Saturday’s winter league action with Pirates’ players and friends:
VENEZUELAN LEAGUE
Tiburones de La Guaira 5, Leones del Caracas 4
Caracas was playing catch-up for the whole game. In the top of the 9th, down by 2 runs, Los Leones loaded the bases with two singles and a walk. A wild pitch allowed the runner from third to score, bringing Los Leones within one run of Los Tiburones. An intentional walk loaded the bases again, but a line-out double play ended their hopes. Ramon Cabrera pinch hit with two on and two outs in the top of the 8th, but he struck out to end the inning.
Aguilas de Zulia 3, Caribes de Anzoategui 0
Caribes’ starter Carlos Zambrano struck out the first two Zulia batters he faced, then gave up a walk and a home run. Another homer gave Los Aguilas their final run in the 6th, and Zambrano was charged with the loss. Los Caribes were held to just 4 hits in the game. CF Gorkys Hernandez had one of those hits, the second of two singles in the 3rd; both of those runners were left on base. Diego Moreno pitched to four batters for Los Aguilas. He struck out a batter to end the 7th, then began the bottom of the 8th with a batter reaching on a fielding error. He got a fly out, then struck out the batter who was pinch-hitting for Hernandez before being relieved.
Tigres de Aragua 9, Navegantes del Magallanes 8
A double, an intentional walk to SS Ronny Cedeno, and an RBI single gave Los Tigres the walk-off win in the bottom of the 12th inning. Cedeno went 3-for-6 for Los Tigres, while former Pirates 1B Hector Gimenez and CF Lastings Milledge had one hit each. Cedeno began the scoring for Los Tigres with a triple in the 1st, driving in a runner from first, then he scored on a sacrifice fly. Los Navegantes took the lead with single runs in each of the 2nd, 3rd, and 5th innings. Cedeno tied the score again with an RBI single in the 5th, and a sacrifice fly added a second run in that inning, to give Aragua a 4-3 lead. Magallanes regained the lead with 3 runs in the top of the 7th. Cedeno drove in another run in the bottom of the 7th with his third single of the game. Milledge doubled to begin a 3-run rally in the bottom of the 8th, as Los Tigres took the lead again. Former Pirate Jean Machi came on to pitch for Los Navegantes in that inning, and he forced in a run with a walk, then gave up an RBI single and an RBI ground out. A pair of solo homers for Los Navegantes tied the score again in the top of the 9th. Both teams threatened in the 10th and 11th innings, but did not score, setting up the Tigres for the walk-off win in the 12th.
DOMINICAN LEAGUE
Toros del Este 1, Aguilas Cibaenas 0
Los Toros pitchers held Los Aguilas to just one hit, along with 3 walks. They left all four of those base runners stranded on base. Starter Aneury Rodriguez pitched 6 shutout innings for Los Toros. With former Indy Indian (2006-07) Shane Youman on the mound for Los Aguilas, Los Toros scored the only run of the game in the bottom of the 2nd, on a walk, a wild pitch, and an RBI single. SS Pedro Ciriaco singled in the top of the 7th, but was thrown out at second by Los Aguilas’ left fielder when he tried to stretch the single into a double. 1B Matt Hague went 0-for-4 for Los Toros. Pedro’s brother 3B Audy Ciriaco had Los Aguilas’ only hit.
PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE
Indios de Mayaguez 7, Gigantes de Carolina 6
Carolina began this game with a home run from their lead-off batter, and another homer by the batter who led off the 2nd inning. Los Indios caught up with one run in the bottom of the 2nd, then 4 runs in the bottom of the 4th. 1B Jeremy Farrell began that 4th-inning rally when he was hit by a pitch. Two singles drove in Farrell, then a 3-run homer gave Los Indios a 5-2 lead. Each team scored a run in the 5th — Carolina’s was due to a fielding error by Farrell. Los Gigantes made it 6-5 with a single, a triple, and a sacrifice fly in the top of the 7th, then tied the score with a run in the top of the 9th, on a walk, a bunt, a wild pitch, and another sacrifice fly. Former Indy Indian (2002-04) Roberto Giron took the mound for Los Gigantes to begin the bottom of the 9th. Giron got one out, then was replaced. After a second out and a single, Farrell stepped to the plate. He doubled into right field, driving in the runner from first base for the walk-off win.
AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE
Perth Heat 6, Melbourne Aces 1 (Game 1)
1B Aaron Baker had 2 of Perth’s 7 hits and drove in 2 runs in the first game. He hit an RBI single in the top of the 1st, when the Heat scored 3 runs. Baker stole second base and came around to score the third run of the inning on an RBI double. The Heat added a 2-run homer in the 3rd. In the top of the 8th, with a runner on second base and two outs, Baker tripled into center field for another RBI. Melbourne’s only run came on a solo homer in the bottom of the 4th.
Heat 5, Aces 3
Perth also took the second game, holding Melbourne scoreless until the bottom of the 9th. Perth scored their first run in the top of the 1st. With runners on the corners, 1B Aaron Baker struck out, and as the Aces’ catcher threw to second to try to cut down the runner from first trying to steal, the runner on third raced home to score. That was the first of three strikeouts for Baker, though he started a 2-run rally in the 8th with a single up the middle. A pair of doubles brought in Baker and another runner that inning. A fielding error in the bottom of the 9th let the Aces get a rally going, as they scored their three runs with a walk, two singles, and a sacrifice fly.
Canberra Cavalry 9, Adelaide Bite 5
A 5-run 4th inning gave the Cavalry their big push over the Bite. Adelaide had the early lead with 2 runs in the 2nd inning, but the Cavalry tied the score with 2 in the top of the 3rd. Then the Cavalry took advantage of an error along with five singles and a double for 5 runs in the top of the 4th. Adelaide answered with a 3-run homer in the bottom of the frame, but it wasn’t enough. Canberra added insurance runs in the 5th and 9th innings. C Travis Scott went 0-for-5 for the Cavalry, while 1B Calvin Anderson went 1-for-5 with a single in the 7th.
