Pirates Prospect Watch: Termarr Johnson Goes Inside-The-Park for First Career Homer

Termarr Johnson, the Pittsburgh Pirates’ first-round draft pick this year, hit his first professional home run. And he did it the hard way.

The 18-year-old hit an inside-the-park home run for the Low-A Bradenton Marauders on Wednesday.

In other Bradenton news, infield prospect Tsung-Che Cheng was named the Florida State League Player of the Month.

The 21-year-old Cheng led the league with a .389 batting average, .517 on-base percentage, .611 slugging percentage and 1.128 OPS. Cheng was tops in the FSL in both hits (35) and runs (23) in August, while reaching base safely in 24 of his 26 games.

Here are the top performers from Wednesday’s minor league action.

Indianapolis Indians (68-62)

Game One

OF Bligh Madris

• Game: 2 for 4 with a home run, two RBIs and a run
• Season: .291/.363/.485, 19 doubles, three triples, seven home runs, 30 RBIs, three steals, 67 games

1B Mason Martin

• Game: 1 for 3 with a home run, an RBI, a run and a walk
• Season: .211/.294/.408, 24 doubles, five triples, 16 home runs, 66 RBIs, 12 steals, 117 games

Madris and Martin each homered for Indianapolis and Jared Oliva collected three hits, but the Indians dropped the first game of a doubleheader to the Omaha Storm Chasers 5-4.

Game Two

OF Bligh Madris

• Game: 3 for 3 with a walk and a run
• Season: .291/.363/.485, 19 doubles, three triples, seven home runs, 30 RBIs, three steals, 67 games

OF Jared Oliva

• Game: 2 for 3 with a double, an RBI and a run
• Season: .257/.311/.412, 16 doubles, three triples, six home runs, 27 RBIs, 17 steals, 81 games

Two familiar names from game one helped the Indians take the second game, 5-4. Noe Toribio earned the win after allowing two runs in five innings.

Altoona Curve (65-62)

OF Fabricio Macias

• Game: 2 for 4 with two doubles and an RBI
• Season: .269/.286/.410, 10 doubles, three home runs, 22 RBIs, five steals, 37 games

RHP Tahnaj Thomas

• Game: 1.1 innings, no hits, no runs, one walk, one strikeout
• Season: 5-4, 2.90 ERA, 49.2 innings, 43 strikeouts, 20 walks, 52 strikeouts, 36 games/one start

Macias delivered the go-ahead RBI in the 10th inning and Thomas earned the win as the Curve defeated the Erie SeaWolves 2-1.

Liover Peguero reached base twice with one hit and one walk.

Greensboro Grasshoppers (58-67)

RHP Michell Miliano

• Game: 2.0 innings, no hits, no runs, no walks, three strikeouts
• Season: 1-2, 7.36 ERA, 25.2 innings, 21 hits, 28 walks, 37 strikeouts, 22 games

C/DH Abrahan Gutierrez

• Game: 1 for 3 with a double
• Season: .259/.358/.413, 22 doubles, 12 home runs, 56 RBIs, four steals, 107 games

Not much jumped out for Greensboro as it was shut out by the Bowling Green Hot Rods 3-0. Miliano did look strong out of the bullpen.

In addition to Gutierrez, Mike Jarvis and Sammy Siani each doubled.

Bradenton Marauders (65-62)

2B Termarr Johnson

• Game: 2 for 4 with a home run, a double, two RBIs, a run and a walk
• Season: .278/.364/.472, four doubles, one home run, five RBIs, two steals, 12 games

LHP Anthony Solometo

• Game: 5.0 innings, one hit, no runs, three walks, five strikeouts
• Season: 5-1, 2.64 ERA, 47.2 innings, 31 hits, 19 walks, 51 strikeouts, 13 games/eight starts

In addition to his home run, Johnson doubled and walked as he was on base three times for Bradenton.

Johnson provided all the offense Solometo needed as the left-hander picked up his fifth win of the season in the Marauders’ 4-0 victory over the Clearwater Threshers.