Pirates Minor League Report: Gem from Chen, McAdoo Homers Again

Pirates’ minor league affiliates managed just one win on Friday night, with Po-Yu Chen enjoying his best start of the season for the Altoona Curve and Charles McAdoo hitting his second home run in as many games.

Triple-A Indianapolis saw their bullpen get roughed up in a 7-3 loss to the Columbus Clippers, despite home runs from Jake Lamb and Gilberto Celestino.

Po-Yu Chen twirled a gem for the Altoona Curve, allowing just one run over eight innings and striking out nine batters. The Curve went on to win 3-1 over the Richmond Flying Squirrels.

The Greensboro Grasshoppers dropped an 8-4 decision to the Jersey Shore BlueClaws, with Maikol Escotto and McAdoo accounting for all the offense in the form of their respective three-run and one-run homers.

The Bradenton Marauders got two-hit by the Clearwater Threshers in a 7-3 loss, with 11 drawn walks helping them keep the game from turning into a bloodbath.

Here are some of the top performing Pirates’ affiliates on Friday.

Triple-A Indianapolis (25-34)

1B Jake Lamb

• Day: 2-for-3 with a double, a homer and a walk.
• Season: .316/.398/.460 with 13 doubles and 4 homers in 48 games.

LF Gilberto Celestino

• Game: 2-for-4 with a homer.
• Season:  .281/.371/.359 with 6 doubles and 2 homers in 44 games.

Double-A Altoona (18-37)

RHP Po-Yu Chen

• Game: 8 IP, 1 ER, 9 K’s.
• Season: 53.1 IP, 4.56 ERA, 33 K’s in 11 appearances (9 starts).

3B Joe Perez

• Game: 2-for-4 with 2 singles.
• Season: .211/.309/.342 with 6 doubles, a triple and 4 homers in 44 games between Altoona and Indianapolis.

High-A Greensboro (31-23)

1B Maikol Escotto

• Game: 1-for-4 with a three-run homer.
• Season: .239/.284/.420 with 4 doubles and 4 homers in 27 games.

3B Charles McAdoo

• Game: 1-for-4 with a homer.
• Season: .333/.406/.556 with 12 doubles, 2 triples and 8 homers in 49 games.

Single-A Bradenton (23-32)

SS Keiner Delgado

• Day: 1-for-3 with a homer.
• Season: .227/.274/.391 with 3 doubles and 5 homers in 27 games between rookie ball and Bradenton.

2B Wesley Zapata

• Game: 0-for-1 with 3 walks.
• Season: .167/.258/.241 with 2 doubles and a triple in 21 games between rookie ball and Bradenton.