All Hands on Deck: Jason Delay with two homers and five RBI for Altoona

By Brian Cartwright Aug 22, 2019, 2:53am EDT

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Bradenton sent RHP Michael Flynn on a rehab assignment to the GCL Pirates. Draft in the 6th Round last year from the University of Arizona, Flynn pitched poorly in his first appearance, did not appear for two weeks, then returned to turn in four starts with a 3.07 ERA before being shut down on July 22. He had yet to pitch this year.

Games

Triple-A

Indianapolis (61-66) falls 9-8 in a 7 inning walk-off at Toledo (59-68)

At least no one had to walk home from Toledo.

In his last start Alex McRae (7-7, 5.08 ERA in 106 ¹⁄₃ IP) found himself behind 7-0 after two innings. This time, he had a 7-0 lead in the top of the first, but watched as the bullpen coughed up seven runs in the last two innings, including five in the bottom of the seventh, as Toledo walked off with the come from behind victory.

McRae pitched well, his only runs allowed being two solo homers among six hits given up in five innings, as he fanned eight and walked only one.

The Indians sent twelve batters to the plate in the top of the first against Kyle Funkhouser (6-7, 6.16 ERA in 83 ¹⁄₃ IP) who in his last two starts against them has allowed twelve hits and ten walks in four and a third innings. In that first inning, 1B Will Craig (250/324/436) had an RBI single, DH Eric Wood (244/324/426) singled home a pair, and CF Jason Martin (264/314/428), in his second time up, drilled a three-run double.

It was all for naught as Luis Escobar (3.38 ERA, 66 K’s in 61 ¹⁄₃ IP) entered in the sixth and was hammered for six hits and three walks in only one and a third innings. After giving up a solo homer and an RBI double in the sixth, Escobar went to the bottom of the seventh with an 8-4 lead bit was lifted after three singles and a walk wrapped around just one out. Geoff Hartlieb (2.78 ERA, 45 K’s in 35 ²⁄₃ IP) then came on with the bases loaded and served up the final four runs on an RBI ground out, a two-run single and Jeimer Candelario’s (324/418/571) game winning double.

In addition to the double, Martin walked twice. Craig and Wood each went 2-for-4, and the rehabbing C Francisco Cervelli (421/542/684 in 6 games) was 2-for-3 with a walk.

Indianapolis (62-66) prevails 3-1 in 7 innings at Toledo (59-69) in makeup of Aug 20 postponement

Cody Ponce (3.71 ERA, 63 K’s in 53 ¹⁄₃ IP) tossed a gem in a spot start, fanning eight and allowing just two base runners, both singles, as he shut out Toledo over five innings. He threw 40 of 54 pitches for strikes (74%). Yacksel Rios (6.49 ERA in 43 IP) followed and allowed a solo homer in the sixth for Toledo’s only run.

The Indians scored all their runs on three solo home runs, two by recently promoted 2B Mitchell Tolman (258/344/365), giving him six on the year, and the other by SS Jake Elmore (344/411/483), his fifth.

.@MitchellTolman got all of his first Triple-A blast. @Toyota | #RollTribe pic.twitter.com/RPDrYnTIsX
— Indianapolis Indians (@indyindians) August 22, 2019

3B Ke’Bryan Hayes (245/318/400) was 2-for-3.

Double-A

Altoona (64-64) with an 8-2 victory over visiting Hartford (66-60)

The good starting pitching continued as Domingo Robles (8-11, 3.75 ERA in 151 IP) fanned nine while walking two over seven innings, allowing just one run on six hits.

Robles keeps rollin' (with some help from @HillSan33)

Domingo has held Hartford to three hits over six scoreless innings. pic.twitter.com/wul10CFY5F
— Altoona Curve (@AltoonaCurve) August 21, 2019

C Jason Delay (248/293/421) carried the offense, driving in five with a with a three-run homer in the fourth and a two-run shot in the sixth, giving him eight long balls on the year.

AN THER NE@jdelay5 smokes his second homer of the night and has driven in 5⃣

⬇️6⃣ Curve 6, Hartford 0 pic.twitter.com/lGPmFOloJJ
— Altoona Curve (@AltoonaCurve) August 22, 2019

SS Oneil Cruz (317/365/507) was 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles.

