AFL Updates: Pirates Prospects Take Over In Third-Straight Win
Pittsburgh Pirates prospects made key contributions on the mound and at the plate for the Scottsdale Scorpions in their 6-1 win over the Mesa Solar Sox.
Right-handed pitchers Khristian Curtis and Eddy Yean combined to pitch four innings out of the bullpen, allowing just one hit and striking out five batters on Thursday. Pirates left-handed hitting outfield prospect Sammy Siani had another multi-hit game, going 2-5 with a run scored and infield prospect Kervin Pichardo went 1-3 with two RBIs and a run scored. Catching prospect Geovanny Planchart was 1-4 with his lone hit being a single in the bottom of the second inning.
With the win, the Scorpions have won three in a row and seven of their last nine.
Siani singled in his first plate appearance and stole second base, but didn't come around to score. He singled again in his next at-bat in the bottom of the third inning and scored from second base on a two-run double from New York Mets outfield prospect Drew Gilbert that put Scottsdale up 2-1.
After grounding out and striking out in his first two at-bats, Pichardo came through with a two-run single in the bottom of the fifth inning to extend the Scorpions' lead to three. Pichardo came around to score on an RBI groundout by Toronto Blue Jays infield prospect Adrian Pinto to put Scottsdale up by the final score.
Curtis entered the game in the sixth inning and retired the side in order in his first two innings of work. The Pirates' right-handed pitching prospect got a strikeout and a groundout to begin the eighth inning before Chicago Cubs infield prospect Jonathon Long singled to center field to give the Solar Sox their first hit off of Curtis. Curtis escaped unscathed when he got Boston Red Sox infield prospect Max Ferguson to strike out swinging to end the inning.
Yean worked a perfect ninth inning, striking out two of the three batters he faced.
Scottsdale (12-14) is off until Monday when it faces the Surprise Saguaros (16-8) at 2:30 p.m. ET.
