A few Pirates’ players and friends in winter league action:
DOMINICAN LEAGUE
Leones del Escogido 7, Aguilas Cibaenas 1
RF Brandon Moss scored Los Aguilas’ only run, when he singled to lead off the 2nd inning. A fielding error on the play allowed him to move up to second base, and he scored from there on an RBI single. Los Aguilas had only one more hit for the rest of the game. There were two walks in the 6th, including an intentional walk to Moss, but those runners were both left on base, and Los Aguilas went down in order for the rest of the game. Los Leones put runners on base in the early innings but could not get any of them around to score. Then they exploded for 7 runs in the 8th inning, taking advantage of two errors, plus a double, six singles, and two walks.
VENEZUELAN LEAGUE
Tigres de Aragua 3, Aguilas de Zulia 2
1B Hector Gimenez had the hit that made the difference for Los Tigres when he blasted a 3-run homer after two singles in the 4th inning. Los Aguilas scored both of their runs in the 5th inning on two walks and a double. Wil Ledezma pitched to two batters for Los Aguilas. With one on and two out in the 7th inning, Ledezma came on in relief, and got a strikeout to end the inning. He began the 8th inning with another strikeout, and then was relieved. CF Jorge Cortes went 0-for-3 for Los Tigres. C Carlos Maldonado singled for Los Aguilas to begin the bottom of the 6th, but he was erased in a double play.
AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE
Sydney Blue Sox 12, Adelaide Bite 7
The Bite jumped out to an early lead, but couldn’t stand up to a 7-run 4th inning by the Blue Sox. The Bite got started with 3 runs in the top of the 1st. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases, and an RBI single brought in the first run. A passed ball allowed the second run to score, and 1B Calvin Anderson’s RBI ground out added the third run of the inning. Sydney got one run back in the 3rd inning, then burst out with 7 runs in the 4th, on a double, five singles, a walk, and a hit batter. The Blue Sox continued to score, with 4 more runs over the remaining 4 innings. 3B Stefan Welch, who went 3-for-4 in the game, gave the Bite a solo homer in the 5th. The Bite picked up another 3 runs in the 7th inning, when they loaded the bases on a single and two walks. Two RBI singles plated a run each, then Anderson got his second RBI ground out of the day for the Bite’s final run. Welch also doubled in the 3rd inning, singled in the 8th, and walked in the 1st.
Perth Heat 10, Canberra Cavalry 5
The Heat began the game with 6 runs in the top of the 1st, and they never looked back. A 3-run homer, plus a double and three singles gave them the runs. The Cavalry answered with a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the 1st, then they scored 4 runs in the 3rd, bringing the score to 6-5. With two outs, back-to-back singles, followed by back-to-back walks and a double brought in the runs. 1B Travis Scott was the second batter to be walked, driving in a run, then he scored on the bases-clearing double. But that was all the scoring the Cavalry would do, and the Heat added a solo homer in the 4th, and a 2-run homer in the 8th, plus an unearned run on a walk, an error, and a sacrifice fly in the 9th.
