Not many winter league playoff games today, but a few player moves: LHP Wil Ledezma had been DFA'ed right before Christmas, and yesterday he was claimed off waivers by the Blue Jays. Both INF Delwyn Young and RHP Brian Bass signed minor league contracts with the Phillies today. Earlier in the week, RHP Joe Martinez, who had also been DFA'ed by the Pirates shortly before Christmas, was traded to the Blue Jays for cash considerations.
VENEZUELAN LEAGUE Leones del Caracas 11, Bravos de Margarita 3 -- Los Leones posted 14 hits, which was enough to make up for their 3 errors. Three singles and a Bravos' fielding error gave Los Leones their first 3 runs in the 2nd inning. In the third, the first six Caracas batters reached base -- a double, two singles, and three walks (including a walk by LF Mike Ryan) -- then a sacrifice fly and another single gave Los Leones 5 runs. A 3-run homer in the 8th capped their scoring. Margarita scored one run in the 6th, with the help of one of those errors. An error by Ryan in left field, plus a walk and two singles (one by C JR House) brought in two more runs in the 9th. Ronald Uviedo earned the win for Caracas, going 6 innings and allowing only the unearned run in the 6th inning, on 3 hits and a walk, with 5 strikeouts.
Caribes de Anzoategui 5, Tigres de Aragua 4 -- New Blue Jay Wil Ledezma came into the game for Los Tigres in the 6th inning with one run in and runners on the corners. Ledezma gave up a single, which broke a 4-4 tie, and eventually gave the win to Los Caribes. Ledezma also retired the side in order in the 7th. Los Caribes started the game with 3 runs in the bottom of the 1st, on a single, a double, an error, and a sacrifice fly. Los Tigres scored one run in the 2nd, when 1B Hector Gimenez walked, then scored on an RBI double. Gimenez added a 2-run homer in the 4th, and another homer in the 5th gave Aragua their 4 runs. LF Lastings Milledge singled and stole second base in the 6th, and advanced to third base on another single, but he got no further. C Raul Chavez went 0-for-3 for Los Tigres.
A few Pirates' players and friends appeared in Wednesday's winter league playoff games:
VENEZUELAN LEAGUE Leones del Caracas 2, Aguilas de Zulia 0 (Game 1)-- Another pitching duel tonight, with each team posting just 5 hits each. Los Leones scored a run in the 6th on a single, a bunt, a ground out, and an RBI single. They added another run in the 7th, on a ground-rule double, a sacrifice bunt by LF Mike Ryan (who was shifted over from Los Navegantes del Magallanes) and an RBI ground out. Jose Ascanio pitched the top of the 8th for Caracas. He gave up a lead-off single, but got the next batter to line into a double play at first base, and another line out ended the inning.
Leones 14, Aguilas 5 (Game 2) -- Oh, that's where all the hits went -- to the second game, with 13 hits for each team. Three Leones' batters collected 3 hits each. C Carlos Maldonado singled twice and walked, scoring twice for Los Leones. LF Mike Ryan also scored twice, with a single and a walk. The 6-run 6th inning pushed Los Leones over the top, and it included 3 walks, a triple, a double, and Maldonado's RBI single.
Tigres de Aragua 4, Bravos de Margarita 1 -- Los Tigres' pitchers held Los Bravos to just 3 hits, and the only Margarita run came on two errors and an RBI single in the 5th. Aragua scored their first run in the 3rd inning on a single and a double. Four singles, including one by 1B Hector Gimenez, brought in 2 runs in the 5th. A single, a stolen base, and an error gave Los Tigres their last run in the 8th inning. LF Lastings Milledge and CF Jorge Cortes also had a single each in the game.
