Published: September 27, 2009 10:49 pm      

Pirates notebook: Prospects win gold medals

PITTSBURGH — While their parent club finishes up another lost season, two of the Pirates’ top prospects now own gold medals.

Right-hander Brad Lincoln and third baseman Pedro Alvarez were both part of the United States team that beat Cuba 10-5 in the championship game of the International Baseball Federation’s World Cup on Sunday in Nettuno, Italy.

Lincoln, who finished the minor-league season at Class AAA Indianapolis, was the winning pitcher in relief. He allowed three runs and six hits in 4 1/3 innings with one walk and two strikeouts.

Alvarez, who finished the season at Class AA Altoona, went 0-for-4 with a two strikeouts.

Lincoln was 2-0 with a 2.70 ERA in four games, three starts, during the tournament. Alvarez hit .259 with five home runs and 12 RBIs in 15 games.

“That’s a great accomplishment for them and, as an organization, we were very excited that they had the opportunity to extend their seasons and play against a high level of competition internationally,” Pirates General Manager Neal Huntington said Sunday as the Pirates beat the Los Angeles Dodgers, 6-5, at PNC Park.

“Our reports on both are that they have continued to improve, especially Pedro with his defense. It was a good way for both of them to end the season.”

Lincoln, 24 went a combined 7-7 with a 3.37 ERA in 25 stars with Indianapolis and Altoona this year. Alvarez, 22, was the Pirates’ minor league player of the year after hitting a combined .288 with 27 home runs and 95RBIs in 126 games with Altoona and high Class A Lynchburg.

Huntington said both Lincoln and Alvarez will be given chances to win a spot on the major-league club next year in spring training along with outfielder Jose Tabata, another top prospect who ended the season at Indianapolis. Tabata, 21, hit a combined .293 with five homers, 35 RBIs and 11 stolen bases with Indianapolis and Altoona in 93 games.

“They’ll all get a look but they’ll also have their work cut out for them next spring,” Huntington said. “They’ll need to come in and show improvement if they are going to make the team.”



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Injury update: Shortstop Ronny Cedeno missed his fourth straight game with tightness in both hamstrings. The Pirates continue to say he is day-to-day.

Luis Cruz again started at shortstop while Brian Bixler played second in place of Delwyn Young, who got a day off. Cruz and Bixler have combined to hit .221 with no home runs and four RBIs in 95 at-bats this season. Both went 1-for-3 on Sunday.

Right-hander reliever Joel Hanrahan pitched a scoreless eighth inning in his first appearance since Sept. 16. He had been sidelined by a strained elbow.

Hanrahan has not allowed a run in his last 14 games and 14 2/3 innings.



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McCutchen update: Rookie center fielder Andrew McCutchen is 6-for-10 with four walks and 20 RBIs while batting with the bases loaded this season. His .600 batting average with the bases loaded is third in the National League behind St. Louis’ Albert Pujols (.643) and Colorado’s Todd Helton (.625).

McCutchen is also third among NL rookies with 54 RBIs, fourth with 12 home runs and fifth with a .281 batting average.



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Up next: The Pirates conclude the four-game series and the home portion of their schedule at 12:35 p.m. today as left-hander Zach Duke (10-15, 4.06) is scheduled to start against the Dodgers’ Hiroki Kuroda (8-6, 3.65). Duke has gone 1-5 with a 6.64 ERA in his last seven starts.