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April Review
The Pirates surprised most people by playing winning baseball in April, finishing the month half a game behind the Brewers in the N. L. Central. The pitching staff, particularly the starting rotation, has been very good and the offense has been opportunistic. It is a bit of a surprise to see that the Pirates rank 5th in the league in runs scored so far. They are 3-1 in extra inning games and 7-2 in one-run games. The biggest question is, can the Pirates keep this up?
Team Highlights:
– Bryan De La Cruz had a 15 game hitting streak
– Sandy Alcantara leads the National League in War with 1.2
– Starters ERA of 3.21 is 3rd in the National League. The team's 3.44 ERA ranks 6th.
This Month in Baseball
At 17-4 the Minnesota Twins have the best record in baseball and have opened up a 5 game lead in the A. L. Central. The Giants at 16-5 and Blue Jays at 15-7 are also off to great starts.
Trea Turner is on a (very early) triple crown watch. He leads the National League with a .378 batting average, is tied for 3rd with 7 home runs, and leads the league with 27 RBI.
On April 28th, Detroit's Miguel Cabrera got his 3000th hit in a 6-4 loss in Minnesota.
Down on the Farm
Cameron Junker of the Bradenton Marauders was named the top pitcher in the Florida State League (A). In 11 relief appearances, he compiled a 3-0 record, 2 saves, 22 strikeouts, and a 0.00 ERA in April.
On April 29, Tahnaj Thomas of the Altoona Curve (AA) totaled 15 strikeouts against Akron, allowing just 2 hits and walking none in a 5-0 win.
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