PIRATES PROSPECTSPITTSBURGH PIRATES MINOR LEAGUE NEWS, TRANSACTIONS, AND ARTICLES

The Wilmington Blue Rocks broke a 12-inning-long scoreless tie with a walk-off 2-run homer by top Royals' prospect Eric Hosmer, to take a 2 -1 game lead in the Carolina League Northern Division championship series. �

This pitchers' duel went on and on, with few hits being recorded on either side. �1B Matt Hague�led the Hillcats with 3 hits, including his first triple of 2009. �SS Jordy Mercer singled twice, and C Tony Sanchez and DH Eric Fryer�each had one single. �

The Hillcats had two runners on base in the 1st inning, when 2B Chase d'Arnaud and RF Jamie Romak�both walked. �But three other batters struck out, and the Hillcats did not have a runner on base again until the 4th inning. �With one out in the 4th, Romak walked again, followed by singles by Tony Sanchez and Matt Hague. �Again, strikeouts ended the inning, this time leaving the bases loaded. �

Lynchburg threatened again in the 7th. �LF Jared Keel led off with a walk, and Eric Fryer singled into left field, moving Keel to second, where he was replaced by pinch-runner Alex Presley. �CF Jose De Los Santos dropped down a bunt, but instead of a sacrifice, it turned into a force out, erasing Presley at third base. �Two fly outs ended that inning. �

Hillcats' starter Jeff Locke pitched 5.2 innings. �He gave up a hit in each of the first three innings, plus a walk in the 2nd. �After the single in the 3rd, Locke retired the next 9 batters before hitting the next batter with a pitch. �He was relieved at that point by Noah Krol, who finished the 6th inning. �Krol pitched the next two innings, allowing only one base runner, when 1B Eric Hosmer reached base on a throwing error, stole second base, and advanced to third base on a wild pitch. �

By the 9th inning, both teams were getting frustrated. �Matt Hague led off the top of the 9th with a triple into the right field corner. �Blue Rocks' RF Nick Van Stratten made a dive for the ball but came up empty. �His manager tried to argue that the ball would have landed in foul territory, not fair, if it had not hit Van Stratten in his attempt to make the catch. �The umpires were not impressed by that argument, though, and Hague was on third. �Unfortunately, he stayed on third, as two strikeout and a line out to first base ended the inning. �

Reliever Ramon Aguero came on to pitch the bottom of the 9th for the Hillcats and struck out the side. �He gave up a walk in the 10th, but again kept the Blue Rocks scoreless, and retired the side in order again in the 11th.

The Hillcats went down in order in the 10th, but threatened in the 11th. �Jamie Romak led off by being hit by a pitch, and Matt Hague collected his third hit of the game with a single up the middle. �But Alex Presley, who had remained in the game in left field, flied out, and pinch hitter Kris Watts�grounded out to end the threat. �In the 12th, with two outs, 3B Josh Harrison was hit by a pitch. �He moved to second base when the Wilmington pitcher's pickoff throw went wild. �Jordy Mercer lined a single into center field, and Harrison rounded third and headed for the plate -- where he was out on the throw in from center field. �

That set up the bottom of the 12th. �Ronald Uviedo came on to pitch for the Hillcats, and walked the first batter he faced. �That brought up Eric Hosmer, who ended the game with a big swing. �

Game 4 of the series will be played on Saturday, again in Wilmington.

box�

Starter Todd Redmond (Atlanta Braves) pitched 6.2 perfect innings before allowing Germany the first of only two hits in Pool E play. �That base runner was out at second base on a fielders' choice, and Redmond went on to allow one more single in the 8th inning. �Those two hits were all that Germany would get. �Redmond needed 82 pitches (65 strikes) to throw 8 scoreless innings. �He did not allow a walk or hit a batter, and he struck out 7 German batters. �

Team USA scored their first run in the 2nd inning, when RF Ike Davis homered over the center field wall. �They added three more runs in the 3rd. �CF Buck Coats led off with a walk, and he moved to third base on Trevor Plouffe's single. �A throwing error on 1B Justin Smoak's ball to second base allowed Coats to score, and left runners on first and second bases. �Plouffe stole third base, and then scored on a grounder to second base (unearned run). �Two more singles, by Ike Davis and 3B Pedro Alvarez,�brought in Tiffee (also unearned), with Alvarez picking up the RBI. �

Two more home runs gave Team USA three more runs in the 6th inning. �After C Jason Castro was hit by a pitch, Buck Coats slammed a 2-run homer. �Moments later, Justin Smoak contributed a solo blast, and the Americans had a 7-0 lead. �Trevor Plouffe hit the 4th home run of the game in the 8th inning, another solo shot. �Justin Smoak followed the homer with a walk, and he advanced to second base on a wild pitch. �A single by Terry Tiffee brought Smoak in, to give Team USA a 9-0 lead. �

One run was all the Hillcats needed, as they rallied behind starter Rudy Owens to tie the Carolina League Northern Division championship series at one game each. �

Owens shut down the Wilmington bats, limiting them to 4 hits and a walk over 6 innings, while he struck out 6. �The Blue Rocks might have thought they were going to get something started in the top of the 1st, when 2B Johnny Giavotella lifted a long fly ball into center field, but instead of stopping at second base, Giavotella tried for third, and was thrown out by CF Jose De Los Santos, with SS Jordy Mercer on the relay to 3B Josh Harrison. �Owns walked the next batter, then retired the next seven batters he faced. �

Wilmington threatened again in the 4th inning, when Giavotella led off with a single. �Two outs later, he stole second base, and moved to third on a passed ball. �But Owens struck out 1B Eric Hosmer to end the inning and leave Giavotella standing on third. �The Blue Rocks also had back-to-back singles with two outs in the 5th inning, but Owens again calmly struck out the next batter to get out of that little bit of a jam. �

The Hillcats did their scoring in the 2nd inning. �RF Jamie Romak led off with a line drive into left field. �C Tony Sanchez singled on a liner into right field, which let Romak advance to third base. �1B Matt Hague�grounded to second base, forcing Sanchez out at second, but it was enough to allow Romak to score. �A wild pitch moved Hague to second base, and LF Jared Keel walked, but they were both left on base when DH Kent Sakamoto struck out and Jose De Los Santos popped out to end the inning. �

Wilmington starter Danny Duffy kept the Hillcats quiet over the next four innings, allowing only a walk to Kent Sakamoto in the 5th, and a single by Jordy Mercer in the 6th. �Zach Peterson relieved Duffy to begin the bottom of the 7th, and Matt Hague greeted Peterson with a double into center field, but Peterson retired the next three Hillcats, leaving Hague on second. �The only other threat the Hillcats made came in the 8th, when 2B Chase d'Arnaud�led off with a single. �Josh Harrison bunted d'Arnaud to second base, and after a fly out, Jamie Romak was intentionally walked. �Tony Sanchez also flied out, ending the inning without a run scoring.

Three Lynchburg relievers wrapped up the game for Rudy Owens. �Matt McSwain pitched a perfect 7th inning. �Ramon Aguero gave up a single to CF Derrick Robinson in the 8th, and Robinson stole second base, then advanced to third when Tony Sanchez's throw to second hopped past second base and into the outfield. �But Aguero got Johnny Giavotella to fly out and end the threat. �Ronald Uviedo earned the save with a scoreless 9th, allowing a single and getting a game-ending strikeout. �

Games 3 and 4, and Game 5 if needed, will be played in Wilmington. �Jeff Locke will get the start for the Hillcats in Game 3 on Friday. �

In the Carolina League Southern Division championship, the Salem Red Sox have taken the first two games from the Winston-Salem Dash, 7-2 and 6-4. �They will also play Game 3 on Friday, in Salem.

Team USA starter Brad Lincoln pitched 5 solid innings, allowing only one run, but he did not factor into the decision as Venezuela tied the game and eventually won in 11 innings. �

Lincoln scattered 5 hits and 2 walks over his 5 innings. �He worked out of a jam in the 2nd inning when with two outs, he gave up a double, then a single. �The base runner from second was off and running and tried to score on the grounder to short, but was thrown out at the plate. �In the 4th inning, a lead-off homer by Venezuela's 3B Michael Sandoval was the only run Lincoln allowed. �Lincoln was relieved after his 5 innings, holding a 7-1 lead. �He threw 79 pitches (50 strikes).

