Pirates Prospect Watch: Malcom Nunez and Jack Suwinski Showcase Power

Friday night brought strong performances from a number of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ farmhands at all four levels. Both Malcom Nunez and Jack Suwinski displayed their power as each slugged a longball.

At Low-A Bradenton, Henry Davis continued to work his way back from a wrist injury. For the Marauders, Davis went 1 for 2 and recorded a sacrifice fly.

Here are the top performers from Friday.

Indianapolis Indians (61-58)

OF Jack Suwinski

• Game: 2 for 3 with a home run, two RBIs, two runs and a walk
• Season: .204/.278/.389, three doubles, six home runs, 15 RBIs, 30 games

RHP Miguel Yajure

• Game: 5.0 innings, three hits, one run, two walks, seven strikeouts
• Season: 4-4, 6.09 ERA, 54.2 innings, 59 hits, 23 walks, 53 strikeouts, 16 games/14 starts

Yajure picked up his fourth win of the season with five solid innings in the Indians’ 9-1 win over the Rochester Red Wings. Suwinski was on base three times and homered in the victory.

Hoy Park also went deep as part of a two-hit performance. Kevin Padlo and Jared Oliva both collected a pair of hits.

Altoona Curve (58-59)

1B/DH Malcom Nunez

• Game: 2 for 4 with a home run, an RBI and a walk
• Season: .262/.358/.548, four home runs, 12 RBIs, 12 games

RHP Luis Ortiz

• Game: 5.0 innings, seven hits, three runs (two earned), no walks, 10 strikeouts
• Season: 5-9, 4.64 ERA, 109.1 innings, 93 hits, 34 walks, 116 strikeouts, 23 games/22 starts

Nunez continued his hot stretch at the plate since joining the Pirates’ organization earlier this month in a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals with his fourth home run. The longball was the lone run for the Curve in their 4-1 loss to the Bowie Baysox.

Ortiz had double-digit strikeouts for the first time this season. He’s posted a 2.74 ERA in the month of August.

Greensboro Grasshoppers (51-63)

C Abrahan Gutierrez

• Game: 2 for 5 with two RBIs and a run
• Season: .259/.357/.418, 18 doubles, 12 home runs, 55 RBIs, four steals, 97 games

RHP Santiago Florez

• Game: 2.1 innings, no hits, no runs, one walk, four strikeouts
• Season: 2-3, 6.63 ERA, 58 innings, 62 hits, 25 walks, 58 strikeouts, 29 games/five starts

Mike Jarvis recorded the go-ahead RBI in the 10th inning as part of a two-hit night to lift Greensboro to a 5-4 win over the Greenville Drive. Gutierrez drove in a pair for the Grasshoppers.

Jacob Gonzalez also had up two hits. Florez was excellent out of the bullpen, and Eddy Yean picked up his third save to seal the victory.

Bradenton Marauders (60-57)

INF Tsung-Che Cheng

• Game: 2 for 3 with a run, a steal and two walks
• Season: .276/.378/.432, 21 doubles, seven triples, six home runs, 43 RBIs, 27 steals, 92 games

OF Tres Gonzalez

• Game: 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run
• Season: .348/.412/.391, one triple, six RBIs, two steals, 12 games

Cheng and Gonzalez both continue to hit for the Marauders, but Bradenton lost 7-5 to the Dunedin Blue Jays.