Just the Venezuelan and Puerto Rican Leagues in action on Tuesday night, with a few Pirates’ players and friends getting in on the fun.
VENEZUELAN LEAGUE
Cardenales del Lara 4, Tigres de Aragua 2
Former Pirate Romulo Sanchez earned the win for Los Cardenales, throwing 2.2 scoreless innings. Sanchez entered the game immediately after Los Tigres scored their 2 runs in the 6th inning, on two singles, a sacrifice fly, and an RBI double. He finished that inning with a ground out and a strikeout, then allowed only a single over the next two innings. SS Ronny Cedeno went 1-for-4 in the game with a single to open the game. 1B Hector Gimenez was hitless in 2 trips to the plate. Lara scored 2 runs in the 2nd inning and 2 more in the 8th to take the win.
Caribes de Anzoategui 2, Aguilas del Zulia 1
Cesar Valdez suffered the loss, despite pitching a 3-hit complete game (8 innings) for Los Aguilas. Valdez retired the first 14 batters he faced, then allowed a single in the 5th inning. He left that runner stranded, then retired the side in order again in the 6th. With one out in the 7th, Valdez surrendered two hits: a single and a 2-run homer, then retired the side again in the 8th. That should have been enough, but Los Aguilas could not give Valdez any run support. Carlos Zambrano made the start for Los Caribes, but was a little wild — 3 walks and 6 hits over 4.1 innings, but just one run allowed. That run came in the 5th, on a double and a single. CF Gorkys Hernandez went 0-for-3 for Los Caribes. C Carlos Maldonado also went 0-for-3 for Los Aguilas, with a walk.
PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE
Criollos de Caguas 4, Leones de Ponce 2
Los Criollos got everything they needed in the bottom of the 1st, when they scored 3 runs. Two walks and a single by former Indy Indian SS Luis Figueroa loaded the bases. A grounder that became a double play allowed one run to score, then Figueroa scored on a 2-run homer. That was all the scoring until the bottom of the 8th, when Figueroa led off with a walk, advanced to third base on a wild pitch, then scored on an RBI single. Los Leones posted 13 hits, and had runners on base in several innings, but only scored in the top of the 9th, on two singles and a 2-RBI double. SS Benji Gonzalez was hitless in 3 plate appearances.
Gigantes de Carolina 12, Indios de Mayaguez 1
Los Gigantes scored 8 runs over the first three innings, including a 2-run triple int he 2nd, and an RBI double and another 2-RBI triple in the 4th. A hit batter and two singles gave Los Indios their run in the bottom of the 4th, but they could not get any further. Carolina added their final run in the 6th on a double and a single. Greg Picart, who had been listed on Los Indios’ roster but had not appeared in a game all season, came into the game as a defensive replacement at shortstop for Los Indios in the top of the 9th. He handled a pop out, then made a throwing error on a grounder, then made the play on the next grounder to end the inning. Picart also got a plate appearance in the bottom of the 9th, but he fell victim to former Indy Indian Roberto Giron, who struck out the side to finish the game for Los Gigantes.