Team USA started their scoring early. �SS Trevor Plouffe walked with one out in the 1st, and moved to third base on 1B Justin Smoak's double down the right field line. �Plouffe tried to make it home on the play, though, and was cut down on the relay throw. �With Smoak still on second base, RF Josh Kroeger doubled in to the left-center alley, and Smoak scored. �A throwing error put DH Terry Tiffee on base, and LF Jon Weber's singled scored Kroeger, to give Team USA a 2-0 lead. �3B Pedro Alvarez�singled, loading the bases, but a fly out ended the inning without further scoring.

The bottom of the 2nd inning started with a solo home run by 2B Tug Hulett, increasing the lead to 3-0. �CF Buck Coats followed the homer with a double, and he scored on Justin Smoak's 2-run homer. �After a pitching change, Josh Kroeger was hit by the first pitch thrown by the new reliever. �He scored on Terry Tiffee's dobule down the left field line, and Team USA was up 6-0.

After the Venezuelan homer in the top of the 4th, Smoak answered with his second home run of the game, a solo blast to lead off the bottom of the frame, and the Americans were well on their way, 7-1. �

BJ Rosenberg relieved Brad Lincoln to begin the 6th inning. �He pitched that one inning, and gave up one run, on two doubles. �Still, Team USA was ahead, 7-2. �Former Indy Indian (2002-04) Jason Childers took the mound for the 7th inning, and that's when things fell apart. �CHilders got a fly out, then walked two batters. �Then a strikeout, and another walk loaded the bases. �Childers hit Michael Sandoval with a pitch, forcing in a run. �Four more runs scored when RF Rene Reyes (Colorado Rockies) lifted a long fly ball over the center field wall for a grand slam. �Childers was relieved by Cedrick Bowers, but the damage was done and the score was tied at 7-7.

The next 2.5 innings were scoreless on both sides. �Team USA put a runner on base in the 7th when Jon Weber singled, and in the 8th when Tug Hulett walked, but was caught stealing. �Trevor Plouffe walked and Josh Kroeger singled in the 9th, but a double play ended the threat.

Cedrick Bowers came back out to begin the 8th inning for Team USA, but after he walked the first batter, he was replaced by Ehren Wassermann. �Wassermann got a double play, then walked another batter, but got a line out to end the inning. �He then retired the side in order in the 9th. �

As the game went into extras, international baseball rules took over. �Under the International Tie Breaker rule, each team begins their inning at-bat with two runners on base (first and second). �The team chooses which batter they want to begin the inning at the plate, and the two batters immediately ahead of that batter in the order are the ones placed on base. �Then the chosen batter steps to the plate and the team proceeds to try to bring those runners in. �

Venezuela began the 10th with their two runners on base and 1B Lino Connell at the plate. �Connell bunted the runners to second and third, and was safe at first on a fielder's choice. �After a strike out, Geno Espineli relieved Ehren Wassermann on the mound. �Espineli walked Rene Reyes on 5 pitches, forcing in the tie-breaking run. �A ground out brought in another run, and Espineli was relieved by Nate Field. �Field got the final out of the inning, but Venezuela had taken a 9-7 lead.

Team USA began the bottom of the 10th with Tug Hulett placed on second base and Buck Coats placed on first. �That brought Trevor Plouffe to the plate. �Plouffe flied out, but Justin Smoak doubled, scoring both Hulett and Coats to tied the game again. �

CF Jonathan Sivira was chosen to bat first for Venezuela to start the 11th inning, with Field still on the mound for Team USA. �Field struck out Sivira and C Yosnel Garcia, then loaded the bases with a walk. �SS Dimiro Chavez blasted the second grand slam of the game, and Venezuela had a 13 - 9 lead. �Team USA placed Terry Tiffee on second base and Jon Weber on first for their turn in the bottom of the frame, bringing up Pedro Alvarez. �But Alvarez flied out, and a ground out and a strikeout ended the game, giving Venezuela the win. �

Justin Smoak went 4-for-6 in the game with 5 RBI. �Pedro Alvarez went 1-for-5 with two strikeouts. �

Team USA's next game will be on Friday against Germany, with Todd Redmond scheduled to pitch. �

More Day 2 action:

Pool A

Mexico 8, Taipei 0

Pool B

Cuba 10, Puerto Rico 0

This game lasted only 7 innings, as the Cuban pitcher Maikel Vera held Puerto Rico to 3 hits and a walk, while striking out 8. �RJ Rodriguez did not get into the game. �

Pool C

Canada 9, South Korea 1

Canada's LF Adam Loewen (Blue Jays) went 3-for-4 with a double, a triple, and 2 RBI to lead the offense. �Starter Nick Bucci (Brewers) pitched 5 scoreless innings and allowed 3 hits for Canada. �Dustin Molleken did not appear in the game. �

Pool D

Nicaragua 10, Croatia 1

Japan 9, Great Britain 7

SS Brant Ust singled, scored, and had an RBI, while Tom Boleska�pitched 1.2 scoreless innings in relief, allowing a hit and hitting one batter. �Japan had a 6-2 lead going into the 8th inning, then picked up 2 more insurance runs in the 8th, and one more in the 9th, for a 9-2 lead. �Great Britian made Team Japan worry, though, with a 5-run bottom of the 9th. �With one out, a dropped third strike (which landed in the Japanese dugout) put one runner on base. �Next came a single, then Ust's RBI single, and then a 3-run homer by RF Sam Wiley brought the score to 9-6. �More runners on base, and another dropped third strike allowed a runner from third to score, and Great Britain had made it 9-7. �Another single loaded the bases with two outs, but a strikeout ended the inning and the game, with Great Britain's rally falling short. �

Team USA starter Brad Lincoln pitched 5 solid innings, allowing only one run, but he did not factor into the decision as Venezuela tied the game and eventually won in 11 innings. �

Lincoln scattered 5 hits and 2 walks over his 5 innings. �He worked out of a jam in the 2nd inning when with two outs, he gave up a double, then a single. �The base runner from second was off and running and tried to score on the grounder to short, but was thrown out at the plate. �In the 4th inning, a lead-off homer by Venezuela's 3B Michael Sandoval was the only run Lincoln allowed. �Lincoln was relieved after his 5 innings, holding a 7-1 lead. �He threw 79 pitches (50 strikes).

Team USA started their scoring early. �SS Trevor Plouffe walked with one out in the 1st, and moved to third base on 1B Justin Smoak's double down the right field line. �Plouffe tried to make it home on the play, though, and was cut down on the relay throw. �With Smoak still on second base, RF Josh Kroeger doubled in to the left-center alley, and Smoak scored. �A throwing error put DH Terry Tiffee on base, and LF Jon Weber's singled scored Kroeger, to give Team USA a 2-0 lead. �3B Pedro Alvarez�singled, loading the bases, but a fly out ended the inning without further scoring.

The bottom of the 2nd inning started with a solo home run by 2B Tug Hulett, increasing the lead to 3-0. �CF Buck Coats followed the homer with a double, and he scored on Justin Smoak's 2-run homer. �After a pitching change, Josh Kroeger was hit by the first pitch thrown by the new reliever. �He scored on Terry Tiffee's dobule down the left field line, and Team USA was up 6-0.

After the Venezuelan homer in the top of the 4th, Smoak answered with his second home run of the game, a solo blast to lead off the bottom of the frame, and the Americans were well on their way, 7-1. �

BJ Rosenberg relieved Brad Lincoln to begin the 6th inning. �He pitched that one inning, and gave up one run, on two doubles. �Still, Team USA was ahead, 7-2. �Former Indy Indian (2002-04) Jason Childers took the mound for the 7th inning, and that's when things fell apart. �CHilders got a fly out, then walked two batters. �Then a strikeout, and another walk loaded the bases. �Childers hit Michael Sandoval with a pitch, forcing in a run. �Four more runs scored when RF Rene Reyes (Colorado Rockies) lifted a long fly ball over the center field wall for a grand slam. �Childers was relieved by Cedrick Bowers, but the damage was done and the score was tied at 7-7.

The next 2.5 innings were scoreless on both sides. �Team USA put a runner on base in the 7th when Jon Weber singled, and in the 8th when Tug Hulett walked, but was caught stealing. �Trevor Plouffe walked and Josh Kroeger singled in the 9th, but a double play ended the threat.

