A few Pirates’ players and friends in Winter League action…. the Puerto Rican League and the Australian League begin play later this week.
MEXICAN PACIFIC LEAGUE
Caneros de los Mochis 7, Venados de Mazatlan 1
This was a scoreless game until Los Venados got onto the scoreboard in the bottom of the 6th, with a double and an RBI single. But that was all the scoring Mazatlan could do. Los Caneros responded with 3 runs in the top of the 7th, on four singles. They added 4 more runs in the top of the 9th with three singles and a 3-run homer. Rogelio Noris pinch-hit for Los Venados in the bottom of the 8th, but he struck out.
DOMINICAN LEAGUE
Toros del Este 3, Aguilas Cibaenas 1
Los Aguilas scored their run in the bottom of the 1st on two singles and a throwing error. Los Toros starter Chris Leroux gave up two singles and a walk to load the bases in the 2nd inning, but ended the inning with a pop out and didn’t allow a run to score. Leroux pitched 4 more scoreless innings, allowing only one more single. That earned him his first winter league win. Los Toros scored all their runs in the 5th inning. With runners on second and third and two outs, Matt Hague (who was playing first base tonight) singled into right field, driving in both runners. Hague moved to second base on the throw in from the outfield, then scored on an RBI single. Hague also singled in the 4th inning, but was left stranded.
Leones del Escogido 7, Estrellas de Oriente 4
CF Starling Marte went 0-for-4, but the rest of Los Leones were able to score 7 runs on 10 hits. LF Freddy Guzman went 4-for-4 for Escogido. Former Pirate farmhand LF Rich Thompson singled and doubled for Los Estrellas and also stole third base.
VENEZUELAN LEAGUE
Navegantes del Magallanes 6, Leones del Caracas 5
Los Magallanes broke a 5-5 tie with a double and a triple on two outs in the top of the 12th, taking the win. Los Magallanes had a 4-3 lead from the middle of the 6th to the bottom of the 9th, when Caracas scored the tying run off former Pirate Jean Machi. That run came in on a single, a hit batter, and a fielding error at third base. Each team scored one run in the 10th inning. Another former Pirate farmhand, Ronald Uviedo made the start for Caracas, but did not get out of the 3rd inning, allowing 3 runs. Pirates’ Ramon Cabrera pinch-hit for Los Caracas in the 5th. He walked, then was left on base.
Tigres de Aragua 10, Tiburones de La Guaira 8
Three runs in the bottom of the 8th gave the come-from-behind win to Los Tigres. With one on, former Pirate farmhand RF Jonel Pacheco dropped down a sacrifice bunt. A single put Aragua runners on the corners, and both scored on an RBI triple. LF Lastings Milledge brought that runner in from third with a sacrifice fly. Los Tigres also had a big 2nd inning, scoring 5 runs. Former Pirate farmhand 1B Hector Gimenez started the rally with a double, then two walks, including one by another former Pirate, C Raul Chavez, loaded the bases. Pacheco singled, and all three base runners scored, helped out by a fielding error (one RBI for Chavez). Two more runs scored on an RBI single and a wild pitch. Milledge singled twice in the game, and Gimenez also hit a single.
Caribes de Anzoategui 5, Cardenales de Lara 0
Los Caribes’ pitchers held Los Cardenales to just 4 hits in the shutout. They only needed the single run that their hitters supplied in the 3rd inning. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases, and the run scored on a sacrifice fly. Then the batters added some insurance in the bottom of the 8th, with 4 runs on five walks, a double, and a throwing error. CF Gorkys Hernandez worked one of those walks, but had only reached as far as third base when the inning ended. Hernandez singled in the 2nd inning, but was out at third on a double play.
