A roster shuffle lands Altoona one of the top prospects – and hottest bats – in the Pirates system. Outfielder Esmerlyn Valdez was promoted from Greensboro to the Curve yesterday, along with catcher Omar Alfonzo. Valdez hit .300 with twenty home runs and 57 RBIs for the Grasshoppers this year. Alfonzo is having a fine year, too, hitting .262 with eleven homers and 34 runs driven in.
The Pirates sent outfielder Tres Gonzalez to the Florida Coast League Pirates and placed catcher Wyatt Hendrie on the development list. Curve pitcher Dominic Perachi was sent to the Florida Coast League as well, to begin a rehab assignment.
The Curve had only six hits last night against Harrisburg, but drew eight walks and stole five bases in a 6-5 win that kept their hot start to the second half of the season going. They’ve won six of their last seven games. Maikol Escotto homered and Termarr Johnson drove in a run with a double.
Po-Yu Chen starts in the second game of the series tonight.