Cedrick Bowers came back out to begin the 8th inning for Team USA, but after he walked the first batter, he was replaced by Ehren Wassermann. �Wassermann got a double play, then walked another batter, but got a line out to end the inning. �He then retired the side in order in the 9th. �

As the game went into extras, international baseball rules took over. �Under the International Tie Breaker rule, each team begins their inning at-bat with two runners on base (first and second). �The team chooses which batter they want to begin the inning at the plate, and the two batters immediately ahead of that batter in the order are the ones placed on base. �Then the chosen batter steps to the plate and the team proceeds to try to bring those runners in. �

Venezuela began the 10th with their two runners on base and 1B Lino Connell at the plate. �Connell bunted the runners to second and third, and was safe at first on a fielder's choice. �After a strike out, Geno Espineli relieved Ehren Wassermann on the mound. �Espineli walked Rene Reyes on 5 pitches, forcing in the tie-breaking run. �A ground out brought in another run, and Espineli was relieved by Nate Field. �Field got the final out of the inning, but Venezuela had taken a 9-7 lead.

Team USA began the bottom of the 10th with Tug Hulett placed on second base and Buck Coats placed on first. �That brought Trevor Plouffe to the plate. �Plouffe flied out, but Justin Smoak doubled, scoring both Hulett and Coats to tied the game again. �

CF Jonathan Sivira was chosen to bat first for Venezuela to start the 11th inning, with Field still on the mound for Team USA. �Field struck out Sivira and C Yosnel Garcia, then loaded the bases with a walk. �SS Dimiro Chavez blasted the second grand slam of the game, and Venezuela had a 13 - 9 lead. �Team USA placed Terry Tiffee on second base and Jon Weber on first for their turn in the bottom of the frame, bringing up Pedro Alvarez. �But Alvarez flied out, and a ground out and a strikeout ended the game, giving Venezuela the win. �

Justin Smoak went 4-for-6 in the game with 5 RBI. �Pedro Alvarez went 1-for-5 with two strikeouts. �

Team USA's next game will be on Friday against Germany, with Todd Redmond scheduled to pitch. �

More Day 2 action:

Pool A

Mexico 8, Taipei 0

Pool B

Cuba 10, Puerto Rico 0

This game lasted only 7 innings, as the Cuban pitcher Maikel Vera held Puerto Rico to 3 hits and a walk, while striking out 8. �RJ Rodriguez did not get into the game. �

Pool C

Canada 9, South Korea 1

Canada's LF Adam Loewen (Blue Jays) went 3-for-4 with a double, a triple, and 2 RBI to lead the offense. �Starter Nick Bucci (Brewers) pitched 5 scoreless innings and allowed 3 hits for Canada. �Dustin Molleken did not appear in the game. �

Pool D

Nicaragua 10, Croatia 1

Japan 9, Great Britain 7

SS Brant Ust singled, scored, and had an RBI, while Tom Boleska�pitched 1.2 scoreless innings in relief, allowing a hit and hitting one batter. �Japan had a 6-2 lead going into the 8th inning, then picked up 2 more insurance runs in the 8th, and one more in the 9th, for a 9-2 lead. �Great Britian made Team Japan worry, though, with a 5-run bottom of the 9th. �With one out, a dropped third strike (which landed in the Japanese dugout) put one runner on base. �Next came a single, then Ust's RBI single, and then a 3-run homer by RF Sam Wiley brought the score to 9-6. �More runners on base, and another dropped third strike allowed a runner from third to score, and Great Britain had made it 9-7. �Another single loaded the bases with two outs, but a strikeout ended the inning and the game, with Great Britain's rally falling short. �

Pool A:

Australia 17, Czech Republic 4

Former Indy Indian Chris Snelling went 1-for-3, with a walk and an RBI, and he scored one of the 17 runs. �

The Australians got the scoring started in the 2nd inning with a solo homer by LF Tim Kennelly and a 2-run homer by DH Andrew Graham. � �They added another 3 runs in the 3rd inning, on a single, a walk by Snelling, and Tim Kennelly's second homer (3 runs) in the game. �Kennelly led off the 5th inning with a single, and scored on 1B Stefan Welch's home run. �Brother Matthew Kennelly came on to pinch-hit, and doubled, then went to third on a throwing error on the next play. �He scored on an RBI single. �RF Chris Snelling also singled, bringing in the 4th run of the inning. �That gave the Australians a 10-0 lead.

