Pirates’ players and friends in winter league action on Friday and early Saturday:
VENEZUELAN LEAGUE
Tiburones de La Guaira 8, Caribes de Anzoategui 4
A pair of 4-run innings gave the win to Los Tiburones. New Pirate Shairon Martis made the start for Los Tiburones, pitching 4 innings. He gave up 2 runs in the 2nd inning, on three singles and a walk. CF Gorkys Hernandez drove in the second run with his RBI single. A fielding error, a double, and two sacrifice flies brought in two unearned runs in the 4th. Hernandez hit the second of the sacrifice flies. After Martis was relieved to begin the 5th, Los Tiburones went on to score 4 runs on an RBI single and a 3-run homer in the 6th, tying the score. They took the win in the 7th, with two walks, two doubles, and a sacrifice fly.
Aguilas del Zulia 9, Tigres de Aragua 1
Los Aguilas poured it on with 15 hits on their way to 9 runs, including 3 runs in the 3rd and 4 runs in the 8th. Former Pirate C Carlos Maldonado went 3-for-4 with a double and two singles, and scored two runs for Los Aguilas. LF Jorge Cortes scored the only run for Los Tigres, after he doubled in the 5th inning. SS Ronny Cedeno and 1B Hector Gimenez both went 0-for-4, and RF Jonel Pacheco went 1-for-3 with a single. Wil Ledezma pitched 2 scoreless innings for Los Tigres, allowing 2 runs.
DOMINICAN LEAGUE
Leones del Escogido 7, Aguilas Cibaenas 6
Los Leones came from behind with 3 runs in each of the last two innings for the win. Each team scored one run in the early innings, then Los Aguilas scored 5 runs in the top of the 7th, including a 3-run homer. Los Leones went into the bottom of the 8th trailing 6-0. Five singles brought in 3 runs for Los Leones; CF Starling Marte had the third of those singles, and came around to scored on the last single. In the bottom of the 9th, Los Leones loaded the bases with a single, a walk, and a hit batter. A single drove in two runs to tie the score, then Marte was intentionally walked to load the bases again. A sacrifice fly drove in the batter from third for the walk-off win.
Gigantes del Cibao 8, Toros del Este 2
Former Pirate C Robinzon Diaz also went 3-for-5 with a double and two singles, and 2 RBI for Los Gigantes. He began Los Gigantes’ 2nd inning rally with the double, then scored when the next batter tripled. After a double in the 3rd, Diaz grounded up the middle for an RBI single, and another single drove in Diaz. His third single and second RBI came in the bottom of the 6th, when Los Gigantes scored 4 runs. Los Toros’ only runs came in the 6th on a triple and two doubles. SS Pedro Ciriaco was hitting lead-off for Los Toros. He singled to open the game, and was hit by a pitch in the 7th inning.
Estrellas de Oriente 2, Tigres del Licey 1
SS Yamaico Navarro went 0-for-3 for Los Tigres, who scored their only run on two walks and an RBI single in the 3rd inning. Los Estrellas did their scoring in the 5th on two doubles and a sacrifice fly. C Dusty Brown contributed a sacrifice bunt in the rally. Brown and LF Jake Fox both walked in the 2nd inning but neither had a hit in the game.
AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE
Sydney Blue Sox 7, Canberra Cavalry 0
C/1B Travis Scott had one of only 6 hits for the Cavalry, who could not get much going in this game. The Blue Sox had a big inning in the 7th, when they scored 4 runs.
Adelaide Bite 4, Brisbane Bandits 2
The Bite were out-hit by the Bandits 6-5, but they used their hits efficiently. In the third, with two outs, a single and a walk gave Adelaide two base runners, and a double by CF Denny Almonte (Mariners) brought both runners in. 1B Calvin Anderson followed with a single into center to score Almonte. A walk and a ground out in the 6th put a runner on second base, and another RBI single drove that runner in with the Bite’s final run. The Bandits scored one run in the 2nd and one in the 4th. They threatened again in the 6th, and after two walks and a wild pitch by starter Ryohei Isaka, Rinku Singh came on in relief. With runners on the corners and two outs, Singh got a ground out to end the inning. He retired the next 6 batters in order, including two strikeouts in each inning.
