Pirates Prospect Watch: Turtles in Bradenton, Altoona

While storms swept the northeast on Saturday, delaying games for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Altoona Curve, it was the Bradenton Marauders who sat through the organization’s most noteworthy stoppage on the day: a turtle delay in the second inning.

Bradenton went on to eke out a 4-3 win with Magdiel Cotto—the man who helped rescue the turtle from the perils of the outfield—spotting runners at the corners with one out in the ninth inning before recovering to complete the six out save.

Turtling through the rest of the Pirates’ farm system was anything but reptilian in nature, with blown leads plaguing Pittsburgh’s affiliates.

Triple-A Indianapolis crawled back to take the lead after trailing 4-2, but immediately allowed a two-run homer that put them away for good 6-5.

The Altoona Curve blew a 3-0 lead, eventually falling 7-3: their 18th loss in the past 20 games. That game only lasted seven innings, initially supposed to be part of a doubleheader, but rain delays pushed it to a Sunday makeup.

Greensboro fell behind after allowing four runs in the eighth inning, but Lonnie White Jr. saved the game with a homer in the ninth, setting up a 6-4 extra innings victory.

Triple-A Indianapolis (17-18)

DH Canaan Smith-Njigba

• Game: 2-for-3 with a homer and two walks.
• Season: .270/.393/.392 with 4 doubles, a triple and a homer in 23 games.

RHP Chris Gau

• Game: 4 IP, 0 ER, 2 K’s.
• Season: 19.2 IP, 2.29 ERA, 18 K’s in 9 appearances (2 starts) between Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis.

Double-A Altoona (7-24)

RF Joe Perez

• Game: 2-for-4 with a triple.
• Season: .228/.323/.329 with 3 doubles, a triple and a homer in 24 games between Indianapolis and Altoona.

C Carter Bins

• Game: 1-for-2 with a homer and a walk.
• Season: .286/.400/.476with 5 doubles and a homer in 16 games between Indianapolis and Altoona.

High-A Greensboro (17-14)

CF Lonnie White Jr.

• Game: 1-for-4 with a homer and a walk.
• Season: .187/.291/.480 with 2 doubles, a triple and 6 homers in 19 games.

LF Luke Brown

• Game: 1-for-3 with a homer and 2 walks.
• Season: .164/.313/.218 with a homer in 18 games.

Single-A Bradenton (14-18)

2B Keiner Delgado

• Game: 1-for-4 with a double.
• Season: .296/.296/.704 with 2 doubles and 3 homers in 6 games between rookie ball and Bradenton.

1B Omar Alfonzo

• Game: 1-for-2 with a single and a walk.
• Season: .250/.365/.386 with 6 doubles and 2 homers in 26 games.