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John Dreker at Pirates Prospects is reporting that the Pirates have promoted hard-hitting shortstop Oneil Cruz from Bradenton to Altoona, after just 35 games at Double-A, during which he slashed 301/340/515 with seven home runs.
Outfielder Darnell Sweeney has been demoted from Indianapolis to Altoona.
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Games
Triple-A
Indianapolis (53-52) falls 6-5 at Rochester (52-54)
Brandon Waddell (4-4, 5.35) had six quality starts out of seven after being demoted back to Altoona, but the magic didn’t hold up upon his return to Triple-A, as he coughed up five runs in six innings, four of the runs coming on three long balls out of the four hits that Waddell allowed. He walked two and struck out six.
The Indians scored five late runs, including a two-run homer by 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes (250/327/410) in the seventh, his seventh of the year, and a solo shot by LF Pablo Reyes (273/326/523) in the ninth, his tenth, but they came up a run short.
Pablo Reyes gets us on the board with a double! Indians trail 5-2 in the 7th. #RollTribe pic.twitter.com/3uL8zJCQiO
— Indianapolis Indians (@indyindians) July 28, 2019
Double-A
Altoona (53-51) victorious 3-1 over visiting Richmond (39-65)
Top pitching prospect, 21 year old right-hander Cody Bolton (7-4, 2.67), scattered three hits and three walks over six innings, throwing only 76 pitches, as he struck out eight.
Bolton owned a 1.61 ERA in eleven starts beginning the year at Bradenton, but his first three starts after being promoted to Altoona were rough, allowing twelve runs in 14 1⁄3 innings. He then had a one-hit shutout through six at Bowie eleven days ago but struggled through three innings against Erie in his last start.
Against Richmond on Sunday, Bolton started off shaky, walking the first batter on four pitches then watching him steal second and come home on a seeing eye single through the right side - but after only two of his first eight pitches found the strike zone, Bolton turned it around, firing 72% of his pitches the rest of the way for strikes, with Richmond’s right-handed batters regularly flailing at sliders low and away and failing to land a hard hit ball all night.
.@Cody_Bolton8 now has a new Double-A-best 7⃣ strikeouts after three whiffs in the fourth.
— Altoona Curve (@AltoonaCurve) July 28, 2019
Still tied, 1-1. pic.twitter.com/V9PHlihZh9
Despite the eight strikeouts, Bolton kept his pitch count low, only leaving the game for a pinch-hitter with the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth. The stadium gun reported his fast ball sitting at 92-93, touching 95 a couple times, with a slider around 85 and curve in the low 80’s.
C Jason Delay (267/319/430) had a pair of well hit doubles. CF Jared Oliva (281/363/422) was 2-for-4 with both hits being soft flies to the opposite field.
I promised Robbie Glendinning I’d post some pics for his dad for follows me on twitter.
and after getting on base pic.twitter.com/mcJHXuaHX8
— Brian Cartwright (@blcartwright) July 29, 2019
High-A
Bradenton (58-47) win 7-3 over visiting St. Lucie (57-49)
21 year old right-hander Conner Loeprich (4-3, 3.88), a 20th Round pick in 2018 who except for three starts at the end of June had worked out of Greensboro’s bullpen, had his second straight start of one earned run since being promoted to Bradenton. In five innings, Loeprich allowed four hits and two walks while fanning three.
The game was tied at 2-2 before Bradenton put it away with five runs in the bottom of the seventh, including two-run bases loaded singles by both 1B Mason Martin (262/367/580) and 2B Adrian Valerio (212/247/281).
RF Cal Mitchell (263/311/439) and CF Lolo Sanchez (261/336/376) each had two hits, and in his final game at High-A SS Oneil Cruz (322/365/527) was 0-for-2 but walked three times.
Low-A
Greensboro (63-42) stomped 8-1 by visiting Kannapolis (46-59)
21 year old right-hander Will Kobos (6.29 ERA in 24 1⁄3 IP), a 2018 19th Round pick, got knocked around in his first start wince being promoted to Low-A, allowing four runs on six hits and two walks in five innings. He struck out four.
The Grasshoppers had only four hits and two walks. LF Jack Herman (264/340/528) hit a solo homer in the sixth, his eleventh of the year.
Short Season A
West Virginia (22-19) rolls 5-2 at State College (22-21)
The Black Bears plated five runs on just four hits, aided by drawing nine free passes. LF Matt Gorski (219/270/362) hit a two-run homer in the first inning, his second of the year.
Bear Bellomy (1.86 ERA in 19 1⁄3 IP), in his first start of the year, allowed a two-run homer in the second but nothing else on four hits and two walks in four innings, with one strikeout.
Advanced Rookie
Bristol (18-20) edged 4-3 by visiting Elizabethton (21-17)
Elizabethton jumped on starter Jose Maldonado for four runs in the fourth inning, including a two-run homer. In those four innings he allowed five hits and three walks.
RF Fernando Villegas (267/348/350) was 3-for-4 and DH Samuel Inoa (265/308/408) 2-for-4.
Rookie
No games scheduled.
Dominican Rookie
No games scheduled.
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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
2019-04-04 RHP Tom Koehler
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)