Tag: RJ Rodriguez

Cheering for the Pirates' players and friends in Thursday's winter league action:

DOMINICAN LEAGUE
Toros del Este  6,  Tigres del Licey   0  --  Los Tigres were shut-out on 6 hits.  They had 2 runners on base in a few innings, but were never able to bring them around to score.  New Pirate 1B Andy Marte did not start, but came in to play at first in the 5th inning.  He bounced into a double play in the 6th, and was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the 9th.  DH Ronny Paulino and LF Jake Fox were both hitless, though Fox walked in the 1st inning.  Denny Bautista pitched the final inning for Los Tigres, and gave up 2 runs on a single, a walk, and a double.  SS Pedro Ciriaco went 0-for-3 for Los Toros.  

Gigantes del Cibao  3,  Estrellas de Oriente  2  --  Mike Dubee earned his second Dominican League win for los Gigantes with 1.1 scoreless innings of work.  Each team started with a run in the 1st inning -- on a homer for Los Estrellas and on a double, a bunt, and a sacrifice fly for Los Gigantes.  After the homer, Los Gigantes' starter Roman Colon retired the next 10 batters in order.  Dubee relieved Colon to begin the 5th inning.  He gave up a double and a walk, but got out of the jam with a strikeout and a ground out.  Dubee started the 6th inning with a fly out and a walk, then he was replaced by Juan Perez.  Perez finished that inning, but gave up a run on a double and an error in the 7th.  Los Gigantes' C JR House singled to lead off the 5th, then scored on a sacrifice bunt and a single.  A solo homer gave Los Gigantes' one more run in the 6th.  House also singled in the 2nd inning.  


PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE
Criollos de Caguas  15,  Indios de Mayaguez  2  --  Los Criollos posted 21 hits and scored in all but one of the first 7 innings, including 4 in the 2nd and 5 in the 6th.  SS Luis Figueroa singled and doubled and scored twice.  3B Ramon Vazquez singled twice and drove in 2 runs.  

Leones de Ponce  3,  Senadores de San Juan  0  --   Another shut-out, as Los Senadores were held to just 2 hits.  Starter Ben Snyder (Rangers, and Ball State University) gave up a walk in the 3rd inning, and lone singles in the 4th and 6th innings, as he pitched 7 innings for the win.  RJ Rodriguez earned his 7th Save with a perfect 9th inning.  


VENEZUELAN LEAGUE
Cardenales de Lara  6,  Tigres de Aragua  5  --  A single, two walks, and a sacrifice fly gave Los Cardenales the go-ahead run in the top of the 8th, then held on for the win.  Lara put up 13 hits, while Los Tigres had 7 hits, including 2 singles by SS Ronny Cedeno, and 2 doubles by LF Lastings Milledge.  Lara scored 4 runs in the 3rd and one more in the 5th.  Cedeno singled, stole second, and scored in the 1st inning.  He singled again in the 6th to begin a rally.  Two walks (one by C Hector Gimenez), a single, and Milledge's first double, brought in 3 runs for Los Tigres in that inning.  Aragua tied the score in the 7th, on an error, a bunt by Cedeno, and an RBI single.  That rally was cut short when Romulo Sanchez came on in relief for Lara and ended the inning with two strikeouts.  Milledge doubled again in the 8th inning and stole third base, but was out at home on a fielder's choice.  

 
MEXICAN PACIFIC LEAGUE
Venados de Mazatlan  4,  Tomateros de Culiacan  2  --  LF Rogelios Noris led off the top of the 6th with his 5th double of the season for Los Venados.  That sparked a 4-run rally, with three singles driving in three runs, and three walks forcing in a fourth run.  Former Pirate SS Luis Cruz drove in Culiacan's runs with a 2-run homer in the 4th.  

 

After having a Monday off, the winter leagues are back to action on Tuesday night, as we cheer on the Pirates' players and friends:

PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE
Leones de Ponce  1,  Gigantes de Carolina  0  --  After 10.5 scoreless innings, the only run of the game came in the bottom of the 11th.  A fielding error, a double, and and intentional walk loaded the bases for Los Leones, then a balk forced in the winning run.  Former Pirate farmhand RJ Rodriguez was the winning pitcher.  He threw two scoreless innings (9th and 10th) and was the pitcher of record when his teammates scored the winning run.  Los Gigantes was held to just 2 hits and 3 walks.  The hits were both singles, in the 1st and 2nd innings. 

