Tag: Mike Ryan

Looking at our Pirates' players and friends in Tuesday's winter league games....� the Dominican and Puerto Rican leagues begin in a few days.

Here's an article on MILB about Indy Indians' All-Star Catcher Erik Kratz.

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VENEZUELAN LEAGUES

Aguilas de Zulia� 5,� Tigres de Aragua� 4 -- Los Tigres had a 4-1 lead after 4 innings, but Los Aguilas got 2 runs back in the 6th and another in the 7th to tie the game.� Then with two outs in the bottom of the 9th, a single and a stolen base put the winning run on second base.� After an intentional walk, DH Tony Alvarez lined a single to right, scoring the runner from second base.� Hector Gimenez, behind the plate tonight, had the first of two walks to lead off the 3-run 2nd inning, then scored on 1B Ramon Castro's 3-run homer.� DH Raul Chavez doubled in the 6th, but was left on base.

Navegantes del Magallanes� 7,� Cardinales de Lara� 6� -- Magallanes also broke a tie with a run in the bottom of the last inning.�� In this case it was the 10th, and Argenis Diaz scored the winning run in his first appearance for Magallanes.� Diaz entered the game as a defensive replacement at shortstop in the top of the 7th, and of course the first batter of the inning grounded right to him (easy out).� He lined out to right field in the 7th inning.� With the score still tied at 6-6, Jean Machi pitched a scoreless top of the 9th, and Los Navegantes went down in order in the bottom of the frame.� Machi returned the favor, with three straight ground outs in the top of the 10th.� Then in the bottom of the 10th, with one out, Diaz singled into center field.� Another single pushed Diaz to second base, and LF Johermyn Chavez singled into left field, and the speedy Diaz raced around from second base to score the winning run.� Machi earned the win, his first of the winter season.� DH Mike Ryan went 0-for-4 at the plate (unusual for him, with his .357 average), and walked and scored in Magallanes' 5-run 6th inning.

Caribes de Anzoategui� 6,� Leones de Caracas� 0� -- Los Leones managed 8 hits, but could not get any runs across the plate.� C Carlos Maldonado had two of those hits, a single and a double.� Los Caribes scored 3 runs on 2 homers in the 1st inning, then two more runs in the 3rd inning.� Former Pirate farmhand Ronald Uviedo came on in relief for Caracas in the bottom of the 7th, when he got two outs to end the inning.� Then he gave up the final Caribes' run in the bottom of the 8th, on two singles and a double.

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MEXICAN PACIFIC LEAGUE

Naranjeros de Hermosillo� 12,� Yaquis de Obregon� 8� -- Former Pirate CF Jeff Salazar went 3-for-4 with a walk and an RBI in Obregon's losing effort.� Another former Pirate, C Humberto Cota, singled and homered -- a 3-run homer in the 5-run 6th inning.

Venados de Mazatlan� 7,� Aguilas de Mexicali� 6� -- Mazatlan took the lead with 4 runs in the 3rd inning, then kept ahead of Mexicali with another run in the 5th and two more in the 7th.� RF Rogelios Noris went 0-for-4 for Los Venados.

A quick look at some winter league games involving Pirates' players and friends:

VENEZUELAN WINTER LEAGUE

Navegantes del Magallanes� 3,� Bravos de Margarita� 0 -- Margarita just couldn't get anything going in this game.� The only time they had more than one runner on base at a time was in the 1st inning, when CF Frank Diaz and RF Rene Reyes hit a pair of two-out singles.� Diaz had 3 hits in the game.� 3B Andy LaRoche was hitless in 4 trips to the plate, including 3 strikeouts.� Los Navegantes scored 2 of their runs in the 5th, on a walk and four singles.� Former Pirate DH Mike Ryan had one of those singles, and he scored one of the runs.� Jean Machi pitched the 9th inning for Magallanes, earning the save.� He gave up two singles, but got a double play in between then.� Jhonathan Ramos came in to finish up the 5th inning for Margarita, then pitched the 6th.� He gave up a hit but followed it with a double play.

Leones del Caracas� 11,� Tigres de Aragua� 0 -- Los Leones devoured Los Tigres, holding Aragua to just 5 hits.� 1B Hector Gimenez had one of the hits, a single in the 7th, but was left stranded. C Raul Chavez also had a single, but he was erased in a double play.� Caracas posted a total of 14 hits, and had two 4-run innings (2nd and 7th).� C Carlos Maldonado doubled, walked, and reached on a fielding error, and scored all three of those times.

