Sandblasting an engine

Read an ad for an engine for sale where someone said "Sandblasting exposed some pitting in the cylinders"

Is sandblasting the bores a common practice? This seems to go against the idea that you don't want abrasion in the bores, other than the cross-hatch pattern of a cylinder hone. I can see doing the outside of a particularly dirty block, but the bores?

Anyone have any experience with this method of cleaning?