Winter league action for the Pirates’ players and friends on Saturday night (or Sunday afternoon, for the Aussies)
MEXICAN PACIFIC LEAGUE
Mayos de Navojoa 2, Venados de Mazatlan 1
Rogelio Noris got back into a game for Los Venados after a few days off. Los Mayos scored 2 runs in the 7th inning, aided by a throwing error Mazatlan. Los Venados scored their only run with two outs in the bottom of the 8th. C Miguel Ojeda doubled, then Noris came on to pinch hit, driving in Ojeda with an RBI double. But that was all Los Venados could get that inning, and they went down in order in the 9th.
VENEZUELAN LEAGUE
Caribes de Anzoategui 2, Cardenales de Lara 1
Los Caribes scored first, with a run on a double and a single in the 3rd inning. Los Cardenales tied the score in the 6th, with a single, a bunt, and an RBI single. Los Caribes threatened to break the tie in the 7th, when Dmitri Young led off with a walk. Gorkys Hernandez entered the game to pinch-run for Young. A bunt moved Hernandez to second base, and a walk and a single loaded the bases. All three were left on base, though, when a fly out ended the inning. Hernandez remained in the game in center field. He struck out to end the top of the 8th, leaving the score still tied. Los Caribes broke the tie in the top of the 9th, with another single-bunt-single combination. They held off Lara in the bottom of the 9th to take the win.
Bravos de Margarita 12, Leones del Caracas 7
Caracas might have thought they were kings of the jungle with a 5-run 2nd inning, as they sent 10 batters to the plate. But Los Bravos tied it up with a solo homer in the 3rd and 4 runs in the 5th, also sending 10 batters to the plate. Then they added their own 5-run inning in the 6th, as they batted around again. Ramon Cabrera pinch-hit in the 8th inning, but flied out. A walk and three singles added another 2 runs to Los Bravos’ total in the top of the 9th, and a 2-run homer boosted Los Leones in the bottom of the 9th.
DOMINICAN LEAGUE
Gigantes del Cibao 8, Toros del Este 3
A 6-run 6th inning let Los Gigantes roar past Los Toros. Los Toros had taken an early lead with 3 runs in the bottom of the 1st, with a batter reaching on two throwing errors, an RBI single by Matt Hague, a hit batter, and a 2-RBI double. Hague singled again in the 5th inning, but was left on base. Tim Wood pitched a scoreless 7th inning for Los Toros, allowing one single.
Aguilas Cibaenas 5, Leones del Escogido 2
Starling Marte is still out with a groin pull, but Andy Marte got into the game as a late-inning defensive replacement at third base for Los Leones. Los Leones scored one run in the 1st and another in the 5th with a solo homer. Los Aguilas had a homer in the 4th, then scored 3 runs in the 6th. Another home run added the final run in the 8th. Andy Marte got one plate appearance, but struck out in the 9th inning.
PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE
Criollos de Caguas 2, Leones de Ponce 0
Each team posted just 3 hits in the game. Former Indy Indian SS Luis Figueroa was the best hitter in the game — he singled, doubled, and walked, and scored both runs for Caguas. The single came in the 4th, but Figueroa was left on base. In the 7th, he led off with a walk, then another walk and an RBI single brought him around to score. Then in the top of the 9th, the shortstop blasted a solo home run to give Caguas an insurance run. Benji Gonzalez came in as a defensive replacement at second base for Los Leones in the 9th. He got neither a fielding opportunity nor a plate appearance.
Indios de Mayaguez 7, Gigantes de Carolina 2
Los Indios scored in four consecutive innings, including a 3-run 3rd inning to overcome Los Gigantes. 3B Jeremy Farrell drove in Los Indios’ final run with the third of four straight singles in the 8th.
AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE
Perth Heat 7, Adelaide Bite 4 (Game 1)
The Heat poured on their heat by scoring in their last four innings at the plate. Former Pirate farmhand 1B Aaron Baker walked and scored for the Heat in the bottom of the 4th. He hit his first Australian League home run in the 5th — the second home run of the inning. 1B Calvin Anderson went 0-for-3 for the Bite.
Heat 3, Bite 2 (Game 2)
The Heat also took the nightcap. Anderson again went 0-for-3 for the Bite, and Baker did the same for the Heat. Former Altoona Curve Paul Mildren made the start for the Bite, pitching 5 innings. He allowed 2 runs on 5 hits and 2 walks, with 5 strikeouts. The two runs came on two solo homers by the Heat, in the bottom of the 1st and 3rd innings. The Bite scored a run on a single and a double in the 2nd inning, then tied the score again in the top of the 7th (these were both 7-inning games) with a solo home run. But the Heat got the walk-off win in the bottom of the 7th on a single, a bunt, a walk, and an RBI single.
Brisbane Bandits 9, Canberra Cavalry 6
Four errors by the Calvary aided the Bandits with the win. Both teams scored in four consecutive innings, but the Bandits had more innings with crooked numbers — 3 in the 3rd, one in the 4th, 2 in both the 5th and 6th, and then one more in the 8th. C Travis Scott singled in the 5th inning, contributing to a one-run rally for the Calvary.
