Hope everyone had a great holiday weekend… Monday brought a quiet night in winter league action. The Dominican League is done with the regular season and awaiting playoffs. The Puerto Rican League is still on holiday break, as is the Australian League. Rogelio Noris continues to get only sporadic playing time with Mazatlan in the Mexican Pacific League. The Venezuelan League had an almost-full schedule, but only one game with a Pirates’ player:
Caribes de Anzoategui 3, Aguilas del Zulia 2
CF Gorkys Hernandez drove in the tying run and then scored the winning run for Los Caribes. Los Caribes struck first, with a solo home run in the bottom of the 1st. Zulia tied the game with their own solo homer in the top of the 3rd, then took a 2-1 lead with another solo homer in the 6th. In the bottom of the 7th, a single, a bunt, and a ground out put a runner on third base and two outs for Hernandez. He popped a single into center field, easily plating the runner from third to tie the score at 2-2. Los Aguilas brought on a new pitcher, and Hernandez quickly stole second base. He scored the go-ahead run on a double into left field. Los Aguilas threatened in the top of the 9th, beginning with a single by former Pirate C Carlos Maldonado. No surprise to Pirate fans, who have seen Maldonado motor around the bases — he was replaced by a pinch-runner. That runner moved to second base on a bunt and to third on a ground out. He was left stranded there when the final out was made with a strikeout.
