Pirates Pitching Prospect Struggles in First AFL Start
In his first outing in the Arizona Fall League, Pittsburgh Pirates right-handed pitching prospect Khristian Curtis was perfect for the Scottsdale Scorpions, setting the side down in order in his three innings pitched and striking out two batters in a 9-7 win over the Salt River Rafters.
On Tuesday, he struggled to replicate that success, as he was on the hook for the loss the Scorpions' 15-2 loss to the Mesa Solar Sox. In their two head-to-head matchups, the Solar Sox (5-2) have outscored the Scorpions 34-3.
Curtis pitched three-plus innings, allowed six hits, including a solo home run to Oakland Athletics catching prospect Daniel Susac, gave up four runs, walked three batters and struck out two in the loss. With the loss, Curtis is now 1-1 in two appearances with a 6.00 ERA and has struck out four batters.
Curtis worked around a leadoff single in the bottom of the first inning and entered the second inning with a 2-0 lead after a two-run home run from New York Mets prospect Drew Gilbert. Susac's leadoff homer cut the Scorpions' lead to 2-1 and Athletics outfield prospect Henry Bolte reached base with a one-out single but was caught stealing by Detroit Tigers catching prospect Thayron Liranzo.
After the Solar Sox put runners in scoring positions with a single and a walk, Curtis escaped the jam by getting Los Angeles Angels infield prospect David Mershon to ground out.
Susac struck again in the bottom of the third, tying the game with a sacrifice fly to score fellow A's prospect Denzel Clarke, who led the inning off with a walk and reached third base on a double from Tampa Bay Rays outfield prospect Tre' Morgan. With two outs and runners still on second and third, Curtis escaped another jam, this time by striking out Rays prospect Xavier Isaac.
The wheels began to fall off in the fourth inning for the 6-foot-5 right-hander, as a leadoff double from Bolte and a walk by Cole Fontenelle marked the end of Curtis' start. Mesa went on to score five runs to effectively pull away from Scottsdale.
Fellow Pirates pitching prospect Derek Diamond entered the game in the bottom of the sixth inning and pitched went 1.1 scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out two batters.
The Scorpions (2-4) return to the diamond on Wednesday to face the Salt River Rafters( 3-3) at 9:30 p.m. ET.