DOMINICAN LEAGUE Estrellas de Oriente 2, Toros del Este 1 -- A double, a bunt, and an RBI single in the top of the 10th broke a 1-1 tie to give Los Estrellas the win. A double, a bunt, and an RBI ground out brought in Los Estrellas' first run in the 6th. A pair of singles around a ground out pushed in a run for Los Toros in the 8th. DH Ronny Paulino singled twice and walked for Los Estrellas, but was out at second base twice and left on base once.
Gigantes del Cibao 9, Leones del Escogido 6 -- CF Rich Thompson is looking like a strong addition to Los Gigantes for their playoff drive. He contributed a single, a double, 2 RBI, and a run in tonight's win. The game began with Thompson's double, and a bunt and a throwing error allowed the speedy Thompson come around to score. A ground out and a wild pitch gave Los Gigantes a second run in the top of the 1st. Los Leones tied the score in the bottom of the inning. Thompson gave Los Gigantes the lead again in the top of the 2nd, with an RBI ground out that followed 3 singles. Escogido took the lead back in the bottom of the frame with 3 runs, for a 5-3 score. Los Gigantes tied the score at 5-5 with two singles and two doubles in the 4th. Then they recaptured the lead in the 5th, scoring 3 runs on a pair of two-out singles and a pair of fielding errors. Thompson drove in Los Gigantes' final run in the top of the 7th, with an RBI single following a double.
Frank Coonelly held his monthly chat on MLB.com this afternoon. You can read the transcript here. Some of the highlights of the chat:
-Coonelly mentions...
The Toronto Blue Jays have claimed relief pitcher Wilfredo Ledezma off of waivers, according to Jennifer Langosch. Ledezma was designated for assignment last week...
Jennifer Langosch has the contract details for Garrett Atkins and Brian Burres.
Atkins will receive an $800,000 salary in the majors. He also has the following...
Jerry Crasnick of ESPN reports that the Pittsburgh Pirates are one of seven teams still interested in left handed starter Jeff Francis. Crasnick lists...
The regular seasons for the Venezuelan, Dominican, Puerto Rican, and Mexican-Pacific winter leagues are all completed. It's been a few weeks since I've done...
Cheering for Pirates' players and friends in winter league playoff games...
DOMINICAN LEAGUE Estrellas de Oriente 9, Gigantes del Cibao 4 -- A pair of 2-run homers in the first two innings got Los Estrellas off to a good start. Three singles added two more runs in the 6th for Los Estrellas. Five singles, including one by Ronny Paulino, and a fielding error by RF Rich Thompson (the second in 2 days) added another 3 runs in the 7th. By then, Los Gigantes were out of it. They scored one run in the 1st on a passed ball, a single, and a sacrifice fly. Los Gigantes rallied for 3 runs in the 8th. A single and a grounder force out left Thompson on first base. He advanced to second base on a fielding error, then scored on an RBI double. Another ground out and a single brought in two more runs.
PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE Senadores de San Juan 2, Gigantes de Carolina 0 -- A pitching duel, with each team held to just 4 hits. 2B Benji Gonzalez and CF Luis Matos hit back-to-back singles in the 5th, and that was the closest Los Gigantes came to scoring. Three of Los Senadores' hits were singles in the 3rd inning, and combined with a sacrifice bunt and a throwing error, that brought in their two runs.
VENEZUELAN LEAGUE Caribes de Anzoategui 7, Bravos de Margarita 1 -- More team-jumping here, this time with reliever Jean Machi and catcher JR House jumping from Los Navegantes del Magallanes to Los Bravos de Margarita (and House had been with Los Gigantes del Cibao in the Dominican League before that). House went 0-for-3 with a walk for Los Bravos. The walk led off the top of the 3rd, but he was left on base. Los Bravos scored their only run in the 5th, on a hit batter, a double, and an RBI ground out. Los Caribes scored all their runs in the first 4 innings -- 2 in the 1st, a 3-run homer in the 2nd, and 2 more in the 4th. Machi came on to pitch for Los Bravos in the 7th, and he worked around a lead-off single, keeping any more runs from scoring.