High-A

Bradenton (68-59) falls 9-2 at Palm Beach (55-68)

Brad Case (11-6, 3.54 ERA in 132 ¹⁄₃ IP) was knocked around for four run in four innings on eight hits and a walk as he struck out five, the third straight game he’s allowed four runs. Case left the game down 4-2, but reliever Ryan Valdes (6.98 ERA in 29 ²⁄₃ IP) was lit up for five runs in the seventh on two walks and four hits, including a grand slam.

1B Mason Martin (252/351/551) had a single and a triple, RF Cal Mitchell (252/304/406) a single and two walks, and CF Travis Swaggerty (269/346/391) doubled to extend his hitting streak to eleven games.

Low-A

Greensboro (73-53) edged 1-0 at Delmarva (85-41)

Starter Will Kobos (2-5, 3.95 ERA in 43 ¹⁄₃ IP), promoted from West Virginia in late July, turned in five no-hit, no-run innings, fanning eight while walking three, but a hit by pitch and two singles in the bottom of the seventh off reliever Yerry de los Santos (1.53 ERA, 67 K’s in 47 IP) gave Delmarva their win.

Kobos has not allowed an earned run in three of his last four and four of his last six starts.

The Grasshoppers had only two hits and two walks, with SS Ji-hwan Bae (310/396/393) collecting one of each.

RF Jonah Davis (239/323/467), who had been hitting quite well over the last seven weeks, struck out three times in four at bats a day after going down on strikes in all five trips to the plate.

Short Season A

West Virginia is off the their All-Star break.

Advanced Rookie

Bristol (30-30) downed 6-2 by visiting Pulaski (40-21)

Starter Luis Ortiz (3.86 ERA in 46 ²⁄₃ IP) gave up only one run in five innings on three hits and two walks while striking out five, but he left trailing 1-0 and reliever Ryan Troutman (6.43 ERA in 21 IP) then served up a pair of solo homers as part of four runs on four hits in the eighth and ninth innings.

1B Matt Morrow (315/380/386), LF Jean Eusebio (242/354/358) and C Marshall Gilbert (231/273/269) each had two hits for the Pirates.

Rookie

GCL Pirates (16-30) win 4-3 over visiting Rays (21-25)

20 year old left-hander Estalin Ortiz (6.85 ERA in 23 ²⁄₃ IP) had his best game of the season, giving up an unearned run on just one hits in five innings. He walked three and struck out four.

Rehabbing right-hander Michael Flynn made his first appearance of the year, striking out one in a 1-2-3 inning.

RF Jasiah Dixon (365/459/462 in 15 games) had a pair of hits, including a two-run single in the second, and stole three bases.

Dominican Rookie

Pirates-1 (33-36) roll 7-1 over visiting Indians (26-40)

18 year old starter Joelvis del Rosario (3.40 ERA in 50 ¹⁄₃ IP) struck out five in five innings, allowing one run on four hits, without a walk. Reliever Wilkin Valdez (5.74 ERA, 32 BB in 26 ²⁄₃ IP) followed with four scoreless innings.

The game was tied 1-1 when the Pirates exploded for six runs in the bottom of the seventh. The first five came off reliever Elvis Jerez (6.93 ERA, 35 BB in 37 ²⁄₃ IP) on just one hit, a double by C Jhan Polanco (254/385/370) that followed LF Luis Tello (273/356/330) being hit by a pitch, but an error, two walks, three wild pitches and a stolen base of home plated three more before 2B Juan Jerez (271/325/471) greeted the new pitcher with a two-run homer, his seventh of the year.

Pirates-2 (54-15) victorious 6-3 over Marlins (33-36)

Staked to a 6-0 lead, starter Wandi Montout (3.03 ERA in 29 ²⁄₃ IP) left with one run in and one out and one on in fifth inning, then reliever Jose Amaya (10-1, 2.97 ERA in 39 ¹⁄₃ IP), who got credit for the victory, was greeted with a two-run homer.

Montout struck out five in his four and a third innings, giving up two runs on two hits and three walks.

DH Eduar Ramirez (277/453/385) smacked a two-run homer, his first of the year. RF Rodolfo Nolasco (286/359/448) had three hits, while C Jommer Hernandez (307/395/400) and 3B Fabian Urbina (306/393/449) had two apiece.