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Pittsburgh Pirates’ hopes shine in resounding AFL win
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Pittsburgh Pirates’ hopes shine in resounding AFL win

Few people have done more to increase their stock in the Arizona Fall League than Pittsburgh Pirates outfield prospect Sammy SIani.

The left-handed prospect continued his strong performance Thursday, hitting a grand slam in the Scottsdale Scorpions’ 10-1 win over the Glendale Desert Dogs. It was the Scorpions’ third straight victory.

Other Pirates The prospects also played well in the victory. Infield prospect Kervin Pichardo went 3-4 with an RBI and a walk and right-handed pitching prospect Valentin Linarez pitched 1.2 shutout innings without allowing a runner to reach base and struck out four batters struck out.

Siani’s grand slam was her only hit of the evening. He went 1-2 with two walks, a hit and two runs scored. In 13 games, Siani hit two home runs, drove in 12 runs and slashed .408/.482/.592.

Siani struck out in his first at-bat to end the first inning before being hit by a pitch and walking twice in his next three at-bats. With the Scorpions leading 6-1 in the bottom of the eighth inning, Siani found the bases loaded and smoked a 1-1 pitch over the wall in right-center field for a grand slam.

Pichardo singled in his first at-bat in the bottom of the second inning, then grounded into a double play in his second plate appearance for his only out of the night. Pichardo hit an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth inning to extend Scottsdale’s lead to 3-1.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Pichardo doubled to right field, then walked his final at-bat.

Linarez entered the game in the top of the seventh inning with runners on first and second and Scottsdale led 4-1. The right-handed pitching prospect got a strikeout and an out to escape the jam, then retired the side in the eighth inning and got all three batters to swing at bat.

Linarez has a 1.29 ERA in five appearances and seven innings pitched.

Scottsdale (8-12) will look to extend its winning streak to four Friday night when it takes on the Salt River Rafters (11-9) at 9:30 p.m. ET.

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