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MEXICAN PACIFIC LEAGUE

Algodoneros de Guasave� 6,� Venados de Mazatlan� 4 -- RF Rogelios Noris doubled and scored for Los Venados, and former Pirate 1B Yurendell de Caster singled and doubled for Guasave.� Noris' double led off the 3rd inning, and two more doubles gave Mazatlan 2 runs in that inning.� Guasave scored 3 times in the 4th inning, and that tipped the scales in their favor for the rest of the game.� De Caster's RBI double brought in a run in the 5th, and his single plated another run in the 8th.� Mazatlan's last run came on a homer in the 6th.

Just one game in the Mexican Pacific League last night:

Naranjeros de Hermosillo 19, Aguilas de Mexicali 1 -- Los Naranjeros did it all on 16 hits, including 2 from former Pirate Humberto Cota, who was playing first base.� Hermosillo scored 11 runs in the 5th inning. They sent 15 batters to the plate, and had 6 singles and 5 walks.� There was one wild pitch and only 2 of Mexicali's errors occurred in that inning.

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VENEZUELAN WINTER LEAGUE:

Navegantes del Magallanes� 6,� Bravos de Margarita� 0 -- 3B Andy LaRoche had one of Los Bravos 5 hits, and that was a double off fellow Pirate Corey Hamman, who pitched the bottom of the 9th for Los Navegantes.� After a two-out walk in the bottom of the 1st, the next 15 Margarita batters went down in order.� The closest they came to scoring was in the 6th when they loaded the bases on a single, a double, and a walk, but could not score.� LaRoche reached as far as third base in the 9th, when Hamman also gave up a single, but LaRoche was left on base when Hamman ended the inning and the game with a ground out.� Los Navegantes scored one run in the top of the 1st on former Pirate LF Mike Ryan's RBI single.� Ryan also singled in the 2nd, when Magallanes added another 3 runs.� A solo homer gave them another run in the 3rd, and they scored again in the 7th.� Pirate farmhand Jhonathan Ramos pitched the 8th inning for Margarita, and he struck out three Navegantes in order.� Ramos was followed by former Pirate farmhand RHP Yoffri Martinez, who was a little wild (two walks and two wild pitches) but did not give up a hit or a run in the top of the 9th.

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Tigres de Aragua� 9,� Caribes de Anzoategui� 2 -- Brian Bass struck out 8 batters in 3.2 innings for Los Tigres and allowed one run on 5 hits and a walk.� He worked around the lead-off walk in the 1st, and a single in the 2nd, then two singles in the 3rd, while striking out two batters in each of those innings.� He gave up another single and struck out two more in the 4th before being relieved.� DH Raul Chavez singled in Aragua's 3-run 3rd inning.� He singled again, and 1B Hector Gimenez walked and scored in the 3-run 6th inning.� Gimenez also singled and scored in the 2-run 7th inning, and Los Tigres scored again in the 8th.� Former Pirate farmhand C Miguel Perez was 0-for-3 at the plate for Aragua.� Gabriel Alvarado pitched to three batters for Los Caribes in that 6th inning.� He gave up a single (which drove in Gimenez), then threw a wild pitch on strike three, which let another run came in, then got the ground out that ended the inning.� Adenson Chourio had a pinch-hit appearance in the top of the 9th.� He grounded into a force out, but was safe at first, then he stole second base.

Two of the four winter leagues got started on Tuesday.� Some games involving Pirates' players and friends:

VENEZUELAN LEAGUE:

Leones de Caracas� 3,� Tigres de Aragua� 1 -- Caracas scored twice in the bottom of the 1st on two singles and an RBI double, then added an unearned run in the 5th, on a hit batter, a throwing error, and an RBI ground out.� Former Pirate C Carlos Maldonado was 0-for-4 for Caracas.� Los Tigres managed only one run despite out-hitting Caracas 8-6.� The run came in the top of the 2nd, on two singles, a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly.� 1B Hector Gimenez walked in the 1st inning for Aragua, but was left on base, then was hitless in three more at-bats.� Former Pirate C Raul Chavez had one of Aragua's hits, a single in the 1st inning, when he was also left stranded.� Former Pirate farmhand Ronald Uviedo pitched the 8th inning for Caracas and allowed just a double.

