Left over from late Friday night and early Saturday morning:

AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE

Adelaide Bite  13,  Melbourne Aces 2  (Game 1) --  The Bite continued chomping on the Aces in this 7-inning game.  LF Quincy Latimore got the scoring started for Adelaide in the bottom of the 1st with a 3-run homer that followed a pair of lead-off singles.  The Aces scored one run in the 2nd when two singles and two hit batters forced in a run.  A single, a stolen base, and two ground outs gave Melbourne another run in the 3rd, bringing the score to 3-2.  It was all Adelaide after that.  In the 4th, a single, a balk, and a hit batter put two runners on base, and RBI singles by 3B Stefan Welch and Latimore brought in 2 runs.  The Bite batted around in the 5th to plate 5 runs.  A throwing error, a walk, another balk, an RBI single and a 2 RBI double brought in 3 runs.  At that point, the Melbourne pitcher was ejected from the game.  Latimore reached on a throwing error, which added 2 more runs.  Another 2-RBI double and a sacrifice fly gave the Bite 3 runs in the 6th inning.

Bite   8,  Aces  3  (Game 2)  --  It didn't get any better for Melbourne in the night-cap, though they did post more hits (10).  Adelaide starter Dushan Ruzic scattered 5 hits over the first 6 innings, then gave up one run on a walk, a single, and a sacrifice fly in the 7th.  Two doubles and two singles gave the Aces their other 2 runs in the 8th.  The Bite bats were also quiet for the first three innings, then LF Quincy Latimore started pounding the ball again in the 4th.  His 2-run homer got things started, and the Bite added another run on a double and a single for a 3-0 lead.  Latimore's second homer of the game and third of the day opened the 6th inning.  Then he picked up his fourth RBI of the game in the bottom of the 7th inning.  A walk, a wild pitch, and two throwing errors gave Adelaide one run, then another walk and Latimore's RBI grounder plated the second run of the inning.  Three singles plus a wild pitch and a passed ball added 2 more runs to the Bite's total in the 8th inning, to give the Bite a 4-0 record in the new season. 

Quincy Latimore currently has a .429 average (third best in the league).  He leads the ABL with 3 homers, and teammate Ben Wigmore is next with 2.  Latimore and Wigmore also top the RBI list -- 8 for Latimore and 6 for Wigmore.  Guess who's on top of the SLG list?  Latimore with 1.071 and Wigmore with .933.  OPS?  1.601 for Latimore, 1.404 for Wigmore.  Yes, a very small sample, but we can enjoy it while it lasts.

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MEXICAN PACIFIC LEAGUE

Algondoneros de Guasave  16,  Venados de Mazatlan  1  --  It's the start of deer season in Indiana, and somehow that must have translated down to Mexico.  Guasave posted 21 hits, with each member of the starting line-up collecting at least one hit.  Yurendell de Caster contributed a 3-run homer in Guasave's 6-run 7th inning.  Los Venados scored only one run, which (briefly) tied the score in the 2nd inning.  Rogelios Noris came in as a defensive replacement later in the game, and he had a hit in his only plate appearance. 

Just a few Pirates' players and friends saw winter league action on Friday...

DOMINICAN LEAGUE

Gigantes del Cibao  9,  Toros del Este  4  --  This game was a little home run derby.  Los Toros scored their only runs in the top of the 3rd inning, on a pair of 2-run homers, each one following a double.  SS Pedro Ciriaco tripled in the 4th inning, but did not score.  Mike Dubee pitched the 7th inning for Los Gigantes, and he allowed Los Toros only a walk in the scoreless inning.  Los Gigantes scored one run on a solo homer in the 2nd, then had three solo homers in the bottom of the 3rd.  They also added a run in the 5th and 4 more in the 7th, but without needing the long ball. 

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VENEZUELAN LEAGUE

Navegantes del Magallanes  6,  Tiburones de La Guaira  3  --  Three runs in the top of the 10th broke a 3-3 tie and gave Magallanes the win.  LF Mike Ryan led off the inning with a single up the middle, and he was replaced by a pinch-runner.  Another single and a double drove in two runs, and the third single of the inning brought in the third run.  La Guaira could only manage one single in the bottom of the inning, and Los Navegantes had the win.  Los Navegantes scored their first 2 run in the 6th, when they loaded the bases on a single, a throwing error, and an intentional walk to Ryan.  A single and another error pushed 2 runs across the plate.  A triple and an RBI single gave them one more run in the 7th.  Argenis Diaz came in to pinch run for Los Magallanes in the bottom of the 9th, but did not score.  He remained in the game at shortstop, and struck out in his only plate appearance. 

