Pirates’ players and friends in Wednesday’s winter league action:
PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE
Criollos de Caguas 6, Leones de Ponce 2
SS Benji Gonzalez doubled with two out and one on in the 4th inning for Los Leones, and a subsequent RBI single accounted for all of Los Leones’ runs. Los Criollos had scored on a pair of doubles in the 2nd inning and a triple by former Indy Indian SS Luis Figueroa, followed by a double, in the 3rd. Los Criollos broke the tie and earned the win in the 7th inning, sparked by a Ponce error, a single, and a double.
VENEZUELAN LEAGUE
Caribes de Anzoategui 3, Tiburones de La Guaira 0
Los Tiburones were held to just 4 hits in the shutout. Los Caribes scored on three solo home runs — one blast in the 2nd inning, and back-to-back homers in the 6th. CF Gorkys Hernandez went 0-for-3 for Los Caribes.
Leones del Caracas 5, Tigres de Aragua 1
All the scoring that mattered in this game happened in the 1st inning. Los Tigres scored their only run on a single, two wild pitches, and a sacrifice fly. Los Leones answered with a triple and two singles, and had the help of two errors, including one by 1B Hector Gimenez, to plate 3 runs. They added a run in both the 3rd and the 5th. Gimenez and LF Lastings Milledge each had a hit for Los Tigres, who managed only 4 hits in the game. Wil Ledezma came on in relief for Aragua in the bottom of the 6th, with two out and a runner on first base. He ended the inning by picking the runner off first, then pitched a perfect 7th inning. Corey Wimberly was a late-inning defensive replacement in left field for Caracas, but did not get a plate appearance.
DOMINICAN LEAGUE
Gigantes del Cibao 6, Estrellas de Oriente 3
Los Estrellas scored all three of their runs in the bottom of the 1st, on an RBI double and a 2-RBI single. LF Jake Fox contributed a walk in that rally. Los Gigantes tied the score with a single run in each of the first two innings, followed by 2 runs in the 4th and one more in the 7th. Former Pirate C Robinzon Diaz singled twice, coming around to score in the 4th. Another former Pirate, reliever Juan Perez, earned his 3rd save with a 1-2-3 inning in the 9th.
Leones del Escogido 9, Toros del Este 6
On the day that he was DFA’ed, SS Pedro Ciriaco contributed 2 singles and an RBI for Los Toros. He led off the game with a walk, and scored the first of Los Toros’ 4 runs in the top of the 1st. 1B Matt Hague also walked and scored in that inning, and walked again in the 2nd inning (one run) rally. Ciriaco also singled and stole third base in the 2nd, but was out at the plate in a fielder’s choice. Ciriaco drove in Los Toros’ final run with an RBI single in the top of the 8th. But Los Toros could not answer when Los Leones sent 11 batters to the plate and scored 6 runs in the bottom of the 6th. CF Starling Marte contributed a sacrifice fly for Los Leones in that inning. Marte also singled in the 8th but did not score.
MEXICAN PACIFIC LEAGUE
Naranjeros de Hermosillo 4, Venados de Mazatlan 1
RF Rogelio Noris batted lead-off for Mazatlan, and contributed a double in the 8th inning. Los Venados scored their run in the 2nd, with a walk and a triple. Los Naranjeros answered with a single, a pair of RBI doubles, and a 2-run homer in the 4th, and that was all the scoring they needed.
AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE
Adelaide Bite 4, Canberra Cavalry 1
1B Calvin Anderson doubled in the Bite’s final run in the 8th inning, and he also started their 4th inning rally with a single up the middle. The Bite also scored 2 runs in the 2nd inning on a hit batter, a walk, an RBI ground out and an RBI double. Canberra’s only run came in the 4th inning on a solo home run by C Travis Scott. Ryan Beckman earned his 4th Save for the Bite with a scoreless 9th inning.
Perth Heat 3, Brisbane 2
The Heat scored one run in each of the first three innings, including a solo homer by 1B Aaron Baker in the 2nd inning. Baker also doubled to begin the 7th inning, but was out at third on a fielder’s choice. Brisbane scored two unearned runs in the 5th inning.
