Cheering for Pirates' players and friends in the Winter Leagues on Thursday...

DOMINICAN LEAGUE

Tigres del Licey� 6,� Gigantes del Cibao� 3 -- C Robinzon Diaz singled and doubled, and Indy area native 1B Jake Fox went 3-for-3 with 3 RBI as Licey posted 14 hits.� Licey scored one run in the 2nd, and another run in the 3rd (including a single by Fox).� Fox also hit the second of two doubles in the 7th inning, giving Los Tigres another run.� Licey plated 3 runs in the 8th, on four singles, including one by Diaz, a hit batter, and Fox's sacrifice fly.� Diaz's double came in the 9th inning.

Estrellas de Oriente� 6,� Aguilas Cibaenas� 3� -- CF Starling Marte went 0-for-4 as Los Aguilas were held to just 4 hits.� They scored one run in the 7th inning when a bases-loaded walk forced in a run.� That inning ended when Los Estrellas' Franquelis Osoria got pinch-hitter Luke Carlin to ground out.� A double added 2 runs for Los Aguilas in the 8th, but it wasn't enough to catch up the Los Estrellas.

Leones del Escogido� 4,� Toros del Este 3� -- Los Toros scored their runs all in the 5th inning, on an RBI double and a 2-run homer.� Escogido caught up with 2 runs in the 7th and one mor in the 8th to tie the score.� In the bottom of the 9th, two singles and a sacrifice fly by SS Pedro Lopez brought in the winning run.� Lopez had only a walk in his previous 3 plate appearances for Los Leones.� Jason Jaramillo singled in the 6th for Los Toros, but he was out on an unusual double play -- the runner who had been on first base was thrown out at third on the throw in from right field, and when Jaramillo tried to get to second on the throw, he was also thrown out.� Jaramillo also walked in the 9th inning.

Mesa Solar Sox� 7,� Scottsdale Scorpions� 6

Rematch:� Brian Leach vs. Bryce Harper --� strikeout.� Way to go, Brian.

The Scorpions jumped out to an early lead this afternoon in the Arizona Fall League, but the Solar Sox did not give up -- they chipped away at the lead for a come-from-behind win.� RF Andrew Lambo and 2B Josh Harrison combined for 4 hits, with Harrison's 3 hits further boosting his average to .333.

Mesa starter Robert Carson (Mets) zipped through the first inning, but ran into trouble in the 2nd, when the first four batters reached base safely:� a walk and three consecutive singles.� That brought in two runs and left runners on the corners.� Scorpions' RF Harper (Nationals) struck out. � The next batter lined out, and the Solar Sox tried to catch the runner from first off base, but he was safe at second, and the runner from third scored.� A single scored the runner from second, and a home run by CF Charles Blackmon (Rockies) brought in the 5th and 6th runs of the inning.� Carson was relieved by David Cales (Cubs), who ended the inning with a fly out.

The Solar Sox started their comeback in the bottom of the inning.� Harrison led off with a double, and he scored on LF Kirk Nieuwenhuis' triple.� Nieuwenhuis tried to tag up and score on a fly out, but he was thrown out at the plate.

Mesa took a big step forward in the 5th, when they began the inning with 4 straight hits. 1B Joshua Satin (Mets) singled, C Tim Kennelly (Phillies) and SS Andrew Romine (Angels) both doubled, and CF Brett Jackson (Cubs) also singled, and 3 runs came in.� Jackson stole second base, then scored on DH Matt Rizzotti's (Phillies) single.� Two strikeouts (one by Harrison) and Lambo's fly out ended the inning, but the Solar Sox had come within one run of the Scorpions, 6-5.

Cales pitched a scoreless 3rd inning for Mesa.� Chris Carpenter (Cubs) retired the side in order in the 4th, then got out of a jam (double and walk) with a timely double play in the 5th.

Brian Leach took the mound for the Solar Sox to begin the 6th.� He gave up a one-out bunt single, then Bryce Harper came to the plate.� Leach struck him out on three pitches -- foul, foul, and swinging strike.� A fly out ended the inning.

Kyle Smit (Cubs), Justin De Fratus (Phillies), and Chris Kissock (Phillies) each pitched a scoreless inning to finish it up for the Solar Sox.� De Fratus walked the only Scottsdale batter to reach base over those three innings.

The Solar Sox rallied again in the bottom of the 7th.� With two outs, Lambo and Harrison hit back-to-back doubles, driving in Lambo with the tying run.� Then Nieuwenhuis lined a single in to right field, and Harrison raced around from second base to score the winning run.

Leach has now pitched in 5 games for the Solar Sox, for a total of 5 innings.� He has given up 8 hits and 5 runs, but all of those runs have been unearned.� He has walked one batter and struck out three.

Wednesday's winter league games with Pirates' players and friends...

