Pirates Minor League Report: Harrington Hurls, Johnson Homers

Pirates’ affiliates celebrated Independence Day with three wins in four games, highlighted by a stellar pitching performance from a top prospect.

Thomas Harrington cruised through seven scoreless innings for the Altoona Curve, striking out six batters and allowing just two hits. Altoona went on to blank the Harrisburg Senators 1-0.

Triple-A Indianapolis defeated the Louisville Bats 5-3, capitalizing on four Louisville errors to help them pad their lead.

The Greensboro Grasshoppers took down the Aberdeen IronBirds 8-4, with Termarr Johnson and Kalae Harrison each hitting homers.

Bradenton fell 2-1 to Fort Myers, meanwhile, unable to complete a late inning comeback. Despite the loss, Aaron Shortridge rebounded with gusto in his longest start since beginning a rehab assignment after starting the year on the 60-day Injured List, striking out seven batters in four scoreless innings.

Here are some of the top performances amongst the Pirates’ farm system on the Fourth of July.

Triple-A Indianapolis (37-45)

CF Ji-hwan Bae

• Game: 2-for-4 with a triple.
• Season: .365/.448/.520 with 7 doubles, 2 triples and 4 homers in 39 games between Bradenton and Indianapolis.

RHP Jake Woodford

• Game: 3 IP, 1 ER, 2 K’s.
• Season: 70 IP, 4.37 ERA, 65 K’s in 14 starts between Indianapolis and Triple-A Charlotte (White Sox)

Double-A Altoona (32-47)

RHP Thomas Harrington

• Game: 7 IP, 0 ER, 6 K’s.
• Season: 52.2 IP, 2.56 ERA, 51 K’s in 11 appearances (10 starts) between Bradenton and Altoona.

2B Tsung-Che Cheng

• Game: 2-for-3 with 2 doubles and a walk.
• Season: .243/.343/.395 with 13 doubles and 8 homers in 70 games.

High-A Greensboro (50-28)

2B Termarr Johnson

• Game: 2-for-3 with a homer and 2 walks.
• Season: .237/.392/.378 with 11 doubles, a triple and 8 homers in 75 games.

3B Kalae Harrison

• Game: 1-for-3 with a homer and a walk.
• Season: .203/.321/.280 with 3 doubles and 2 homers in 35 games between Bradenton, Greensboro and Altoona.

Single-A Bradenton (35-44)

C Omar Alfonzo

• Game: 2-for-4 with 2 singles.
• Season: .255/.369/.362 with 13 doubles and 4 homers in 67 games.

RHP Aaron Shortridge

• Game: 4 IP, 0 ER, 7 K’s.
• Season: 11.1 IP, 2.38 ERA, 18 K’s in 4 rehab appearances (3 starts).