The Pittsburgh Pirates have traded Joe Martinez to the Cleveland Indians for cash considerations, according to Jennifer Langosch. Jordan Bastian adds that the Pirates...
The Pirates got the new year started by signing Brian Burres to a minor league contract. He will be at the major league spring training camp, competing for a position on the big league club.
The Caribbean winter leagues continue their playoffs, and we continue to cheer for the Pirates' players and friends who are involved...
DOMINICAN LEAGUE Toros del Este 8, Gigantes del Cibao 1 -- Los Gigantes scored a run on two singles and a throwing error in the 1st inning. After that, it was all Los Toros. Los Toros scored 2 in the 4th, 4 in the 7th, and 2 in the 8th, as they posted a total of 14 hits. RF Rich Thompson singled for Los Gigantes in the 2nd inning, and he made a fielding error in the 4th.
Leones del Escogido 3, Estrellas de Oriente 0 -- Los Estrellas recorded 5 hits, including a pair of singles by DH Ronny Paulino, but could not push any of their runners across the plate. Los Leones had just 4 hits. They used one, plus a hit batter and a fielding error, to score one run in the 5th. Two more runs came in in the 6th inning, on a pair of walks, a sacrifice bunt, a balk, and a fielder's choice.
PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE Senadores de San Juan 4, Criollos de Caguas 1 -- Los Senadores' 3-run 7th inning broke a 1-1 tie and earned them the win. A single, two doubles, and three walks were responsible for the 3 runs. Neither SS Luis Figueroa nor 3B Ramon Vazquez had a hit for Los Criollos.
Gigantes de Carolina 9, Leones de Ponce 8 -- Finally, in the bottom of the 15th, a walk and two singles gave Los Gigantes the winning run. Los Leones were leading 8-5 going into the bottom of the 9th. Ponce reliever RJ Rodriguez had gotten out of a bases-loaded jam in the 8th with two pop outs. He started the 9th with two ground outs, then gave up a single and a wild pitch, putting a runner on third base. A double drove in that runner, then a walk and two singles tied the score, sending the game into extras, and putting Rodriguez on the hook for a Blown Save. Each team had at least one runner on base in each of the next three innings, and Los Gigantes collected 3 walks to load the bases in the 11th, but no one scored. Both teams went down in order in the 13th, then both teams continued to put runners on base, until Los Gigantes finished it off in the 15th. Benji Gonzalez pinch-ran for Los Gigantes in the 8th, but was left on base. He played second base for an inning, then was lifted for a pinch-hitter.
Spring Training doesn't start until the middle of February, but the Pittsburgh Pirates are already getting their roster ready with minor league contracts and...
The Pittsburgh Pirates have re-signed left handed pitcher Brian Burres to a minor league contract with an invite to Spring Training, according to Jennifer...
Cheering for the Pirates' players and friends in Sunday's winter league play...
PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE (playoffs) Criollos de Caguas 5, Gigantes de Carolina 0 -- Caguas' starter Dylan Owen (Mets) pitched 7 no-hit innings, and two relievers finished the deal with a string of 6 consecutive ground outs. Owen walked 2 Carolina batters, one to lead off the 2nd, and one to lead off the 7th. Los Criollos scored one run in the 4th. The bottom of the 5th began with a walk by 3B Ramon Vazquez, then a bunt and a throwing error put runners on the corners, and a walk loaded the bases. SS Luis Figueroa bounced into a double play, but that let Vazquez score from third base. Two RBI singles brought in two more runs. A walk and two throwing errors (5 total errors for Los Gigantes) gave Caguas their final run in the 7th.
Leones de Ponce 5, Senadores de San Juan 4 -- Los Leones were leading 4-2 going into the top of the 8th, which opened with a walk. Los Leones brought in RJ Rodriguez to pitch, but he gave up a walk and made a throwing error, with allowed a run to come in. A hit batter and an RBI grounder tied the score, and Rodriguez was charged with a Blown Save. Rodriguez retired the side on three ground outs in the top of the 9th, and in the bottom of the 9th, he was saved. A hit batter, a double, and a walk-off single gave Ponce and Rodriguez the win.