Criollos de Caguas  3,  Senadores de San Juan  1  --  Former Indy Indian SS Luis Figueroa got the scoring started with a solo home run in the top of the 1st.  Figueroa led off the 4th with a single, then scored on an RBI double.  A single and two doubles added Caguas' third run in the 6th.  Figueroa collected his third hit of the game with a lead-off single in the 8th.  3B Ramon Vazquez went 0-for-4 for Los Criollos.  


DOMINICAN LEAGUE
Aguilas Cibaenas  5,  Toros del Este  3  --  SS Pedro Ciriaco had 2 of Los Toros' 8 hits.  He led off the bottom of the 6th with a single, then came around to score on a passed ball, a ground out, and an RBI single.  Los Toros added 2 more runs in the 7th, the first on a walk, a single, and a sacrifice fly.  Then Ciriaco drove in another run with his second single.  Los Aguilas scored 2 runs in each of the 4th and 5th, then one more in the 9th for the win.  

Tigres del Licey  6,  Estrellas de Oriente  5  --  Los Tigres were behind 5-0 going into the bottom of the 6th inning, when Indy area native DH Jake Fox put them onto the scoreboard with a 2-run homer.  C Robinzon Diaz led off the bottom of the 7th with a single, and two more runs scored that inning on another single and two errors.  Then Fox gave Los Tigres the win with another 2-run homer in the bottom of the 8th.  


MEXICAN PACIFIC LEAGUE
Venados de Mazatlan  5,  Tomateros de Culiacan  3  --  Los Venados held off late-inning rallies by Los Tomateros for the win.  LF Rogelios Noris singled in the game, but did not score.  

Not sure why the Venezuelan League info is not coming up.  Maybe more of that in the morning too.   --  7 am -- nope, still no info.  Odd.

Sunday's action for Pirates' players and friends in the winter leagues.� The Arizona Fall League and the Mesa Solar Sox have the day off.

VENEZUELAN LEAGUE

Tigres de Aragua� 20,� Leones del Caracas� 15 -- No, they weren't playing football.� That's 35 runs on 38 hits, 17 walks, 10 strikeouts, 4 wild pitches, 2 hit batters, and 2 errors.� LF Lastings Milledge hit a solo homer in the 3rd.� Los Tigres broke the game open in the 4th, which included three homers -- a solo homer by RF Alex Romero,� and back-to-back blasts by 1B Hector Gimenez (three runs) and 3B Marquez Smith.� Aragua added 3 more in the 5th and 2 in the 7th, then sent 11 batters to the plate to score 7 runs in the top of the 9th.� Caracas had one run in the bottom of the 2nd, then had a rally in the 6th, scoring 4 runs.� The added one more in the 7th,� Los Leones were trailing 20 - 6 going into the bottom of the 9th, and that's when they had the biggest inning of the game.� Of the 13 batters who came to the plate, the first seven reached base safely, and after a few more singles and their only homer of the game, Caracas scored 9 runs in the bottom of the 9th.� Still not enough for the win, though.� Milledge went 3-for-5 with 4 runs scored and 2 RBI.� Gimenez was 2-for-5 with 2 runs scored and 3 RBI.� Former Altoona Curve and Indy Indian CF Jorge Cortes also went 2-for-5 with 2 runs scored and 3 RBI.� Another former Curve and Indian C Miguel Perez was the only member of the Aragua starting lineup who did not have a hit or a walk in the game.

Navegantes del Magallanes� 11,� Tiburones de La Guaira� 3� -- Former Indy Indian LF Mike Ryan hit for the cycle, going 4-for-5 for Magallanes, who posted 18 total hits.� Ryan starter with a double in the bottom of the 1st.� Los Navegantes scored 7 runs in the 3rd inning, and Ryan contributed a 2-run homer and a single in that inning.� Then he got the hardest part, a triple (and an RBI) in the 5th, and scored moments later.

Bravos de Margarita� 6,� Cardenales de Lara� 4� -- "Only" 22 hits in this game.� One belonged to 3B Andy LaRoche, who homered to lead off the 2nd inning and start Los Bravos' scoring.� Three singles and a double added two more runs for Margarita in the 2nd.� Two singles, a sacrifice bunt, and a sacrifice fly gave them another run in the 4th.� LaRoche was intentionally walked in the 7th inning, when Margarita scored twice more.� Lara scored one run in each of four innings.� Justin Thomas took the mound in relief for Los Bravos in the 6th, with two Cardenales on base and two outs.� He gave up an RBI single, though that run was charged to the previous pitcher.� Thomas started the 7th inning with a strikeout, then a hit batter and a single.� He was relieved, but an RBI grounder brought in the first runner, and this run was charged to Thomas.