Bravos de Margarita  3,  Caribes de Anzoategui  1  --  Justin Thomas pitched a hitless but wild 4.1 innings in his start for Los Bravos.  He struck out 4 batters, but walked 5 and was responsible for Los Caribes' only run.  After retiring the side in the top of the 1st, Thomas walked one in the 2nd, but erased him with a double play.  He walked 2 batters in the 3rd and left both on base.  One walk in the 4th, also left on base.  One more walk to lead off the 5th inning, then a fly out, and Thomas was relieved by Renee Cortez.  Cortez gave up another walk and two singles, allowing the runner Thomas had walked to score.  Los Bravos scored 2 runs in the 4th inning on two singles and a double, then added one more in the 7th, on a solo home run by C Henry Blanco. 

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Mesa Solar Sox  2,  Phoenix Desert Dogs  2  (TIE)

Runners left in scoring position was the name of today's game, which ended in a tie after 9 innings.  The Solar Sox did a little better than the Desert Dogs in leaving runners on base -- they collected 6 hits and 3 walks, and left 6 men on base.  Phoenix posted 9 hits and 2 walks, and they left 8 runners on. 

All the scoring happened in the 2nd inning.  The Solar Sox began the fun with a walk by SS Jordy Mercer.  1B Josh Satin (Mets) singled, putting runners on the corners.  C Tim Kennelly (Phillies) brought in Mercer with a sacrifice fly.  After 2B Josh Harrison was hit by a pitch, LF Ryan Flaherty (Cubs) slipped a grounder through the left side for an RBI single, scoring Satin.  Harrison tried to reach third base on the throw, but was tagged out. 

The Desert Dogs tied it up in the bottom of the inning.  Chris Kissock (Phillies) started for the Solar Sox.  He began the bottom of the 2nd by giving up three consecutive hits -- a pair of singles and a ground rule double, which plated one run.  A sacrifice fly brought in the second run to tie the score. 

And then... no more scoring.  The Solar Sox had only one batter reach base over the next six innings.  RF John Tolisano (Blue Jays) lined a single into right field in the 4th inning, then stole second base, but was out trying to steal third.  3B Brandon Wood (Angels) led off the top of the 9th with a single, then DH Tony Sanchez also singled and Tolisano reached with a walk, between a pair of strikeouts (Mercer and CF Kirk Nieuwenhuis).  But a grounder force out ended the inning, leaving 3 runners on base and 2 in scoring position.  Add to that one left on base in the 2nd, and 2 left on (one in scoring position) in the top of the 1st, and that's the Solar Sox' 6 left on.  The Sox were 1-for-4 with runners in scoring position.

Phoenix was more effective in putting runners on base, but not any better at getting them across the plate.  BJ Rosenberg (Phillies) worked around a single and a throwing error in the 3rd, and retired the side in order in the 4th.  Brian Leach pitched a scoreless 5th inning.  He gave up a single and walked a batter, but got out of the inning on a double play started by his Altoona teammates:  2B Harrison to SS Mercer to 1B Satin. 

Three more Solar Sox pitchers kept the Desert Dogs from scoring despite runners on base.  Ryan Brasier (Angels) gave up 2 singles in the 6th, and David Cales (Cubs) gave up a single and a walk in the 8th.  Justin De Fratus only had to work around one runner on base, when he gave up a double in the 9th.  That added up to 8 runners left on for Phoenix, and hitting 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position. 

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Next week will be the final week of Arizona Fall League play.  The last scheduled game will be on Thursday Nov 18th, and the championship game will be played on Saturday Nov 20th.  The Solar Sox have a 13-13 record and are 4 games behind the first place Scottsdale Scorpion in the Eastern division of the AFL.  With 5 games left to play, and assuming no more games ending in a tie, the Solar Sox are not out of it yet, but they'd better get going if they are to make the playoffs. 

Looking in on the Pirates' players and friends in Friday's winter league games....

VENEZUELAN LEAGUE

Bravos de Margarita  3,  Caribes de Anzoategui  1  -- 

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Adelaide Bite  7,  Melbourne Aces  4

LF Quincy Latimore started the 5th-inning rally for the Bite by being hit by a pitch, then scored when DH Ben Wigmore hit his second homer in two games.  The Bite defeated Melbourne for the second time, again taking advantage of Melbourne's errors.

The Aces got out to a better start than in their first game, scoring 3 runs in the top of the 2nd, to take a 3-0 lead.  A walk, a single, and a pair of doubles did the damage.  But the Adelaide starting pitcher Darren Fidge chomped down after that inning, and did not allow another hit over his remaining 6 innings.  He allowed only two batters to reach base, both on walks.  One of those was thrown out trying to steal second base, and the other was picked off first by Fidge.  He retired the last 10 batters he faced, and struck out the side in the 8th (7 total strikeouts).   The Aces had two hits in the 9th, after Fidge was relieved -- a solo homer followed by a single.

