The Mesa Solar Sox (8-9) had their best week as a team in the third week of the of Fall League, where they posted a 5-1 record. The Solar Sox trail Salt River (12-5) by four games in the Arizona Fall League East.
Here is a break down on how the Pirates prospects have done this week:
- Left-hander Nathan Baker made two appearances from the bullpen this week. On Monday, Baker had his worst outing so far this season giving up two runs on three hits over 1.0 inning with one walk and one strikeout. The damage came after Baker allowed a leadoff triple, a RBI single and a walk before retiring his first batter. With one out, Baker allowed a RBI single center before getting out of the inning.
On Thursday, Baker tossed two scoreless innings, allowing no hits with two walks and three strikeouts. So far this season, Baker has is 1-0 with a 3.68 ERA (7.1 innings).
- Right-hander Gerrit Cole, the Pirates No.1 overall selection in the 2011 draft, made his second start on Friday. And he was dominant. Facing a tough lineup with players such as Mike Trout, who spent part of the season in the bigs, and Washington Nationals phenom Bryce Harper, Cole wasn’t fazed.
All in all, Cole tossed three scoreless frames, gave up two hits –both singles that came in the 2nd inning– on one walk and struck out three. Of Cole’s 53 pitches, 33 of them were strikes. Cole picked up his first professional win in the 5-1 victory.
Jayson Grey of ESPN reported that Cole threw five 100 mph fastballs and a 101 in the 1st inning. In Cole’s debut, where he allowed three runs on three hits over 2.1 innings, he hit 100 mph twice.
In two starts, Cole has posted a 1-0 record with a 5.06 ERA (5.1 innings).
- Right-hander Mike Colla made two appearences from the ‘pen, and like Baker, had two very different outings. On Monday, Colla allowed four runs on three hits over 0.2 innings with two walks. With two outs and two runners on, Colla issued a walk then a three-run double to center field. The fourth run scored on a RBI single on a line drive to center before being pulled from the game.
On Friday, Colla allowed one run on one hit –a solo-home run– over 2.0 innings with one walk and two strikeouts. In five appearances (7.0 innings), Colla has a 6.43 ERA.
- Right-hander Phil Irwin left the Fall League last week after experiencing tightness in his right forearm. Everything came back negative, however, Irwin will not participate in the Fall League as he is required to rest for 4-6 weeks.
Irwin made one appearance from the pen where he allowed two runs on three hits over 2.1 innings. Both runs came via the long ball.
- Replacing Irwin on the roster is right-hander Jeff Inman. In his lone appearence this week, Inman tossed a perfect inning with one strikeout.
In 15 games (nine starts) combined with the Gulf Coast Pirates and High-A Bradenton, the 23-year-old went 2-2 with a 2.00 ERA over 36.0 innings with six walks and 18 strikeouts. Inman was selected in the 12th round of the 2009 draft by Pittsburgh.
- Infielder Jarek Cunningham saw his average this week go from .172 to .244 after having his best week in the Arizona Fall League. Cunningham went 6-for-16 (.375 avg) with three runs, a triple, double, two home runs, a walk and five RBI. All five RBI came on Monday, where he went 3-for-5 with two home runs.
- Infielder Brock Holt made his AFL debut this week after missing the first two weeks due to a hamstring injury he sustained during the Fall Instructional League. In two games, Holt went 1-for-6 (.167 avg) with three walks and a stolen base.
- Outfielder Robbie Grossman had a huge week in what has been an outstanding Fall League for the 21-year-old. Grossman went 8-for-17 (.470 avg) with seven runs, two homers, six walks, two stolen bases and seven RBI. Grossman had a six consecutive multi-hit game streak until going 0-for-3 on Friday. Grossman’s .385 average is third-best in the AFL, he ranks first in hits (25), is tied for first with five home runs, ranks fourth in RBI (15), second in walks (12), fourth in OBP (.474) and sixth in OPS (1.136).
Photo credit: MILB
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