Friday's winter league action for Pirates' players and friends:

VENEZUELAN LEAGUE

Bravos de Margarita� 3,� Cardinales de Lara� 0� -- 3B Andy LaRoche got Los Bravos onto the scoreboard with a solo homer in the 4th inning -- his first home run in the Venezuelan League.� LaRoche also walked in the 5th inning, when Margarita used two singles, two wild pitches, and another walk to score 2 more runs.� LaRoche also walked in the 7th inning, but didn't score.� Lara was held to just 4 hits in the shutout.� Jhonathan Ramos pitched to three batters in the 7th inning -- a double, a fielding error, and a strikeout.� Ronald Belisario pitched a perfect 9th inning to earn his 2nd save.

Tiburones de La Guaira� 7,� Tigres de Aragua� 4� -- Los Tiburones scored 5 runs in the late innings to overcome Los Tigres.� Aragua scored 2 runs in the top of the 1st, when 3B Luis Maza led off with a double (the first of 3 hits for him in the game), 1B Hector Gimenez walked, and LF Lastings Milledge plated the first run with an RBI single.� Another single brought in Gimenez.� La Guaira tied the score with a 2-run homer in the 2nd inning.� A triple and a single gave Aragua the lead in the 4th, and a double, a throwing error and a single added a run in the 7th.� La Guaira scored 3 runs in the 6th and 2 more in the 8th.� Milledge and Gimenez both went 1-for-3 with a walk.� C Raul Chavez was hitless in 4 at-bats.

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MEXICAN PACIFIC LEAGUE

Caneros de Los Mochis� 6,� Venados de Mazatlan� 3� -- Los Caneros also scored 5 runs in the late innings, to overcome Los Venados.� Mazatlan scored their first run in the 2nd inning on a throwing error and a double by 1B Roberto Saucedo.� Saucedo drove in the second run in the 4th inning with a bases-loaded single.� Los Caneros got one run back in the bottom of the 4th, then scored 2 runs in the 6th inning with a home run.� 2B Freddy Sandoval homered for Los Venados in the 8th inning, to tie the score, but Los Caneros responded with another 2-run homer and another insurance run in the bottom of the inning.� LF Rogelios Noris singled in the 6th inning for his hometown Mazatlan, but was left on base.

Cheering for Pirates' players and friends in the winter leagues:

PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE

Gigantes de Carolina� 10,� Indios de Mayaguez� 8 -- SS Benji Gonzalez got into this game as a late-inning defensive replacement in the 7th inning.� He got one at-bat, but popped out to second base.� Los Gigantes scored 2 runs in the 1st, and 3 in the 4th, but their biggest inning was the 2nd, when they plated 5 runs on 4 singles and 2 doubles.

Senadores de San Juan� 4,� Leones de Ponce� 3� -- San Juan had a 4-0 lead going into the bottom of the 8th.� Ponce used 3 consecutive singles and a double to score 3 runs in that inning, but could not catch up.� Former Pirate farmhand RJ Rodriguez pitched a scoreless top of the 9th for Ponce, though he allowed 2 singles.

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VENEZUELAN LEAGUE

Tiburones de La Guaira� 9,� Navegantes del Magallanes� 7 -- Los Tiburones scored 6 runs in the 1st inning, but Los Navegantes kept chipping away, until they had a 7-6 lead going into the bottom of the 8th.� Los Tiburones would not stand for that, though -- they scored 3 more runs in the bottom of the 8th to retake the lead and get the win.� SS Argenis Diaz did not have a hit in the game, for Magallanes, but he reached on a fielding error in the 6th inning, giving him an RBI.� DH Mike Ryan had an RBI ground out for Magallanes in the 1st inning, and drove in the tying and go-ahead runs in the top of the 8th with a double.

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MEXICAN PACIFIC LEAGUE

Venados de Mazatlan� 7,� Yaquis de Obregon� 5 -- Los Venados scored one run in each of the 1st, 3rd, and 5th innings, and had a 3-1 lead over Obregon.� Los Yaquis' run came in the 3rd, on an RBI single by CF Jeff Salazar.� Obregon burst out with 4 runs in the 5th, starting the inning with 4 straight singles, then a wild pitch, two more singles, and a walk by Salazar.� Mazatlan answered with 4 runs in the top of the 9th, on two doubled and four singles, to take the win.� RF Rogelios Noris had a single in the 6th inning, but did not score.