The Bite got onto the scoreboard with a pair of runs in the 3rd inning.  A fielding error and a sacrifice bunt put a runner on second base, then an RBI double brought in the first run.  A wild pitch let the runner score from second base.  In the 4th, Wigmore reached base on a fielding error, then two singles loaded the bases.  A walk forced in Wigmore, and an RBI single plated two more runs, to give Adelaide the lead.  Wigmore's homer in the 5th gave the Bite more insurance. 

Latimore went 0-for-3 in his other plate appearances. 

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Two other Pirates' players have been listed as "reassigned" by their Australian teams:  pitcher Rinku Singh was "reassigned" by the Canberra Cavalry, and pitcher Jarryd Sullivan was reassigned by the Sydney Blue Sox.  It sounds like "reassigned" might be a polite term for "cut".  It's not like they have a big minor league system to reassign them to.

Surprise Rafters  6,  Mesa Solar Sox  5

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C Tony Sanchez blasted a pair of home runs for the Solar Sox in their loss to the Rafters on Thursday afternoon in the Arizona Fall League. 

Sanchez's first home run gave Mesa the first lead in the game.  1B Matt Rizzotti (Phillies) led off the 2nd inning with a walk, and DH Josh Vitters (Cubs) followed with a single blooped into left field.  Moments later, Sanchez brought both of them in with his 3-run home run.  Rizzotti added another run in the 4th inning, when he drove in 3B Brandon Wood, who had singled, with an RBI single in the 3rd inning. 

Tyson Brummett pitched 3 scoreless innings in his start for the Solar Sox.  The Sox held their 4-run lead until the bottom of the 5th.  Nicholas Carr (Mets) pitched a perfect 4th inning, but he began the bottom of the 5th with two walks and an RBI double, bringing in two runs.  When the Rafters' runner stole third base, a throwing error by Sanchez let another run score, cutting the Solar Sox' lead to 4-3.  Robert Fish (Angels) relieved Carr to finish the 5th inning without any more runs scoring.  But Fish got into trouble in the 6th, giving up a pair of singles, then a balk, then a 2-RBI single, and the Rafters had the 5-4 lead. 

Eric Niesen pitched a scoreless 7th inning for Mesa, working around back-to-back fielding errors by Wood at third and Rizzotti at first.  The Rafters added an insurance run in the 8th inning, with Jacob Diekman on the mound.  A single, a sacrifice bunt, a stolen base, and a sacrifice fly scored the run.

The Solar Sox threatened in the 6th inning, when Sanchez struck out, but reached second base on a throwing error by the Rafter's C Salvador Perez (Royals) after a wild pitch on strike three by pitcher Blake King (Cardinals).  RF Tim Kennelly (Phillies) singled to second base, and Sanchez, who had rounded third base, was caught in a run-down between third and home, and was tagged out.  The Solar Sox went down in order in the 7th and 8th innings, but Sanchez led off the top of the 9th with his second home run of the game.  2B Josh Satin (Mets) kept the rally going with a single following the home run, and he reached second base on a ground out.  LF Ryan Flaherty (Cubs) walked, but the two were left on base when Wood struck out to end the game. 

Sanchez was the only Pirates' farmhand to get into this game. 

Cheering for Pirates' players and friends in Thursday's winter league action....

PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE

Gigantes de Carolina  5,  Senadores de San Juan  4  --  Los Gigantes plated a run in the bottom of the 11th inning for the walk-off win.  Carolina posted 15 hits, and 3 of those were by LF/RF Luis Matos.  Benji Gonzalez came into the game to pinch-hit in the 8th inning, when he put down a sacrifice bunt in the rally that tied the game and eventually sent it into extra innings.  Gonzalez remained in the game to play second base.  He struck out in his only other plate appearance.   

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VENEZUELAN LEAGUE

Bravos de Margarita  2,  Tigres de Aragua  1  --  A solo home run by Margarita's DH Frank Diaz in the bottom of the 9th gave the win to Los Bravos.  Los Tigres scored their only run in the 6th inning, when C Raul Chavez singled and came around to score on an RBI double.  Margarita tied the score in the 7th with an RBI single.  Chavez had a pair of singles in the game.  LF Lastings Milledge and CF Jorge Cortes each had a single in the game.  1B Hector Gimenez was 0-for-4.  Ronny Cedeno came in to pinch-run for Chavez after his single in the 8th, but did not score.  Miguel Perez took over behind the plate for the rest of the game.  Margarita's Andy LaRoche did not get into the game. 

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