Pirates Prospect Watch: Homer Barrage On High-Scoring Sunday

Much like the big league club, long balls were flying for Pirates prospects on Sunday, both at the plate and on the mound.

The Indianapolis Indians fell to Toledo 16-6, as the Mud Hens hit the cover off the ball regardless of who they faced. Things didn’t go much better for Double-A Altoona. The Curve managed 11 hits but only plated two runs in the 10-2 loss, going 2-for-13 as a team with runners in scoring position.

The Greensboro Grasshoppers were the Pirates’ only affiliate to pick up a win on the day, downing the Winston-Salem Dash 6-4 thanks to a three-run bomb in the ninth inning from Hudson Head. Bradenton’s bullpen allowed just two runs across five innings, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a rough start for right-hander Khristian Curtis as the Marauders lost 7-5 to the Lakeland Flying Tigers. 

Here’s a look at the top performers in the Pirates’ system on Sunday.

Triple-A Indianapolis (6-9)

CF Gilberto Celestino

• Game: 2-for-4 with a double and a walk.
• Season: .265/.379/.347 with 4 doubles in 14 games.

3B Malcom Nuñez 

• Game: 1-for-3 with a home run and a walk.
• Season: .271/.302/.521 with 3 homers and 3 doubles in 14 games.

Double-A Altoona (4-4)

LF Tres Gonzalez

• Game: 2-for-4 with a double and a triple.
• Season: .154/.290/.269 with a double and a triple in 7 games. .

3B Brenden Dixon

• Game: 2-for-4 with a stolen base.
• Season: .286/.500/.286 with 3 walks in 4 games.

High-A Greensboro (6-3)

DH Hudson Head

• Game: 1-for-3 with a three-run homer and a walk.
• Season: .105/.346/.421 with 2 homers in 7 games.

C Shawn Ross

• Game: 1-for-3 with a two-run homer and a walk
• Season: .118/.286/.471 with 2 homers in 5 games

Single-A Bradenton (1-8)

RF P.J. Hilson

• Game: 2-for-4 with a home run.
• Season: .222/.222/.556 with a home run in 3 games.

3B Jesus Castillo

• Game: 1-for-3 with a double and 2 walks.
• Season: .143/.415/.179 with a double in 9 games