Pirates Prospect Watch: Tsung-Che Cheng Hits First Double-A Homer

It’s taken Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Tsung-Che Cheng a while to get his feet under him with Double-A Altoona, but the 22-year-old is starting to find his groove.

Cheng has hits in eight-straight games and is batting .309 in the month of July. On Sunday, Cheng finally hit his first home run with the Curve.

On June 22, Cheng was promoted to Altoona from High-A Greensboro, where he hit .308 with a .981 OPS in 57 games.

Cheng was joined by these Pirates’ prospects as the standouts as July’s minor league action wrapped up on Sunday afternoon.

Indianapolis (48-53)

2B Aaron Shackelford

• Game stats: 2 for 4, one double, two RBIs, one run, one walk
• Season stats: .232/.359/.446, 14 doubles, one triple, 14 home runs, 47 RBIs, eight steals, 86 games

LHP Cam Alldred

• Game stats: 5.0 innings, four hits, two runs, two walks, six strikeouts
• Season stats: 7-3, 4.95 ERA, 40er/72.2ip, 71 hits, 25 walks, 67 strikeouts, 23 appearances/11 starts

Alldred’s efforts on the mound and Shackelford’s at the plate helped Indianapolis cruise to an 11-3 win over the Louisville Bats.

Though they aren’t considered Pirates’ prospects anymore, a handful of familiar faces had big games for the Indians.

Altoona (44-48)

2B Tsung-Che Cheng

• Game stats: 2 for 4, one home run, one RBI, two runs
• Season stats: .255/.286/.330, three doubles, one triple, one home run, six RBIs, six steals, 27 games

1B Jacob Gonzalez

• Game stats: 2 for 4, one home run, one RBI, one run
• Season stats: .251/.313/.385, five doubles, seven home runs, 28 RBIs, 54 games

Cheng and Gonzalez each homered but Altoona was defeated 4-3 in walk-off fashion against the Harrisburg Senators.

Matt Fraizer had two hits and drew a walk while Pirates prospect Aaron Shortridge allowed three runs (two earned) in 5.1 innings pitched.

Greensboro (48-45)

3B Francisco Acuna

• Game stats: 3 for 4, one double, one RBI
• Season stats: .321/.390/.528, eight doubles, one home run, eight RBIs, two steals, 14 games

RHP Jack Carey

• Game stats: 2.0 innings, one hit, no runs, no walks, five strikeouts
• Season stats: 2-1, 4.55 ERA, 16er/31.2ip, 36 hits, 15 walks, 32 strikeouts, 27 appearances/two starts

Despite Acuna’s three hits and Carey’s dominance out of the bullpen, Greensboro fell 7-2 to the Winston-Salem Dash.

Pirates prospect Jack Brannigan was on base twice with a single and a walk and stole a base.

Bradenton (56-39)

RHP Wilber Dotel

• Game stats: 5.0 innings, five hits, no runs, two walks, one strikeout
• Season stats: 3-1, 2.40 ERA, 13er/48.2ip, 39 hits, 29 walks, 38 strikeouts, 12 appearances/11 starts

3B Jesus Castillo

• Game stats: 2 for 4, one triple, three RBIs, one walk, one steal
• Season stats: .229/.395/.280, eight doubles, two triples, one home run, 34 RBIs, 25 steals, 89 games

Castillo’s efforts with the bat backed Dotel’s five strong innings for Bradenton in their 7-1 win over the St. Lucie Mets.

Pirates prospect Deivis Nadal was on base three times, scored twice and drove in a run in the win. Termarr Johnson drew two more walks, giving him 72 in 75 games this season.