In Venezuela on Saturday, there were two doubleheaders, each involving three players from the Pirates. Jose Osuna went 0-for-3 with a walk and run scored in game one, then went 1-for-3 with a double, run scored and an RBI in game two. He played left field in both games. Osuna is hitting .333/.398/.500 through 49 games.
Elias Diaz caught game two and went 1-for-3 with a single. His work on defense continues to impress, as he caught seven shutout innings and he’s still allowed just two steals(in six attempts) in 18 games. A week ago, a stat came out that when Diaz was behind the plate, his team’s ERA was nearly half(2.44 vs 4.86) of the other catchers on the team combined.
Gorkys Hernandez went 1-for-2 with a double, walk and run scored in game one, followed by an 0-for-2 with a walk in the second game. He also picked up an outfield assist.
Elvis Escobar got a rare start in game one of a doubleheader and went 0-for-3, reaching once on an error. In game two, he came on as a pinch-runner in the eighth inning. He did not remain in the game after the inning was over. In 19 games this winter, Escobar is 5-for-15 at the plate, with two doubles, a walk and two stolen bases.
Wilfredo Boscan pitched game one of the doubleheader against Escobar and got him to ground into a double play and pop out to shortstop. Boscan threw 5.2 shutout innings, allowing one hit and two walks. He struck out two and hit a batter. In his previous start, he threw seven scoreless innings, shutting down Elias Diaz and Jose Osuna that game.
Jhondaniel Medina lost game two of the doubleheader, allowing a hit and two walks, without recording an out. The winning run scored one batter after Medina left, when the reliever hit a batter with the bases loaded. The run was just the second earned run Medina has allowed this winter. The two teams combined to use 21 pitchers in game two of the doubleheader, which lasted ten innings and over four hours.
In the Dominican, Gustavo Nunez was the only player of note. He went 1-for-4 with a double and a walk. The double was his second extra-base hit in two days, after going 26 games without one to start the season.
In Puerto Rico, Danny Ortiz went 3-for-4, with two runs, two RBIs and a walk. It was his best game of the winter, though his team scored 15 runs and reached base 25 times, so almost everyone in the lineup did well. Ortiz is now hitting .195/.290/.218 in 27 games.
In Australia, Sam Kennelly started at shortstop and went 0-for-3 with a strikeout. He is hitting .196/.241/.235 through 14 games. Kennelly has started at shortstop, second base and third base this winter, after spending most of his time during the regular season at first base.
In Mexico, Carlos Munoz went 1-for-4 with a single and run scored. He is hitting .271/.374/.436 in 42 games and hasn’t had an extra-base hit in over two weeks.
Sebastian Valle entered the game in the eighth inning on defense and couldn’t drop down a sacrifice bunt in his only at-bat. He was facing Daniel Moskos…yes, that Daniel Moskos, who picked up his seventh save.