�

VENZUELAN LEAGUE

Bravos de Margarita� 6,� Leones del Caracas� 4 -- Margarita starter Justin Thomas gave up 2 runs in the 2nd inning on a walk and a home run.� He zipped through the 3rd inning, then allowed a single and a walk in the 4th before being relieved, though both of those runners were left stranded.� Caracas scored 2 more runs in the 5th on three walks, a single, and an error.� Los Bravos had been scoreless for the first 4 innings, then exploded for 6 runs in the bottom of the 5th.� 3B Andy LaRoche followed a lead-off single with an RBI double.� Three consecutive walks by a new Caracas pitcher forced in LaRoche with the second run of the inning, leaving the bases loaded.� Another new Caracas pitcher was greeted by LF Frank Diaz's grand slam, to give Margarita a 6-4 lead.� Former Pirate farmhand Ronald Belisario pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the 9th to earn the save.

Navegantes del Magallanes� 2,� Cardinales de Lara� 1 -- Los Cardenales were held to just 4 hits in this game, while Los Navegantes posted 11 hits.� Magallanes scored their first run in the 3rd inning, on an RBI single by 1B Mark Trumbo (Angels).� Their starter Anthony Lerew (Royals) pitched 6 innings and allowed the 4 hits, one of which was a solo home run in the 6th inning, to tie the score and make Lerew ineligible for the win.� Corey Hamman came on in relief, and pitched a perfect 7th inning.� Jean Machi followed with a perfect 8th, and Yoel Hernandez retired the side in order in the 9th.� In the top of the 8th, DH Mike Ryan broke the tie with a solo home run, which became the game-winner.� That gave Hamman the win and Hernandez his 2nd save.� Ryan went 3-for-4 in the game, raising his batting average to .389.� SS Argenis Diaz went 1-for-4 for Magallanes.

Caribes de Anzoategui� 3,� Tigres de Aragua� 2� --� Brian Bass gave up 2 runs on 2 hits in his start for Los Tigres, and he was lucky that it wasn't more runs, because he walked 5 batters.� He gave a free pass to 2 batters in each of the 1st and 2nd innings, and both times left them on base.� In the 3rd, he gave up a 2-out walk, and the next batter smacked a 2-run homer.� He gave up a single in the 5th, and was relieved after getting a ground out.� Aragua tied the game in the 5th inning when former Indy Indian LF Jorge Cortes walked, then a hit batter and a ground out pushed Cortes to third.� he scored on an RBI single.� The score remained tied until the bottom of the 10th, when Los Caribes got a lead-off single.� Adenson Chourio came in as a pinch-runner, and he stole second base.� A walk-off double plated Chourio with the winning run.� 1B Hector Gimenez singled and walked twice for Los Tigres, and C Raul Chavez singled and walked, but neither scored.

�

�

PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE

Criollos de Caguas� 2,� Senadores de San Juan 1 -- San Juan scored one run in the top of the 1st on a walk, a stolen base, an error, and an RBI ground out.� Then they had only 4 hits for the rest of the game.� Caguas tied the score in the 5th inning on a walk, a single, and an RBI single by former Indy Indian SS Luis Figueroa.� A solo home run by DH Omir Santos gave Los Criollos the winning run in the 7th inning.� Figueroa had 2 more hits in the game -- a double to lead off the bottom of the 1st inning, and a single after the homer in the 7th.� 3B Ramon Vazquez singled twice in the game, in the 6th and the 8th innings.

Mesa Solar Sox� 18,� Peoria Saguaros� 9

If you heard a lot of booming this afternoon, it might have come from the Solar Sox.� They posted a total of 22 hits on their way to 18 runs.� While the Saguaros recorded 15 hits, they managed only 9 runs.� Both teams also contributed to an error-fest:� 3 for the Solar Sox and 6 for the Saguaros.� 2B Josh Harrison and CF Jeremy Moore (Angels) led the way with 4 hits and 3 RBI each.� RF Andrew Lambo and SS Jordy Mercer each contributed 3 hits, and Lambo also had 4 RBI.

Harrison started the game off with a double into left field.� He advanced to third on a grounder, and scored on Lambo's single -- Lambo's first RBI.� Peoria responded with 2 runs in the bottom of the 1st, with a two singles, a double, and two of Mesa's errors:� a throwing error by Harrison and a throwing error on starter Josh Zeid (Phillies) on a pick-off attempt.� The Saguaros added two more in the 2nd inning, on a single, a triple, and an RBI ground out.� Saguaros� 4,� Solar Sox� 1.

The Solar Sox came back to take the lead in the top of the 3rd.� Harrison led off with a walk, and made it to second base on a passed ball.� Moore blasted a 2-run homer, to bring Mesa closer:� 4-3.� 3B Brandon Wood (Angels) tripled, and scored on Mercer's single to tie the game.� LF/1B Ryan Flaherty (Cubs) also singled, then a double by 1B/3B Josh Vitters (Cubs) drove in Mercer with the go-ahead run.� Solar Sox 5,� Saguaros 4.