Caribes de Anzoategui 16,� Navegantes del Magallanes 8 -- Los Caribes got the season started witha� bang, posting 20 hits, including 6 doubles and a homer.� The 7th run 2nd inning, sending 11 batters to the plate and featuring 4 doubles, two singles, two walks, and a wild pitch, put the game out of reach for Magallanes.� Unfortunately, none of the Pirates' farmhand listed on the Caribes' roster got into the game.� Former Indy Indian LF Mike Ryan, who has done well in previous winter league experiences, got this winter season off to a good start with a double and a solo home run, for 3 RBI.� Reliever Corey Hamman pitched the top of the 9th for Magallanes.� He hit a batter, then got two strikeouts, and gave up an RBI double.

Bravos de Margarita� 4,� Tiburones de La Guaira� 3� -- La Guaira had a 3-run lead going into the bottom of the 7th inning.� That's when Los Bravos tied the game with a 3-run rally.� Singles by RF Rene Reyes and 3B/1B Andy LaRoche opened the inning, and a walk to 1B Javier Brito loaded the bases.� A sacrifice fly brought in Reyes, and two RBI singles plated LaRoche, then Brito.� La Guaira put runners on the corners in the top of the 8th, but did not score.� Margarita loaded the bases in the bottom of the frame (LaRoche struck out), but a timely double play ended the inning without a run scoring.� La Guaira went down in order, on three strikeouts in the top of the 9th.� Margarita won it in the bottom of the 9th on a single and an RBI double.

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MEXICAN PACIFIC LEAGUE:

Yaquis de Obregon� 7,� Mayos de Navojoa� 1 -- Obregon scored in three of the first four innings, and held Navojoa to just 5 hits and one run, which scored in the 9th.� Former Pirate CF Jeff Salazar singled in the 4th inning for Obregon, and scored on a subsequent home run.� He also reached base on a grounder force out at second base (he probably beat out the relay throw to first), and then stole second base in the 2nd inning.

The Arizona Fall League begins play today, with seven Pirates' farmhands on the roster for the Mesa Solar Sox.� Players from the Los Angeles Angels, the Philadelphia Phillies, the Chicago Cubs, and the New York Mets will round out the Solar Sox' roster. � Pitchers Brian Leach, Aaron Pribanic, and Justin Wilson are all participating, and all are expected to pitch in relief, as other pitchers have the priority for starting roles.� Team USA's Justin De Fratus (Phillies) is also on the roster, so he must be planning to join the Solar Sox later in the week after the Pan Am tournament wraps up.

Behind the plate, look for C Tony Sanchez, who is trying to make up time after missing much of the regular season due to a fractured jaw.� Sanchez has also been asked by MLB to keep a blog of his experiences in the Arizona Fall League.� (He hasn't started it yet -- stay tuned.)� Phillies' pitcher Josh Zeid and Angels pitcher Ryan Brasier, both slated as starters for the Solar Sox, have also been asked to write blogs.

Altoona infielders Josh Harrison and Jordy Mercer will be sharing some infield time with six other infielders, including Josh Vitters of the Cubs.� Their Curve teammate Andrew Lambo will be sharing outfield duties with four other outfielders, including Phillies' John Mayberry.

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Mexican Pacific League

Los Venados de Mazatlan is the hometown team of OF Rogelios Noris. He got in a little playing time last year as a rookie, and was a bit of a surprise, with some home runs and some very good pinch-hit appearances. The 21-year-old hit .236 with the West Virginia Power during the 2010 season.

Also listed on one Mazatlan roster (but not all) is LHP Jovany Lopez. Lopez is a 19 year old from Los Mochis, who has spent two seasons with the Pirates Venezuelan Summer League team.� This season, he made 18 relief appearances (27.2 innings) and had a 5-0 record with a 3.90 ERA.� He gave up 30 hits and 12 earned runs, but allowed only 5 walks and struck out 21.

Three former Pirates are also playing in the Mexican Pacific League:� Inf/Of Yurendell de Caster is with Los Algodoneros de Guasave, C Humberto Cota is on the roster of Los Naranjeros de Hermosillo, and OF Jeff Salazar will be in center field for Los Yaquis de Obregon.

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