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...
No, there isn't a lot going on in the minor league arena just now, and the major league teams have just two more games in the regular season. �
But don't go away... there is still baseball to come:
The Arizona Fall League season begins in 10 days. �Pirates' minor league coordinator Jeff Banister will lead the Scottsdale Scorpions. �Pirates' players on the Scorpions:
LHP Donnie Veal
LHP Danny Moskos
LHP Tony Watson
SS Chase d'Arnaud
SS Brian Friday
OF Jose Tabata�
Players from the Colorado Rockies, Philadelphia Phillies, Arizona Diamondbacks will also be participating. �The San Francisco Giants are also eligible to have players participate, but at this point, the only member listed from the Giants is C Buster Posey.
In the Caribbean Leagues:
The Venezuelan and Mexican Pacific Leagues are scheduled to begin on Oct 9th, and the Dominican Winter League on Oct 16th.
More roster info coming, but there are always Pirates' players and friends who participate. �3B Neil Walker plans to participate in the Venezuelan League, and SS Luis Cruz will be playing in his native Mexico.
Pirate' farmhand Dustin Molleken, who pitched for Team Canada in the World Cup tournament, was interviewed by his hometown newspaper.��Molleken pitched 11 scoreless innings for Canada in the tournament, and brought home a (huge!) Bronze Medal. �
No, there isn't a lot going on in the minor league arena just now, and the major league teams have just two more games in the regular season. �
But don't go away... there is still baseball to come:
The Arizona Fall League season begins in 10 days. �Pirates' minor league coordinator Jeff Banister will lead the Scottsdale Scorpions. �Pirates' players on the Scorpions:
LHP Donnie Veal
LHP Danny Moskos
LHP Tony Watson
SS Chase d'Arnaud
SS Brian Friday
OF Jose Tabata�
Players from the Colorado Rockies, Philadelphia Phillies, Arizona Diamondbacks will also be participating. �The San Francisco Giants are also eligible to have players participate, but at this point, the only member listed from the Giants is C Buster Posey.
In the Caribbean Leagues:
The Venezuelan and Mexican Pacific Leagues are scheduled to begin on Oct 9th, and the Dominican Winter League on Oct 16th.
More roster info coming, but there are always Pirates' players and friends who participate. �3B Neil Walker plans to participate in the Venezuelan League, and SS Luis Cruz will be playing in his native Mexico.
Pirate' farmhand Dustin Molleken, who pitched for Team Canada in the World Cup tournament, was interviewed by his hometown newspaper.��Molleken pitched 11 scoreless innings for Canada in the tournament, and brought home a (huge!) Bronze Medal. �
Bad news for the Pirates today, courtesy of Dr. James Andrews. Jose Ascanio, acquired in the Tom Gorzelanny/John Grabow trade, underwent arthroscopic shoulder...
LF Josh Kroeger's 3 hit and DH Terry Tiffee's homer led Team USA's offense to a win over Cuba. �The USA's first run was unearned. �In the bottom of the 1st, SS Trevor Plouffe (Twins) reached base on a fielding error and scored on RF Ike Davis' (Mets) RBI double. �Team USA scored 3 runs in the 3rd, all coming after two outs. �Terry Tiffee (Phillies) smacked a 2-run homer, then 3B Pedro Alvarez walked, and he scored on singles by Josh Kroeger (White Sox) and C Jason Castro (Astros). �Kroeger gave Team USA an insurance run in the 8th, when he led off with a single, moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Castro, and scored on CF Buck Coats' (Blue Jays) RBI single. �
USA starter Trevor Reckling (Angels) needed 9 pitches in a perfect 1st inning, but strained a left lateral muscle as he was warming up to begin the 2nd inning, and had to be removed from the game. �Lucas Harrell (White Sox) took over for Reckling, and he allowed only a walk and a single over the next 4 innings. �BJ Rosenberg (Phillies) retired the Cubans in order in the 6th, but gave up a home run to lead off the 7th. �The homer was followed by a single, a double, and a walk, for another run, and Rosenberg was relieved by Cedrick Bowers (Phillies). �Bowers got the first batter he faced to bounce into a double play, but another run scored on a play. �Those were all the runs Cuba would score, though, and Team USA won their 12th straight tournament game. �Lucas Harrell earned the win, and Ehren Wassermann (White Sox) earned his first save in the tournament with 2.1 scoreless innings of work. �Pedro Alvarez went 0-for-3 with a walk and a run scored.