DOMINICAN LEAGUE (playoffs) Estrellas de Oriente 2, Leones del Escogido 1 -- Not a lot of hits in this game either. Los Leones were held to 3 hits, and scored one run in the 1st, on a single a walk, and a wild pitch. Los Estrellas tied the score with a solo homer in the 3rd. They took the lead in the 6th on back-to-back doubles, the first by DH Ronny Paulino. Franquelis Osoria pitched to one batter in the 4th for Los Estrellas. He threw a wild pitch, but got a strikeout.
The Mexican Pacific League started their playoffs on New Years' Day. Los Tomateros De Culiacan beat Los Venados de Mazatlan 4-3, and Rogelios Noris did not get into the game. It took 11 innings for Los Caneros de Los Mochis to beat Los Algodoneros de Guasave 7-6. Yurendell de Caster singled in a run for Guasave in the 6th. More playoff games, including Puerto Rican and Dominican games, on Sunday.
AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE Adelaide Bite 12, Canberra Cavalry 1 -- This game ended after the top of the 7th, with the Bite ahead by more than 10 runs (international rules). The Cavalry started off well, with a run in the top of the 1st on an error and an RBI double. But that was the only hit and the only run they would get. Bite starter Darren Fidge pitched 5 innings and struck out 7 batters, while allowing the one run, one hit, and one walk. Two relievers each pitched a perfect inning. The Bite started scoring in the bottom of the 1st, loading the bases with a single and two walks. Quincy Latimore, in center field today, struck out swinging, but strike three was a wild pitch, which allowed the runner from third base to score. An RBI ground out brought in a second run. The Bite powered up in the 4th inning, with three home runs -- a solo homer, a double followed by a 2-run homer, and a batter reaching on an error, followed by another 2-run homer. Latimore also walked in that inning, after all the homers, but was left on base. The Cavalry changed pitchers, bringing Rinku Singh on to pitch the 5th inning, but he did not have much better luck. A single, a walk, and another single loaded the bases. An RBI single and an RBI ground out drove in one run each, and another came in on a throwing error. Latimore also grounded out to drive in a run, and Singh was charged with 4 runs (3 earned) on 3 hits and 2 walks. The Cavalry tried another pitcher for the bottom of the 6th, and he got one out, then walked three consecutive batters. A wild pitch must have bounced just right, because the Cavalry catcher and pitcher were able to tag the runner from third out at the plate. They were not as lucky with the next wild pitch, as the Bite scored their final run.
Sydney Blue Sox 10, Perth Heat 3 -- The Blue Sox took an early lead with 4 runs in the 1st and 3 runs in the 2nd. Then they added 2 more in the 5th and one in the 6th. Perth scratched out a run in the 5th and 2 runs in the 6th. Jarryd Sullivan pitched the bottom of the 9th for the Blue Sox. He walked the first batter of the inning, then got a grounder force out, a strikeout, and a fly out to end the game.
Happy New Year! The Australians have started the new year with some baseball, early Saturday morning for the rest of us. The Caribbean leagues will be in playoff mode now. The Dominicans have already started their round robin style playoff tournament. The Mexican Pacific League begins their playoffs tonight, and the rest will be in action on Sunday.
Adelaide Bite 5, Canberra Cavalry 2 -- Not a lot of hits for either team. The Cavalry had 6 hits, and two of them were solo home runs, one in the 7th and one in the 8th inning. That was all of their scoring. The Bite needed only 2 of their 5 hits to score 5 runs in the 7th. The inning began with a walk and a hit batter. A sacrifice bunt moved the runners into scoring position, and an RBI ground out brought in the first Bite run. A pair of walks loaded the bases, and the Cavalry changed pitchers. But the new pitcher walked LF Quincy Latimore to force in the second run of the inning. Two singles drove in 3 more runs, and the Bite had all they needed. Latimore also singled in the 4th and stole second base, then walked in the 6th. Jackson Lodge pitched the top of the 9th for the Bite, and gave up a single, while striking out two batters, to earn his first save.
Just in case you were wondering for the new year.... 96 days until the Indy Indians (and the rest of the minor leagues') Opening Day.
