Pirates Prospects Shine in Blowout Win in AFL
Few have done more to boost their stock in the Arizona Fall League than Pittsburgh Pirates outfield prospect Sammy SIani.
The left-handed hitting prospect continued his strong performance on Thursday, hitting a grand slam in the Scottsdale Scorpions' 10-1 win over the Glendale Desert Dogs. The win was the Scorpions' third in a row.
Other Pirates prospects also played well in the win. Infield prospect Kervin Pichardo went 3-4 with an RBI and a walk and right-handed pitching prospect Valentin Linarez pitched 1.2 shutout innings without allowing a runner to reach base and struck out four batters.
Siani's grand slam was his lone hit of the night. He went 1-2 with two walks, a hit-by-pitch and two runs scored. Through 13 games, Siani has hit two home runs, driven in 12 runs and is slashing .408/.482/.592.
Pittsburgh #Pirates prospect Sammy Siani put the game firmly out of reach with a grand slam — fitting retribution after being HBP earlier in the game.
— Jason Eidem (@JasonEidem_) November 1, 2024
Through 12 AFL games Siani is slashing .408/.482/.592 with 2 HR and 12 RBI. pic.twitter.com/KAO21qUk1m
Siani struck out in his first at-bat to end the first inning before getting hit-by-pitch and walking twice in his next three at-bats. With the Scorpions up 6-1 in the bottom of the eighth inning, Siani came up with the bases loaded and smoked a 1-1 pitch over the wall in right-center field for a grand slam.
Pichardo singled in his first at-bat in the bottom of the second inning then grounded into a double play in his second plate appearance for his lone out of the night. Pichardo hit an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth inning to extend Scottsdale's lead to 3-1.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Pichardo doubled to right field and then he walked in his final at-bat.
Linarez entered the game in the top of the seventh inning with runners on first and second and Scottsdale leading 4-1. The right-handed pitching prospect got a strikeout and a flyout to escape the jam and then he struck out the side in the eighth inning and got all three batters to strikeout swinging.
Linarez has a 1.29 ERA through five appearances and seven innings pitched.
Scottsdale (8-12) will look to extend its win streak to four on Friday night when it faces Salt River Rafters (11-9) at 9:30 p.m. ET.