The Czech team got onto the scoreboard with a solo home run in the bottom of the 5th, and they added an unearned run in the 6th on a double, two wild pitches, and a throwing error. �The Czechs scored 2 runs in the 7th, on a single, a triple, and another single.

Two singles gave the Australians another run in the 7th inning, but their biggest inning was yet to come. �In the top of the 9th, they scored 6 runs -- a walk, a single, a double (RBI), an error (another run in), and three more doubles, by Welch, Graham, and Matthew Kennelly. �

Pool B:

Spain 15, South Africa 0

This game ended after 6 innings, due to the rule that they don't want us to call "the Mercy Rule". � The South Africans were held to just 2 hits, one of which was by SS Gift Ngoepe.

Pool C

Netherlands Antilles 10, Sweden 8

Pool D

Germany 14, China 1

The Blue Rocks (affiliate of the Kansas City Royals) scored early and late, as they recorded 11 hits and took advantage of two Hillcats' errors to win Game 1 of the Carolina League Northern Division Championship Series in Lynchburg, Virginia tonight. �

Justin Wilson got the start for the Hillcats, and pitched 5 innings. �The good news was that he struck out 9 batters and allowed 6 hits, no walks. �Wilson opened the game with two strikeouts, then was charged with a hit batter (though the ball clearly sailed way over the batters' head, and protests by manager PJ Forbes went unheeded), then struck out a third batter to retire the side. �Wilson also struck out three batters in the 3rd inning, working around a 2-out single, and he retired the side in the 4th and 5th innings, including two more strikeouts. �

The bad news was the second inning, when the Blue Rocks batted around and scored 4 runs. �The inning began with a line drive through the hole by top Royals' prospect 1B Eric Hosmer. �RF Nick Van Stratten skipped a grounder to shortstop, which looked like a tailor-made double play ball. �But the ball bounced right on the lip of the grass and took a high hop to SS Jordy Mercer. �Mercer got his glove on the ball, but lost it in the transfer to his throwing hand, ruled an error, and everyone was safe. �LF Jamar Walton singled through the hole into left field, scoring Hosmer from second base. �The throw in from LF Alex Presley bounced away from C Tony Sanchez, and when the base runners advanced to second and third bases, Presley was charged with an error. �After a strikeout, singles by SS Anthony Seratelli and CF Derrick Robinson brought in Van Stratten and Walton. �Wilson got a pop out in foul territory for the second out, but one more single, by 3B Mike Moustakas scored Robinson, and the Blue Rocks had a 4-0 lead, with 3 unearned runs. �

The Hillcats were putting runners on base, but could not get them around to score. �After a 1-2-3 bottom of the 1st, RF Jamie Romak walked to lead off the 2nd inning, and DH Kris Watts singled, to put two runners on base with no outs. �But Tony Sanchez and 1B Matt Hague grounded into a double play, erasing the threat. �CF Jose De Los Santos doubled in the 3rd, and Hague singled in the 5th, and both were left on base, as was Watts after a walk in the 4th. �

Jordy Mercer finally put the Hillcats onto the scoreboard in the bottom of the 6th inning. �He blasted a long fly ball over the left field wall for a solo home run. �That was the only run the 'Cats would manage, though. �They threatened in the 7th inning, when with two outs, Alex Presley doubled and Jose De Los Santos singled, sending Presley to third base. �A strikeout ended the threat. �Two errors by the Blue Rocks put a base runner on in each of the 8th and 9th innings, but both were left stranded. �

Noah Krol relieved Justin Wilson to begin the 6th inning. �Krol pitched 2 scoreless innings, allowing only a single and a walk in the 6th, and a double in the 7th. �Harrison Bishop pitched an easy scoreless 8th inning, but got into trouble when he came back out for the top of the 9th. �The first three batters in the 9th recorded hits: a triple, a single, and a double, bringing in 2 runs and sending Bishop to the showers. �Chris Cullen relieved Bishop, and he got Mike Moustakas to ground out for the first out of the inning. �After an intentional walk, Eric Hosmer reached on a fielder's choice, batting in the runner from third base. �A double play ended the inning, but the Blue Rocks had a 7-1 lead. �They held off the Hillcats in the bottom of the inning, to take a 1-game lead in the 5-game series. �

