The World Baseball Softball Confederation Premier12 tournament started this weekend, with round-robin group play that has Team USA in action down in Mexico.
Representing Team...
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...
The Pirates got behind, and caught up, and got behind, and caught up again, then took the lead... and ultimately lost it in the bottom of the 10th inning. �Shelby Ford and Andy Phillips ���had two hits each. �Ford started the Pirates' scoring in the 6th inning with a triple. �Brian Bixler picked up an RBI with a single,�Nyjer Morgan added another single, and both scored when Brandon Moss was safe on an error. �They picked up another run in the 8th,�courtesy of singles by Andrew McCutchen, Andy Phillips, and Pedro Alvarez (RBI). �A walk to Garrett Jones and singles by Ford and Luis Cruz tied it up again in the 9th. �The Pirates took the lead for the first time in the top of the 10th, when Phillips led off with a single, Alvarez walked, and ground outs by Neil Walker and Jones brought Phillips around to score.�
The Pirates couldn't hold the lead for long, though. �In the bottom of the 10th, with Ronald Uviedo on the mound, a double and a walk, and a sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third bases, and another run filled the bases. �Todd Frazier hit an RBI single, to tie the score and Darnell McDonald's grand slam ended the game. �Uviedo took the Blown Save and the Loss. �Paul Maholm gave the Pirates a solid start, going 3 innings and allowing 1 run on 2 hits. �Jeff Karstens�was responsible for 3 runs on 5 hits and a walk in 2.2 innings. �Denny Bautista allowed 1 unearned run in his 1.1 innings. �Donny Veal and Jason Davis each pitched a scoreless inning.
Jeff Salazar, Robinzon Diaz, and Jason Jaramillo also got into the game. �
Notes:
Steve Pearce�is suffering from soreness in his left calf and is being held out of practice in the field and out of games. �Batting practice is ok. �He's projected to be out for several days yet. �
Luis Cruz'ship seems to be back to normal. �He had no problems running bases or in the field today. �
WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC
The WBC opened early this morning (no, I was not up at 4:30 am!) with China and Japan facing off in the Tokyo Dome: �Japan 4, China 0. �Team China looked... inexperienced and overmatched. �They got 5 singles and one batter walked, but none of those base runners got as far as second base, thanks to timely double plays, force outs, and one caught stealing. �Japan was also held to 5 hits, but were helped out by 8 walks. �Pirates' farmhand Ray Chang�was at short for China. �I saw him bobble a bouncing grounder in the 3rd or 4th inning for an error. That play was followed by a high fly to short left field near the foul line. �Chang went racing back and got there, but he was trying to make the play over his shoulder, and the ball bounced off his glove. �Later, in the 8th, he kept a run from scoring when he scooped up a grounder and alertly fired the ball to third base in time for 3B Jia to tag the runner Kataoka out. �If Kataoka had been safe, he would have been able to score when the next batter, Iwamura, flied out. �Chang singled in the 7th inning, but was forced out at second to end the inning. �
WBC Warm-Ups
Puerto Rico 9, Red Sox 5 -- Ramon Vazquez went 2-for-3 with an RBI for Puerto Rico.
USA 9, Phillies 6 -- John Grabow pitched 0.2 inning for Team USA. �He gave up a single and hit a batter. �Former Indy Indians/Pirates Jorge Velandia and JJ Furmaniak each singled for the Phillies. �
Canada 6, Yankees 0 -- The Canadian pitchers held the Yankees to only 4 hits. �Dave Davidson pitched 1.1 innings, didn't allow any of the hits, and struck out two batters.
Twins 4, Netherlands 2 -- Former Pirate Yurendell de Caster singled for the Netherlands. �Randall Simon went 0-for-2.
Brewers 10, Australia 5 -- Pirates' farmhand Josh Hill pitched one inning for Australia. �He gave up 2 runs on 2 hits and a walk, and struck out one batter. �Former Pirate Chris Duffy went 0-for-3 for the Brewers. �Former Indy Indian JJ Hardy (2004) hit a 2-run homer, and former Indian (2004) Corey Hart doubled for the Brewers. �
A's 6, South Africa 1 -- Gift Ngoepe had one of South Africa's three hits. �Former Pirate Rajai Davis had 2 hits for the A's.
The minor leaguers and non-roster invitees took on the Dutch team this afternoon, as the various national teams are warming up for the World Baseball Classic, which begins later this week. �The Dutch team included former Pirates Randall Simon (born in the Netherlands) and Yurendell de Caster (from Curacao in the Netherlands' Antilles), and former Indy Indians' coach Hensley "Bam Bam" Meulens (also from Curacao) is on the coaching staff. �
RF�Garrett Jones�was the offensive hero. �He had two of the Pirates' 6 hits, both RBI singles. �He drove in both runs in the 1st inning and one of the runs in the 3rd. �1B Andy Phillips' double brought in the other run in the 3rd. �The Pirates' final run came on CF Jeff Salazar's solo homer in the 8th. �
Pedro Alvarez got his first start of the year at third base. �He went 0-for-4 at the plate with 2 strikeouts. �2B Luis Cruz doubled in the bottom of the 1st, and came around to score on Jones' single, but he was clearly not comfortable running, and thought that the leg might be getting tight. �He came out of the game but was checked out ok. �
DH Craig Monroe had the other hit in the game, also a double. �LF�Ruben Gotay made his first appearance for the spring, as did C Miguel Perez.
The Pirates used 8 pitchers in the game. �Ross Ohlendorf made the start and went 2 innings. �He allowed 4 hits and one run, but got out of both innings with a double play. He got the win. ��Denny Bautista allowed a solo home run in the 4th inning, and Jesse�Chavez gave up a run on one hit in the 5th.��Daniel Haigwood gave up one run on 2 hits and a walk in the 9th inning, getting the save. ���Matt Capps, �Donnie Veal, Romulo Sanchez, and Jeff Sues each pitched one inning, and each gave up at least one hit (2 for Sanchez), but did not allow a run. �
More notes:
Pirates' reliever John Grabow has been asked to join Team USA for the World Baseball Classic. �Not on the original roster, Grabow is taking the bullpen spot of Brian Fuentes (Angels), who was not going to be able to play at least in the first round, because of family issues. �
I saw a bit of the game between Team Canada and the Blue Jays, and caught a quick glimpse of former Altoona manager Tim Leiper in the Canada dugout. �Dave Davidson picked up the save with a perfect 9th inning (one strikeout) in Canada's 6-4 win. �Former Pirate TJ Beam pitched the 5th inning for the Blue Jays, allowing one hit and striking out one. �
Pirates'�Eliecer Navarro pitched 2 innings for Panama, and allowed one hit and one walk. �Atlanta beat Panama 11-2. �
Ian Snell started for Puerto Rico, and pitched 3 scoreless inning, giving up a hit and striking out 3. �The Twins beat Puerto Rico 3-2. �Ramon Vasquez played third base and had an RBI single. �
More WBC team exhibition games tomorrow. �Also tomorrow, the Pirates' game is scheduled to be audio broadcast by mlb.com. on the Pirates' website.
Pirates' reliever Jesse Chavez was the team leader in Saves in AAA Indianapolis in 2008, and it's a title he would gladly relinquish -- he'd much rather be getting those Saves in Pittsburgh.
Chavez, a California native, was drafted by the Rangers in the 42nd round of the 2002 draft, and steadily moved up through their organization.
