Friday’s Winter League action for Pirates’ players and friends:
DOMINICAN LEAGUE
Tigres del Licey 5, Leones del Escogido 0
3B Andy Marte had one of Los Leones’ 6 hits — a single in the 2nd inning, when Los Leones loaded the bases, but left all three runners stranded. That was the closest Escogido came to scoring in the game. Licey scored 2 runs in both the 2nd and 6th innings, and one more in the 8th.
Estrellas de Oriente 11, Toros del Este 1
Los Toros were held to just 5 hits, and 3 of those were by LF Esteban German. Their only run came in the 4th inning, on a solo homer. 1B Matt Hague went 0-for-3 for Los Toros. Los Estrellas batters poured it on with 12 hits, and took advantage of 3 Toros’ errors. They scored a run in the 3rd on a walk, and two throwing errors on a stolen base. Then they nearly scored again when three walks loaded the bases, but a ground out ended that inning. New Pirate 1B Jake Fox had one of those walks, but was otherwise 0-for-4. Two singles, a throwing error by Hague, and a double brought in 3 runs for Los Estrellas in the 5th inning. Three singles followed by CF Felix Pie’s grand slam, added 4 runs in the bottom of the 8th. Los Estrellas wrapped it up with two walks and a single, then a walk to force in their 11th run in that same inning.
PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE
Indios de Mayaguez 4, Leones de Ponce 0
Los Indios scored 3 runs in the 6th and one in the 9th, and did it with only 5 hits — three in the 6th and a solo homer in the 9th. They allowed Los Leones 5 hits also, but kept them from scoring. 3B Jeremy Farrell went 0-for-3 for Los Indios.
Criollos de Caguas 9, Gigantes de Carolina 7
Nelson Figueroa made his debut with Los Criollos and earned his first win, going 5 innings and striking out 7 batters. He allowed one run on 6 hits and 2 walks. The remainder of Los Gigantes’ runs came off Figueroa’s relief, with 2 runs in the 7th and 4 in the 8th. Those runs were not enough to catch up to Los Criollos, who battered former Indy Indian Cesar Valdez for 6 runs in the first two innings, on 9 hits. Four runs scored on 5 singles and an RBI grounder in the 2nd. They scored 2 more runs in each of the 3rd and 4th innings, and one more in the bottom of the 8th, off another former Indian, Roberto Giron.
VENEZUELAN LEAGUE
Caribes de Anzoategui 4, Tigres de Aragua 3
Former Pirate CF Jonel Pacheco went 3-f0r-3 with a walk for Los Tigres, but it wasn’t enough for Los Tigres to catch up to Los Caribes. Aragua scored one run in each of the 4th, 5th, and 7th innings. SS Ronny Cedeno and 1B Hector Gimenez were both hitless in the game, though Gimenez’s sacrifice fly drove in Los Tigres’ run in the 4th. Los Caribes scored 3 runs in the 5th, when two walks and a single loaded the bases, and a double into left field cleared the bases. They scored what would become the winning run on a solo homer in the 6th. Wil Ledezma took over on the mound after that homer, and finished the inning with a single and two outs. CF Gorkys Hernandez was 0-for-4 for Los Caribes.
Tiburones de La Guaira 11, Aguilas del Zulia 3
New Pirate Shairon Martis earned his second win for Los Tiburones, allowing 2 runs on 6 hits over 5.1 innings. Martis struck out 5 batters and walked one. The first of those runs came on a home run by the first batter of the game, and the second came on a homer to lead off the 5th. Martis got plenty of run support, including a 6-run 3rd inning.
AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE
Melbourne Aces 7, Canberra Cavalry 6
Canberra had a 5-3 going into the 8th inning. The Aces tied the score with a solo home run in the top of the 8th, and bases-loaded RBI ground out in the top of the 9th. 1B Travis Scott, who had been 0-for-4 for the Cavalry singled with two outs in the bottom of the 9th, but could not come around to score, sending the game into extras. Neither team could capitalize on scoring chances in the 10th or 11th innings, but Melbourne took the lead in the top of the 12th with 2 runs. Scott led off the bottom of the 12th with a single up the middle, and advanced to second base on a wild pitch. A walk and a bunt gave the Cavalry two runners in scoring position, and another walk loaded the bases. The next batter grounded to second, but the Aces could not turn two, allowing Scott to score from third base. But that was all the Cavalry could manage, as the next batter tapped back to the mound to end the game with the Cavalry one run short.
Sydney Blue Sox 5, Adelaide Bite 0 (Game 1)
Former Altoona Curve Paul Mildren made the start for the Bite, and pitched well for the first 7 of his 8 innings. He gave up a run on two doubles in the 2nd inning, then scattered 5 more hits over the 6 innings. Then in the top of the 8th, Mildren surrendered two solo home runs. He was relieved for the final inning, when Sydney scored two more runs. Meanwhile, Mildren was not getting any run support — the Bite were held to just 3 hits, and those came in the first two innings. After back-to-back singles to open the 2nd, 19 Bite batters were retired in order. The only Bite batters to reach base after the 2nd inning came on a walk in the 8th and when 1B Calvin Anderson reached base on a fielding error in the 9th.
Bite 4, Blue Sox 2
The Bite came back in the second game, scoring 4 runs over the three middle innings. Two walks and a double brought in their first run in the 4th. One more runner was out at home on the throw in from center on the double. Calvin Anderson drove in the winning run with a 2-run homer in the 5th, and another homer in the 6th gave the Bite an insurance run in the 6th. Sydney scored their only runs in the top of the 2nd. Ryan Beckman earned his second save with two scoreless innings. He hit two batters in the 8th, and gave up a single in the 9th, but struck out 4 batters. Anderson also walked in the 3rd inning and singled in the 7th.
