, allowing only two hits and a walk, with five strikeouts.
Kannapolis took a 2-1 lead in the seventh with a pair of runs off reliever Cristofer Melendez (5.52 ERA, 43 K’s in 29 1⁄3 IP) but the Grasshoppers scored two of their own in the bottom of the eighth on a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly by RF Jack Herman (264/342/514) to retake the lead.
Short Season A
West Virginia (21-19) a 4-1 loser at State College (22-20)
Right-hander Austin Roberts (2.12 ERA in 17 IP), the 8th Round Pick out of Sacramento State, made his first start after nine relief appearances, and took the loss as he allowed two runs in two and two thirds innings on five hits and two walks.
The Black Bears had six hits and no walks, two of the hits by C Kyle Wilkie (250/344/298)
Advanced Rookie
Bristol (18-19) blanks Elizabethton (20-17) by 1-0 margin
20 year old right-hander Tahnaj Thomas (4.07 ERA, 33 K’s in 24 1⁄3 IP) bounced back from a poor start with five shutout innings, allowing just three hits and no walks while fanning seven. In his last five starts Thomas has walked one and struck out 32 in 22 innings.
Bristol only had five hits, with 2B Josh Bissonnette (278/356/367) going 2-for-4 a day after collecting three hits.
Rookie
GCL Pirates (10-16) lose 4-3 at Orioles (18-8)
17 year old Ryan Harbin, a 17th Round pick out of Bartow, Florida, made his professional debut, allowing one run in three innings on three hits and a walk.
The Pirates trailed 4-0 when they scored three times in the sixth, two on a double by 3B Andres Alvarez (236/295/278), but they fell a run short.
Alvarez had a pair of hits, RF Jase Bowen (283/362/383) was 3-for-4 and the rehabbing CF Daniel Amaral (289/346/355) was 2-for-4.
Dominican Rookie
Pirates-1 (23-25) defeated 6-5 at Indians/Brewers Coop (12-35)
Starter Raydel Velette (4.87 ERA, 21 BB in 20 1⁄3 IP) lasted only two thirds of an innings as he walked three of the six batters he faced, also allowing a hit while fanning two.
The Pirates tied it 5-5 with three runs in the eighth on an infield hit to short with runners on first and second, with the batter LF Eliazer Montero (247/356/353) coming all the way around to score after throwing errors by both the shortstop and first baseman.
3B Ronny Sanchez (250/325/333) hit his first homer, a two run shot in the fourth, and DH Orlando Chivilli (281/409/461) went 2-for-3 with a walk.
Pirates-2 (40-8) victorious 5-4 over visiting Colorado (22-26)
17 year old left-hander Adrian Mendez (7.02 ERA in 33 1⁄3 IP) allowed three runs in five innings on six hits and three walks, but the Pirates came back with three runs on four hits in the fourth and another two in the sixth on RF Rodolfo Nolasco’s (275/342/464) fourth homer of the year.
Nolasco was 2-for 3 with three RBI.
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Disabled List
Triple-A Indianapolis
2019-07-12 LHP Blake Weiman
2019-07-11 OF Eric Wood, left foot contusion
2019-04-28 RHP J.T. Brubaker, right forearm strain
Double-A Altoona
2019-07-19 1B Jerrick Suiter, right groin strain.
2019-06-12 LHP Elvis Escobar, left shoulder strain (rehabbing with the GCL Pirates)
2019-04-26 2B Stephen Alemais, right shoulder strain
2019-04-04 RHP Gage Hinsz, right forearm strain
High-A Bradenton
2019-07-23
2019-07-13 2B Raul Siri
2019-07-07 LHP Braeden Ogle
2019-07-06 RHP Logan Stoelke
2019-06-30 2B Chase Lambert, right big toe sprain.
2019-06-28 LF Daniel Amaral
2019-05-17 LHP Oddy Nunez, back strain
2019-05-04 RHP Drew Fischer, right elbow strain
Low-A Greensboro
2019-07-13 RHP Wilkin Ramos
2019-07-04 SS Mariano Dotel
2019-06-28 LHP Zach Spears (60 day)
2019-04-04 RHP Travis McGregor (60 day), recovering from Sept 2018 Tommy John surgery
2019-04-04 RF Conner Uselton
2019-04-04 RHP Wander Romero
Advanced Rookie
2019-06-17 RHP Lizardy Dicent (rehabbing with the GCL Pirates)
2019-06-17 LHP Roger Santana
Rookie
2019-06-24 RHP Andres Arrieta (60 day)
Dominican Rookie
2019-07-25 LF Stilwatt Valerio (60 day)