After crushing the Reds for two games, the Pirates used a different path to victory yesterday, Braxton Ashcraft turning in a fantastic performance.
Greg Brown recaps an old-fashioned pitchers’ duel and a Pirates’ sweep.
Manager Donnie Kelly called Ashcraft’s performance “unbelievable.”
After Konnor Griffin stroked four hits on Saturday, he bashed the ball high off the center field wall in the eighth inning yesterday, leading to his dash home on Oneil Cruz’s single later in the inning. The shortstop is hitting .262 with two home runs and 16 runs driven in. Kelly is impressed with the 20-year-old’s maturity as he learns the Major League game.
The Pirates have a travel day today as they fly west to Phoenix to start a three-game series against the Diamondbacks tomorrow night. The trip will also include a stop in San Francisco for three against the Giants this weekend before they return home to play the Rockies and Phillies next week.
On Pirates Insider on WCCS yesterday, general manager Ben Cherington discussed the progression of right-hander Jared Jones as he continues his return from elbow surgery a year ago. After mowing down Low-A competition in three perfect innings in his first start last week, Jones is scheduled to pitch in Triple-A tomorrow for Indianapolis.
Cherington is looking forward to the eventual return of Jones to Pittsburgh, and says his long-term role with the Pirates could look different than it does when he first arrives.
ALTOONA
Altoona’s Jack Branigan bashed his third homer of the series and Keiner Delgado hit a two-run shot as the Curve beat Richmond, 7-2 to earn a 3-3 series split. Branigan and Derek Berg each had two hits for the Curve and three relievers threw five one-hit innings in relief of Connor Weitgrefe.
The Curve open a six-game series in Bowie, Maryland tomorrow.
BUCS’ MINORS
It was a big weekend for two highly-rated Pirates prospects. Right-hander Seth Hernandez struck out nine in a start for Bradenton on Friday, although he gave up the first two home runs of his career. That’s two straight nine-K performances for Hernandez, who gave up only one run in four starts in April.
And slugger Edward Florentino was promoted to High-A Greensboro on Friday, and the next night he hit a 107-mile-per-hour, 420-foot home run.
