Gregory Polanco had his second straight 1-for-4 game, picking up a single. He has hits in seven straight games to start the Dominican League season. Polanco is 12-for-28 with four doubles and three homers.
Luis Sanz allowed one run on one hit and he a hit batter in two innings of work. He also threw a wild pitch. In five innings over four appearances, Sanz has allowed two runs on three hits and two walks.
In Venezuela, Jose Osuna got into his first game since last Friday and he didn’t see much time. He came on as a defensive replacement in the ninth inning and didn’t bat. He has played six games so far, going 2-for-6 with two doubles and two walks.
In Mexico, Ali Solis went 2-for-4 with a double and his first stolen base. Solis struggled at the plate last year in Winter ball in Mexico, but he is now hitting .303 in 33 AB’s.
In the Veracruz League, Carlos Esqueda went 0-for-2, with two walks and a run scored. He is 0-for-15 so far, with three walks and two runs scored.
More Names To Watch
Catcher Francisco Diaz has recently been added to the Bravos de Margarita roster in the Venezuelan League. Diaz spent the entire 2013 season with the West Virginia Power, where he hit .255 in 66 games, with a .683 OPS. The Bravos roster has two other catchers that are familiar to fans that follow the Pirates minor league system. Elias Diaz caught this season with Bradenton and has seen some time behind the plate already this year, while Jairo Marquez is a backup catcher for the team. He caught five year(2007-11) in the Pirates system.
In the Veracruz League in Mexico, Carlos Esqueda is the only Pirates player that has got into action so far, but two more players are on the reserve roster of his team. Esqueda plays for the Rojos de Veracruz, who also have first baseman Carlos Munoz and pitcher Roberto Espinosa on their reserve roster. Munoz had a .914 OPS this season, best among both DSL Pirates teams and fourth best in the entire Dominican Summer League. Espinosa spent most of the season with Jamestown this year, where he had a 2.55 ERA in 24.2 innings, posting a 2.07 GO/AO ratio and a .181 BAA.
