Pirates Prospect Watch: Pair of Pitchers Dazzle; Brown Drives in Eight Runs

There were a ton of fireworks for the Pittsburgh Pirates and their prospects on Thursday night. Greensboro exploded for 19 runs with a certain outfielder driving in eight. 

Sean Sullivan delivered seven strong innings for Altoona en route to their victory. In addition, Quinn Priester struck out ten batters for Indianapolis with 13 swings and misses. 

Both Sullivan and Priester headlined Thursday’s games, but there were plenty of other names to look through in this jam-packed action.

Indianapolis (61-72)

RHP Quinn Priester

• Game stats: 5.2 IP, four hits, one run, four walks, and ten strikeouts
• Season stats: 9-4, 4.00 ERA, 108.0 IP, 47 walks, and 116 strikeouts in 22 games (20 starts)

RF Cal Mitchell

• Game stats: 1-4 with two RBIs
• Season stats: .260/.338/.413, nine homers, 16 doubles, and 57 RBIs (281 at-bats, or 79 games between Low-A and Triple-A)

Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Quinn Priester was on a mission for Indianapolis on Thursday night. After Brandon Ogle went one inning as an opener, Priester proceeded to go 5.2 innings and struck out ten.

Cal Mitchell’s two-RBI single in the bottom of the third allowed the Indians to win 4-1 over Toledo. Additionally, Kyle Nicolas earned his first career save.

Altoona (60-66)

RHP Sean Sullivan

• Game stats: 7.0 IP, four hits, one run (no earned), no walks, and nine strikeouts
• Season stats: 7-4, 3.98 ERA, 108.2 IP, 35 walks, and 94 strikeouts in 23 games (20 starts)

3B Jackson Glenn

• Game stats: 1-5, a homer, one run scored, and three RBIs
• Season stats: .290/.356/.470, 12 homers, three triples, 17 doubles, and 59 RBIs (328 at-bats, or 85 games between High-A and Double-A)

The Altoona Curve had a wonderful night against Harrisburg as Sullivan put forth one of his best performances of the season.

Sullivan is quietly becoming one of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ solid pitching prospects.

In seven innings pitched, Sullivan had one run scored on him thanks to a throwing error from Chavez Young. Because of lockdown pitching and an offensive explosion, the Curve walked away with a 9-3 win.

Greensboro (66-60)

CF Luke Brown

• Game stats: 4-6, two homers, three runs scored, and eight RBIs
• Season stats: .262/.359/.471, eight homers, two triples, 12 doubles, and 33 doubles (191 at-bats, or 61 games)

RF Tres Gonzalez

• Game stats: 3-5, four runs scored, two walks, and two RBIs
• Season stats: .292/.407/.407, nine homers, 22 doubles, and 58 RBIs (425 at-bats, or 111 games between Low-A and High-A)

It was a high-scoring affair in Bowling Green, as Greensboro won 19-10. Luke Brown dominated the game for Greensboro as he hammered two homers and drove in a career-high eight runs.

Seven out of the nine batters for Greensboro drove in at least one run. Tres Gonzalez and Sammy Siani were the other hitters that stood out.

Bradenton (74-53)

2B Mitch Jebb

• Game: 1-for-2 with three walks.
• Season: .306/.390/.413 with two triples and a home run in 31 games for Bradenton.

DH Rodolfo Nolasco

• Game: 1-for-5 with a grand slam.
• Season: .218/.353/.448 with 21 doubles and 20 home runs in 100 games for the Marauders.

In seven innings, the Marauders beat the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels 9-5 in a bullpen game. Nolasco’s seventh-inning go-ahead grand slam made the difference in the game.