White’s homer bright spot in defeat by Curve
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It wasn't Altoona's night Friday at Peoples Natural Gas Field as Akron downed the Curve, 7-1, in front of 5,015 fans.
But the lone run for the locals came from a man who has been experiencing one of the best stretches of his career -- Lonnie White Jr.
White hit his 17th home run for the Curve in the bottom of the fourth inning to continue an incredible stretch over his last 80 at bats.
"It's the approach," White said. "I trust that I can be athletic and trust my approach, which is to focus on hitting it to right field. You just keep working on that approach, it will just click one day and you just stick with it."
White has emerged as one of the top hitters in Double-A baseball since the All-Star Break and entered Friday third among Pirates minor leaguers in homers this season. He now has 24 minor league home runs this year and a career-high 60 RBIs.
"Just the consistency of the approach has been great," Altoona manager Andy Fox said. "He hit a little rough patch right before the break. It was good to see him come out of it. He stuck with what had been working, rode the ebbs and flows, and now he's found some consistency. It's been fun to watch."
White was first in the Eastern League (seventh-among Double-A players) in OPS (.960) since his Double-A debut on May 1 entering Friday's game.
Fox said the Pirates organization looks for certain things to decide whether a player's impressive stretch is simply a hot streak or that they have figured things out at that level.
"It comes down to the consistency of the at bat," Fox said. "Do they chase? When they get pitches to hit, do they hit them? That's probably the biggest thing. Swing decisions are what we call them. If they are making good swing decisions, usually you start seeing some progress."
White's batting average is up to .299 with the Curve, and he's hit .400 with four doubles, a triple, eight home runs and 16 RBIs since the break.
"Honestly, I feel like I'm ready," White said. "I feel like I have been able to become more consistent with that approach throughout this entire season, and I have been learning, either from past at bats or past games."
In addition to hitting for average and power, White is still being patient at the plate. He also drew a walk Friday on a night the Curve didn't manage many baserunners with just two hits.
"I'll take a walk any day, no matter how I'm swinging," White said. "You look for good pitches, and if you don't get them and walk, it's a win."
Power surge
White has been hot at the plate longer, but no one is hitting the ball like Akron leadoff hitter Ryan Cesarini, who homered on the first pitch of the game. He added a three-run home run in the second inning.
They were his fifth and sixth home runs this week against the Curve -- despite not playing in Thursday's game -- and he only has eight home runs total despite being on the RubberDucks' roster since early July.
"It's always the cliche that it looks like a beach ball," Fox said. "It definitely looks like a beach ball to him right now. But if we make better pitches, it gives us a better chance. He's in one of those phases where every mistake we make, he crushes it."
Fox said everything clicking -- like it is right now for White and Cesarini -- can start off with something simple.
"Maybe you foul a ball off or something, and you find something and realize you are where you need to be," Fox said. "Maybe you even get an out or a lineout the other way to get out back to where you need to be."
Promotion
Left-handed relief pitcher Cy Nielson was called up to triple-A Indianapolis prior to Friday's game.
According to the Altoona Curve game notes, Nielson and his wife, Lo, have a golden retriever named Gibby, and one of the highlights of their wedding was a fountain tower of ranch which guests enjoyed with Chick-Fil-A chicken nuggets.
Cruz goes 0-for-4
Oneil Cruz played the entire game in center for the Curve and went 0-for-4 at the plate, including a strikeout with two runners in scoring position in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Fox isn't sure how much longer Cruz will remain in Altoona.
"I honestly don't know," Fox said. "Usually they come in later and tell me he's in there hitting second, playing center, DHing. Honestly I don't know."
Next stop
Saturday: Akron at Altoona, 6 p.m.
Pitchers: Ducks RHP Sean Matson vs. Curve RHP Dominic Pipkin
Sunday: Akron at Altoona, 6 p.m.
Pitchers: Ducks LHP Rafe Schlesinger vs. Curve RHP Peyton Stumbo