Then the Solar Sox went crazy.� They sent 13 batters to the plate in the top of the 4th, scoring 8 runs.� Moore singled, and moved to second base on a throwing error on a pick-off attempt.� Lambo singled, driving in Moore for his second RBI in the game (1 run).� Lambo advanced to second base on the throw to the plate, then on to third on Mercer's ground out for the second out of the inning.� Flahery walked.� A fielding error let Lambo score (2), and put Vitters on base.� C Kai Gronauer (Mets) doubled, driving in both Flaherty and Vitters (3, 4).� The Saguaros changed pitchers, but it didn't help.� Valdespin singled, plating Gronauer (5).� Harrison doubled, and Valdespin came in (6).� Moore walked, and Wood singled to load the bases.� Lambo grounded to short, where a fielding error let Harrison and Moore both score (7,8).� The inning ended when Mercer grounded into a force out.� Solar Sox 13,� Saguaros 4.

And they weren't done.� The 5th inning began with back-to-back fielding errors, putting Flaherty and Vitters on base.� Gronauer walked to load the bases with no outs.� Harrison's sacrifice fly brought in Flaherty, and Moore's single brought in Vitters.� Solar Sox 15,� Saguaros 4.

Back-to-back singles by Valdespin and Harrison opened the 7th, and a passed ball put both of them into scoring position.� After two strikeouts, Lambo and Mercer hit another pair of back-to-back singles, with both runners scoring on Lambo's hit -- his 3rd and 4th RBI of the game.� Harrison capped off the game with a solo home run to lead off the top of the 9th inning.

Zeid pitched 4 innings and gave up those early 4 runs to Peoria.� He was relieved by Tyson Brummett (Phillies), who gave up a 2-run homer in the 5th inning.� Nicholas Carr (Mets) pitched a perfect bottom of the 6th.� Eric Niesen began the 7th, and gave up three consecutive singles, driving in one run.� After a pop out, a fielding error by Mercer loaded the bases.� Two more singles drove in two more runs.� Eddie McKiernan (Angels) finished the 7th inning for Niesen, then went on to pitch a scoreless 8th.� Steven Geltz (Angels) gave up a single and a double in the bottom of the 9th, but he got out of the jam without a run scoring.

Everyone's batting average was boosted today.� Harrison, who needed a lift, now has a .293 average and 5 RBI.� Lambo is up to .319 with 13 RBI.� Mercer is hitting .286 with 7 RBI.

Cheering for Pirates' players and friends in the winter leagues:

PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE

Gigantes de Carolina� 10,� Indios de Mayaguez� 8 -- SS Benji Gonzalez got into this game as a late-inning defensive replacement in the 7th inning.� He got one at-bat, but popped out to second base.� Los Gigantes scored 2 runs in the 1st, and 3 in the 4th, but their biggest inning was the 2nd, when they plated 5 runs on 4 singles and 2 doubles.

Senadores de San Juan� 4,� Leones de Ponce� 3� -- San Juan had a 4-0 lead going into the bottom of the 8th.� Ponce used 3 consecutive singles and a double to score 3 runs in that inning, but could not catch up.� Former Pirate farmhand RJ Rodriguez pitched a scoreless top of the 9th for Ponce, though he allowed 2 singles.

�

VENEZUELAN LEAGUE

Tiburones de La Guaira� 9,� Navegantes del Magallanes� 7 -- Los Tiburones scored 6 runs in the 1st inning, but Los Navegantes kept chipping away, until they had a 7-6 lead going into the bottom of the 8th.� Los Tiburones would not stand for that, though -- they scored 3 more runs in the bottom of the 8th to retake the lead and get the win.� SS Argenis Diaz did not have a hit in the game, for Magallanes, but he reached on a fielding error in the 6th inning, giving him an RBI.� DH Mike Ryan had an RBI ground out for Magallanes in the 1st inning, and drove in the tying and go-ahead runs in the top of the 8th with a double.

�

MEXICAN PACIFIC LEAGUE

Venados de Mazatlan� 7,� Yaquis de Obregon� 5 -- Los Venados scored one run in each of the 1st, 3rd, and 5th innings, and had a 3-1 lead over Obregon.� Los Yaquis' run came in the 3rd, on an RBI single by CF Jeff Salazar.� Obregon burst out with 4 runs in the 5th, starting the inning with 4 straight singles, then a wild pitch, two more singles, and a walk by Salazar.� Mazatlan answered with 4 runs in the top of the 9th, on two doubled and four singles, to take the win.� RF Rogelios Noris had a single in the 6th inning, but did not score.