Joshua Palacios had three hits, including a key home run, helping Indianapolis to a victory on Friday night.
The Pirates' Triple-A squad was down 2-0...
Alika Williams had four hits on Thursday night for Indianapolis.
Since being sent down for Nick Yorke, Williams is 8-for-14 at the Triple-A level. He's...
The DSL Pirates teams ended their seasons this week, which brings the rookie-level affiliates to an end.
I've been reviewing the best performing hitting and...
MLB's winter meetings begin tomorrow (Monday). Stay tuned for news of trades, moves, shifts, Rule 5 draft, etc. A few of Sunday's winter league games with Pirates' players and friends participating:
VENEZUELAN LEAGUE Cardenales de Lara 3, Bravos de Margarita 1 -- Anthony Claggett pitched 4 innings in his start for Los Bravos, and allowed one unearned run on a hit and a walk in the night-cap of a double-header. The run came in the bottom of the 1st, when a single and a throwing error at third base put the lead-off runner on second base. A sacrifice bunt and an RBI ground out brought in the unearned run. After a walk, Claggett retired 10 of the 11 remaining batters he faced -- he hit one batter with a pitch. Los Bravos scored their run in the top of the 1st, on a double, a bunt, and a sacrifice fly. Claggett left the game with the score tied. He was relieved by Edgar Martinez, who began the bottom of the 5th by allowing a walk, a sacrifice bunt, and a 2-run homer, which gave Lara the win.
Aguilas de Zulia 6, Tigres de Aragua 1 -- SS Ronny Cedeno and CF Lastings Milledge each had a single in the 8th inning, and Milledge also walked in the 4th, but neither came around to score in Los Tigres' loss. Aragua's only run was scored in the top of the 9th, on a triple and an RBI single. Zulia scored their 6 runs on 13 hits, scattered over 5 of their 8 at-bats. C Raul Chavez, C Miguel Perez, and pinch-hitter Jorge Cortes were all hitless for Los Tigres.
Leones del Caracas 8, Navegantes del Magallanes 4 -- Corey Hamman pitched a scoreless inning for Los Navegantes in their loss. Caracas had already scored 2 runs in each of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th innings, and Los Navegantes had scored a pair of runs on a 2-run homer in the 4th and one more run in the 7th on a double, a single, and an RBI ground out. The first batter in the top of the 8th was hit by a pitch, and Hamman entered the game with that runner on first base. He gave up a walk but retired three batters to get out of the inning without allowing a run to score. Los Navegantes scored one more run in the bottom of the 9th on a hit batter and two singles, but it wasn't enough.
Looking in on Pirates' players and friends in Saturday's winter league action:
DOMINICAN LEAGUE Estrellas de Oriente 6, Tigres del Licey 3 -- Los Tigres posted only 5 hits, but they also hurt themselves by committing 4 errors. They scored all of their runs in the 3rd inning on a 3-run homer. DH Ronny Paulino, C Robinzon Diaz, and 1B Jake Fox were all hitless for Los Tigres. Los Estrellas took advantage of the errors to score 2 runs in each of the 1st, 5th, and 8th innings. Half of their runs were unearned.
Gigantes del Cibao 7, Leones del Escogido 3 -- Mike Dubee earned his third Dominican League win for Los Gigantes. Dubee entered the game in the top of the 5th inning, with Los Gigantes leading 3-2, two runners on base, and two outs. The first batter he faced reached base on a fielding error at third base, allowing the tying run to score. The next batter singled up the middle, but the throw in from center field let C JR House tag the lead runner out at the plate to end the inning. House was the lead-off batter in Los Gigantes' half of the inning, and he began a rally with a single into center field. A sacrifice bunt and a single brought in House with the go-ahead run, and another single and an RBI ground out gave Dubee and Los Gigantes an insurance run. Dubee pitched a scoreless 6th inning, and then was relieved. Los Gigantes added 2 more runs in the 8th on two singles, a walk, and a fielding error.
PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE Criollos de Caguas 2, Leones de Ponce 0 -- The Caguas pitchers allowed only 4 Ponce hitters to reach base, on three singles and a double scattered throughout the game, and two of the base runners were erased with double plays. Los Criollos scored their first run in the 4th, when 3B Ramon Vazquez led off with a walk, and scored on a single and an RBI double. A triple and an RBI single gave them another run in the 7th, and that was all they needed.
Rob Biertempfel reports that the Pittsburgh Pirates are now targeting corner outfielders following the non-tender of Lastings Milledge. Biertempfel mentions that two players on...
Checking in on some Pirates' players and friends in Friday night's winter league games:
VENEZUELAN LEAGUE Navegantes del Magallanes 7, Bravos de Margarita 5 -- Jean Machi pitched a perfect 9th inning to earn his 6th Save for Los Navegantes. His teammates took a 5-1 lead in the bottom of the 6th with a two-out rally, scoring 5 runs on two doubles, four singles, and a walk. They added 2 more runs in the 7th on four more singles. Los Bravos put their first run on the board in the 3rd with three singles. A grand slam by CF Frank Diaz in the top of the 8th brought Los Bravos closer, but Machi held them off in the 9th. Just released SS Argenis Diaz came into the game to play shortstop in the top of the 9th, and he scooped the grounder that was Machi's first out.
Tigres de Aragua 8, Aguilas de Zulia 1 -- Two Pirates' teammates on Los Tigres.... one tendered a contract, one not... SS Ronny Cedeno was hit by a pitch in the top of the 1st, stole second base, then scored on a 2-run homer. C Raul Chavez's home run in the 2nd inning gave Los Tigres a 3-0 lead. In the 5th, a throwing error and a single put two runners on base. Cedeno bunted them both into scoring position, then CF Lastings Milledge drove in one run with an RBI single into right field. Los Tigres capped their scoring with 4 runs in the 6th. A single and two walks loaded the bases. Chavez was hit by a pitch, forcing in the first run. A single brought in the second run, and Cedeno's ground out plated the third run. A walk to Milledge loaded the bases again, and another walk forced in Chavez with the fourth run of the inning. Chavez had an embarrassing moment in the 5th -- with runners on first and second bases, Chavez lined right to the Zulia third baseman, who started a triple play.
PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE Criollos de Caguas 4, Gigantes de Carolina 3 -- Los Gigantes had the early lead, starting with a run in the 1st, when former Indy Indian LF Luis Matos doubled and scored. In the 2nd, a ground-rule double, a walk, a fielding error by 3B Ramon Vazquez, and a single gave them a 3-0 lead. An RBI single by SS Luis Figueroa drove in Los Criollos' first run in the 5th. Then a single, a triple, and a 3-run homer in the 6th gave Los Criollos the win. Figueroa also singled in the 1st, and Vazquez singled in the 3rd.
When the deadline for offering contracts passed last night, four new free agents were created. The Pirates offered contracts to pitcher Jeff Karstens and SS Ronny Cedeno, both as expected. But they elected not to tender contracts to pitchers Donnie Veal and Brian Burres, SS Argenis Diaz, and OF Lastings Milledge. Veal is still recovering from elbow surgery, and is expected to sign a minor league deal with the Pirates. Since he is going to have to spend some time in the minors when he returns anyway, this is not likely to affect his progress much. The other three are all free agents now.
Other notes: Former Pirate C Ronny Paulino was also non-tendered by the Marlins, and he also is now a free agent. Pittsburgh native INF Josh Wilson, who played for the Indy Indians in 2008, was resigned by the Mariners. (NOT Jack Wilson, who is also on the Mariners' roster.) OF Eric Hinske was signed as a free agent by the Braves. P Zach Duke signed a contract with the Diamondbacks, avoiding arbitration.