A 6-run 6th inning boosted Team USA to a win over the Netherlands. �Team USA recorded a total of 13 hits, while holding the Dutch batters to just 5. �1B Ike Davis gave the USA a 1-0 lead with a solo homer in the 2nd inning. �The USA batters had at least one runner on base in each of the next 4 innings, but didn't score again until the 6th. �RF Josh Kroeger opened the inning with a double. �After two quick outs, 3B Pedro Alvarez walked and 2B Tug Hulett (Royals) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. �CF Buck Coats brought in Kroeger and Alvarez with a 2-RBI single, and after SS Daniel Descalso (Cardinals) walked, DH Justin Smoak (Rangers) knocked another 2_RBI single, to bring in Coats and Hulett. �The throw in from left field went wide, allowing Descalso to score too. �LF Jon Weber's (Rays) RBI single plated Smoak, and the USA had a 7-0 advantage. �They added one more in the 8th, when Tug Hulett tripled and scored on Coats' sacrifice fly. �
Kasey Kiker (Rangers) made the start and took the win for Team USA. �He pitched 6 scoreless innings, allowing 2 walks and only one hit -- a single by former Pirate farmhand 3B Yurendell de Caster -- with 6 strikeouts. �Geno Espineli (Giants) pitche the 7th inning and gave up the 2 Netherlands' runs on 3 hits: �a single, a double, and an RBI single by de Caster. �Former Indy Indian (2002 - 04) Jason Childers (Rays) allowed one hit in his scoreless 8th inning, and Nate Field (Marlins) retired the side in order in the 9th. �
Pedro Alvarez had a single and a double in the game. �Former Pirate 1B Randall Simon went 0-for-4 for the Netherlands.
The win gave Team USA a perfect record in Round 3 of the tournament, and advanced them to the Gold Medal Game, which they won. �
Other games on Sept 24th
Puerto Rico 8, Taipei 2
Canada 11, Netherlands 5
3B Yurendell de Caster singled and doubled for the Netherlands and 1B Randall Simon singled. �Pirates' farmhand Dustin Molleken pitched 2 scoreless innings in relief, allowing only one hit.
Venezuela 9, �Australia 4
Former Indy Indian LF Chris Snelling had a double and walked with 2 RBI for Australia. � Another former Pirate farmhand Paul Mildren pitched 2 scoreless innings allowing a walk and 2 hits. �
Other games on Sept 25th
Venezuela 6, Taipei 4
Cuba 5, Canada 1
Puerto Rico 4, Australia 2
RJ Rodriguez earned his 4th save in the tournament, with a scoreless 9th inning, allowing only one walk. �Former Indy Indian LF Chris Snelling went 0-for-4 for the Australians.
In the semi-final round on Sept 26th:
Venezuela 6, Taipei 3
Australia 4, Netherlands 1
The Netherlands out-hit Australia 8-6, but the Aussies came out on top. �1B Yurendell de Caster went 0-for-4, and DH Randall Simon was hitless in one plate appearance for the Netherlands. �LF Chris Snelling went 0-for-3 for Australia.
Canada 6, Puerto Rico 2
Two Pirates' pitchers appeared in this game. �Dustin Molleken pitched 2 scoreless innings for Canada. �RJ Rodriguez pitched 1.1 innings, and allowed 3 runs on 2 hits, including a 2-run homer, and 2 walks. �
The Twins have reportedly signed top Dominican prospect Miguel Angel Sano, a player the Pirates aggressively pursued. This is disappointing news, as the $3.15...
