Pirates/MLB
Pittsburgh Pirates
Alvarez pushes batting average to .365
Third baseman Pedro Alvarez bumped his batting average up to .365 this afternoon for Triple-A Indianapolis.
Alvarez went 2-for-3 with a triple and run scored in the Indians 3-0 win over Rochester.
Alvarez is batting .472 with 3 home runs and 8 RBI’s in his last 10 games.
A positive for Alvarez has been patience at the plate and he has 4 walks to 3 strikeouts in his last four games, a span of 13 at-bats.
GM Neal Huntington gave mixed signals on Alvarez today. Huntington called Alvarez’s .350 batting average at the time, “misleading”, while also indicating he is making progress but that there’s some things that need to be worked out.
One area of emphasis from the Pirates has been on Alvarez hitting to left center.
“Pedro’s biggest challenge is himself, and just trusting that when he hits the ball to left center field, that his best swing, ” Huntington said. “Even in this ballpark {PNC PARK}, he’s one of the few left handers that can leave the ballpark to left center….. That he doesn’t need to hook and pull. When he’s a good hitter, he’s a a dangerous hitter. When he’s trying to hook and pull and launch, he’s an out. Unfoutunately, too often this year, he was trying to hook and pull.”
Pitching Options
Rudy Owens (8-6, 4.63 ERA) earned his 8th victory of the season today, allowing 2 hits and 0 runs in 7 innings for Triple-A Indy. Owens also struck out 4 and walked 2 in the win.
Owens is starting to turn the corner and since July 1, has allowed 3 earned runs or less, a span of 5 starts.
The Pirates at the start of the season felt Owens could emerge as an option at the major league level by September and things could still play out in that direction.
Although the Pirates are exploring options for a starter on the trade market, the Bucs internal options might be the best ones.
Brad Lincoln (7-7, 3.86 ERA) is emerging as the most likely option for the rotation at somepoint during the stretch run.
“We feel Brad right now could be a quality major league starting pitcher if we wanted to go in that direction, ” Huntington said today.
Ohlendorf throws 4 2/3 innings
The Pirates were hopeful that Ross Ohlendorf would go 5-6 innings today in a rehab start for Double-A Altoona and Ohlendorf nearly went that distance.
Ohlendorf allowed 5 hits and 2 earned runs in 4 2/3 innings pitched for Altoona. Ohlendorf threw 44 strikes on 69 pitches, striking out 3 and walking 1.
He gave up a solo home run in the 4th.
