Checking in with Pirates’ players and friends in Saturday’s winter league action:
VENEZUELAN LEAGUE
Aguilas del Zulia 2, Bravos de Margarita 0
Diego Moreno pitched a 1-2-3 inning for Zulia, as Los Aguilas’ pitching staff held Los Bravos to just 4 hits. Los Aguilas scored a run each of the 2nd and the 4th.
Tigres de Aragua 7, Caribes de Anzoategui 6 (Game 1)
Los Tigres were trailing 6-0 going into the top of the last inning, when they exploded for 7 runs to take the lead and the win. Los Caribes began the game with a walk and a 2-run homer, then added 4 more runs over the 4th, 5th, and 6th innings. SS Ronny Cedeno led off the top of the 7th (shortened game, due to the double header) with a single into center field. He scored on a 3-run homer. A walk, a double, and a single brought in the 4th run of the inning. Pinch-hitter Hector Gimenez doubled in the 5th run, then an RBI single tied the score, and a sacrifice fly gave Los Tigres the lead. They held Los Caribes to just one hit in the bottom of the inning to preserve the win. CF Gorkys Hernandez went 0-for-3 for Los Caribes.
Tigres 4, Caribes 1 (Game 2)
1B Hector Gimenez’s 3-run homer in the 4th inning was all Los Tigres needed for the nightcap. CF Jorge Cortes added one more insurance run in the 5th when he walked, moved to second on C Raul Chavez’s sacrifice bunt, and scored on a fielding error. CF Gorkys Hernandez went 1-for-3 for Los Caribes.
DOMINICAN LEAGUE
Aguilas Cibaenas 5, Toros del Este 2
Los Toros were leading 2-1 until the bottom of the 8th inning, when Los Aguilas got busy with a double, a triple, a sacrifice fly, and a 2-run homer by by 3B Audy Ciriaco. Audy went 4-for-4, while his brother, Toros’ SS Pedro Ciriaco, went 0-for-3 in the game.
Estrellas de Oriente 3, Leones del Escogido 2
Jake Fox doubled in two runs in the 4th inning, then scored on an RBI single, posting all 3 of Los Estrellas’ runs in the 4th inning. Fox also doubled to lead off the 6th inning, but was left on base. Los Leones scratched out a run in the top of the 4th, then another in the 5th. 3B Andy Marte contributed a sacrifice bunt to that rally in the 5th, and was hitless in his other two at-bats.
PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE
Criollos de Caguas 3, Indios de Mayaguez 2
Los Criollos tied the score in the bottom of the 8th with a solo homer, then went into the bottom of the 9th with a 2-2 tie. The bottom of the 9th began with a walk, followed by a passed ball and a wild pitch to put the runner on third. Two intentional walks loaded the bases, and a walk-off RBI single gave Los Criollos the win. 3B Jeremy Farrell went 0-for-3 for Los Indios.
AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE
Melbourne Aces 14, Canberra Cavalry 8 (Game 1)
The Aces posted 20 hits and scored in every inning but one, including 7 runs in the 6th inning, easily outrunning the Cavalry. The Cavalry’s 8 runs were not enough to keep up after that 6th inning. 1B Travis Scott walked and scored on a 2-run homer in the 2nd, then doubled and scored in the 4th inning. Canberra scored 3 runs in the 6th, and Scott walked again and again came around to score in that inning. Canberra added two more runs in the bottom of the 7th, courtesy of Scott’s 2-RBI single lined into right field.
Cavalry 4, Aces 1 (Game 2)
Apparently the Aces used up all of their hits and runs in the first game — they had just 5 hits and one run in the second game. The Cavalry scored 2 in the 3rd and one in the 4th, then one more run in the bottom of the 8th after the Aces’ lone run. Travis Scott was behind the plate for this game. He went 0-for-4.