The Salem Red Sox beat the Winston-Salem Dash by a score of 7-2 in the Carolina League's Southern Division Championship Series. �

NOTES:

Weird stat: �The Hillcats were hit by pitches 97 times this season -- that's 25 times more than any other team in the Carolina League. �

Reliever Ramon Aguero has been reassigned from the Altoona Curve back to the Hillcats so that he can participate in the playoffs. �

OF Starling Marte has been placed on the Disabled List, and will not be able to participate in the playoffs with the Hillcats. �He will be reporting to Bradenton for Fall Instructional League. �

The Indianapolis Indians are auctioning off their black (alternate) game worn jerseys, with one day left to go. �Here's the site -- lots of jerseys with no bids yet, and the auction ends tomorrow. �

1B Jeff Clement will also be reporting to Bradenton to do more rehab work on his strained oblique, with the hopes that he will be able to join the Pirates later in the month.

Neil Walker started at third base for the Pirates in this afternoon's 8-5 loss to the Cubs. �Walker singled to lead off the 4th inning, and came around to score on Andrew McCutchen's 2-RBI double. �Walker also grounded into a force out in the 8th inning, and scored on Ronny Cedeno's home run. �Jeff Karstens, fresh off the Disabled List, pitched 2 innings of relief. �He retired the side in order in the 6th, but gave up 2 runs in the 7th. �Denny Bautista pitched the 8th inning and also gave up 2 runs. �

The World Cup tournament opens today in Europe, with Team USA playing their first game tomorrow.

Two members of the Indianapolis Indians, Brad Lincoln and Pedro Alvarez, have been in North Carolina practicing with the team, and are set to begin play in Europe. �Also on Team USA is veteran pitcher and former Indy Indian (2002 - 04) Jason�Childers. �

Team USA played 4 games against Team Canada to warm up in North Carolina.

Sept 3

3B Pedro Alvarez went 1-for-4 and scored a run. �Team USA scored 3 runs in the bottom of the 2nd inning, on a single, two walks, and a 2-RBI double by 2B Tug Hulett. �A sacrifice fly by CF Buck Coats brought in the third run. �Canada responded with three runs in the top of the 3rd, off US starter Kasey Kiker, with an RBI single and a 2-RBI double. �

With Lucas Harrell on the mound, Canada took the lead in the 4th, on a single, a wild pitch, and another single. �Team USA regained the lead in the bottom of the 5th. �LF Jon Weber led off with a single, and Pedro Alvarez followed with another single, moving Weber to third base. �A ground out by DH Terry Tiffee brought in Weber, and RF Josh Kroeger's single plated Alvarez. �An unearned run gave Team USA an insurance run in the 6th. �Two walks and a throwing error loaded the bases, and when SS Trevor Plouffe grounded into a double play, the runner on third base scored. �

Jason Childers pitched the 8th inning for Team USA, retiring the side in order, including one strikeout. �

Sept 4

Brad Lincoln made the start for Team USA and got the win. �He pitched 4 innings, allowing one run on 3 hits and a walk, with one strikeouts. �It took him 52 pitches (37 strikes).

Team USA jumped out to an early lead, with 3 runs in the 1st inning and 4 runs in the 2nd. �With one out in the 1st, CF Buck Coats doubled and LF Jon Weber walked. �3B Pedro Alvarez reached on a fielder's choice, with Weber out at second base. �A walk by RF Ike Davis loaded the bases. � 1B Justin Smoak singled up the middle, scoring Coats and Alvarez, and DH Tug Hulett also singled into center field, bringing in Davis. �

Four straight singles began the 2nd inning. �C Jason Castro, 2B Daniel Descalso, Buck Coats and Jon Weber all hit, with Coats and Weber each picking up an RBI. �Pedro Alvarez fouled out, then Davis doubled, bringing in Coats. �Smoak's ground out allowed Weber to score, and Team USA had a 7-0 lead. �

Canada got one run back in the bottom of the 2nd inning, on a solo home run. �That was the only run allowed by Lincoln. �They added 3 more runs in the 8th inning, aided by a throwing error and a wild pitch. �A sacrifice fly, a triple, and a single brought in 3 unearned runs. �

Pedro Alvarez went 0-for-5, with two strikeouts. �Dustin Molleken pitched 2 shutout innings for Canada, allowing only one walk and striking out 3 batters. �

Sept 5th

3B Pedro Alvarez had a double, a single, and an RBI in this game. �Team USA again scored early, and then had to hold off Canada's late inning rallies. �

SS Daniel Descalso opened the game with an infield single, moved to second base on a wild pitch, and advanced to third on a ground out. �He scored on DH Justin Smoak's sacrifice fly. �LF Ike Davis doubled, and he scored on 1B Terry Tiffee's RBI single. �Pedro Alvarez also doubled, plating Tiffee, and Team USA had a 3-run start. �They added another run in the 2nd inning with a solo home run by C Lucas May. �

Two more runs scored in the 3rd inning, when Davis again doubled, followed by three singles by Tiffee, Alvarez, and CF Josh Kroeger. �Team USA was held to just 2 hits over the rest of the game. �

US starter Todd Redmond pitched 5 perfect innings before giving way to Cedrick Bowers to begin the 6th inning. �That's when Canada got going. �Canada scored two in the 6th, with a double, a single, a sacrifice fly, and an RBI single. �Two walks and an RBI single added one run in the 7th. �Canada scored two more in the 8th, with a triple, a walk, another sacrifice fly, and an RBI single.

Jason Childers came in to pitch the 9th. �He gave up a lead-off single, then retired the next three batters to earn the save. �

Sept 6th

Team USA scored in all but two innings, posting 17 hits on their way to 11 runs. �

1st -- 2 runs on 2 doubles, a single, and a grounder -- RBI: SS Trevor Plouffe and CF Josh Kroeger

3rd --1 run on a walk, a wild pitch, a single, and a sac fly -- RBI: Jo Castro

4th -- 2 runs on 3 singles and a double -- RBI: Plouffe, Terry Tiffee

5th -- 1 run on a single, a throwing error, and a sac fly -- RBI: Lucas May

6th -- 2 runs on 2 singles and a double, with Dustin Molleken on the mound for Canada -- RBI: Tiffee, Kroger

7th -- 1 run on a single and a double, again off Molleken -- RBI: David Descalo

8th -- 2 runs on a 2-run homer by Josh Weber

Pedro Alvarez pinch-hit for 3B Terry Tiffee in the 8th, and fouled out. �He remained in the game at third base for the last two innings. �

Canada scored on a solo home run in the 1st, and in the 8th on two walks and a single.

************

There are a few other Pirates' farmhands and friends who will be participating in the World Cup:

RHP Dustin Molleken (Altoona Curve) �-- Team Canada

RHP RJ Rodriguez (Lynchburg Hillcats) -- Puerto Rico

Inf Gift Ngoepe (Bradenton Pirates) and Inf Brett Willemburg (West Virginia Power) �-- South Africa

LHP Paul Mildren �(formerly with the Curve and Hillcats) and OF Chris Snelling (with the Indianapolis Indians for a few weeks this year)-- Australia

RHP Tom Boleska (Hillcats) �-- Great Britain (he's a Canadian native, with family connections to the UK)

Inf Brant Ust �(formerly with the Hillcats) �-- Great Britain

Inf/Of Yurendell de Caster (formerly with the Indianapolis Indians) is on the preliminary roster for the Netherlands, but the final roster has not yet been posted.

The first ro und of games include: � � (Some games televised on MLB TV)

Today (Sept 9th)

Czech Republic @ Australia � in Prague

Spain @ South Africa � �in Barcelona

Tomorrow (Sept 10th)

Great Britain @ Japan � in Zagreb

Puerto Rico @ Cuba � in Barcelona

Canada @ South Korea � �in Sundbyberg

US @ Venezuela � �in Rgensburg

Friday Sept 11th

Cuba @ South Africa

Australia @ Taipei

Nicaragua @ Great Britain

Spain @ Puerto Rico

Netherlands Antilles @ Canada

US @ Germany

Saturday Sept 12th

Australia @ Mexico

China @ US

Croatia @ Great Britain

South Africa @ Puerto Rico

Sweden @ Canada

NOTES:

The Lynchburg Hillcats begin their playoffs tonight, with Justin Wilson on the mound.

Neil Walker had a pinch-hit single for the Pirates in last night's game, and he came around to score, forced in on a bases-loaded walk. �