MVN: Most Valuable Network

The Hawaiian Winter League wraps up play at the end of this week; the Arizona Fall League ends at the end of next week.

Don't forget to check out Jeff Sues' blog about his experiences in the AFL.   Jamie Romak was his guest-blogger last week.  

2B Emmanuel Burriss (Giants) led the Scorpions wit 4 hits, including a solo homer and 2 RBI, as Scottsdale scored their 14 runs on 12 hits.  LF Chris Pettit (Angels) brought in 4 runs with a single and a triple.  The Scorpions scored 3 runs in the first inning, but then lost the lead as the Rafters came back with two 2-run homers in the bottom of the inning.  But that was all the scoring the Scorpion pitchers would allow.  Scottsdale scored 2 runs in the 5th, then added 7 run in the 6th inning.  The first three of those runs in the 6th inning scored without the Scorpions even getting a hit: two missed catch errors, a throwing error, a hit batter, and two walks.  Pettit's triple knocked in three more runs and 1B Mark Trumbo (Angels) singled in Pettit.  

Mike Crotta pitched two innings for the Scorpions and earned the win.  He allowed two doubles and a walk, while striking out two batters.  Derek Hankins pitched the bottom of the 9th for Scottsdale, and he also allowed a double, but then retired the next three batters in order to end the game.  

DH Miles Durham singled twice, walked, and scored a run in last night's game.  The Cane Fires did all their scoring in the first two innings.  2B Mark Halberg (Diamondbacks) got things going with a single, then C James Skelton (Tigers) walked, and Durham loaded the bases with another single.  LF Cyle Hankerd (D'Backs) brought everyone home with a grand slam homer, giving the Cane Fires all the runs they'd need.  They did add two insurance runs in the 2nd inning, on walks to CF Kyle Peter (Tigers) and Skelton, a single by Halberg, and an RBI single by 3B Tyler Henson (Orioles).  Durham got as far as third base in the 4th inning, after a walk, and in the 6th inning, after he led off with a single.  Starter Cody Scarpetta (Brewers) pitched scoreless innings for the Cane Fires, allowing only one hit and one walk, while striking out 8 batters.  After giving up a single in the first inning, Scarpetta retired the next 10 batters he faced in order, including striking out the side in the 3rd inning, before walking the first batter in the bottom of the 5th inning.  

C Carlos Maldonado came to the plate with the bases loaded and no outs in the top of the 10th inning for Caracas.  His sacrifice fly brought in the winning run, but it also started an unusual triple play to end the inning:  the left fielder made the out, then threw the ball to the infield, where the third baseman relayed to the first baseman, doubling off one baserunner, and then on to second base, tripling off former Pirate Jose Castillo.  Maldonado also walked twice and singled in the game.  DH Matt Murton (A's) had three hits in the game and sparked Caracas' two other run-scoring innings, leading off the 3rd inning with a double, and singling in the 5th.  DH Raul Chavez was 0-for-5 for Aragua.  Ron Uviedo pitched one scoreless inning for Caracas, allowing two hits, but getting a strikeout to end the inning.  Romulo Sanchez earned the win for Caracas.  He entered the game in relief in the bottom of the 9th inning, with runners on the corners and two outs.  He got Raul Chavez to fly out to end the inning, and was still the pitcher of record when Maldonado did his hero work in the top of the 10th.

RF Jose Tabata led Los Caribes with three hits, including his first homer of the winter season.  Former Pirate LF Ray Sadler also homered, and had two hits.  Tabata's solo homer came in the top of the 1st inning, putting Los Caribes on the scoreboard.  Sadler's came with one runner on base in the top of the 4th inning.  Tabata led off the 5th inning with a single, went to second on another single, and reached third on a wild pitch.  Sadler was intentionally walked to load the bases with one out.  Two consecutive doubles brought in four runs, and another single plated the fifth run of the inning.  The 6th inning began in a familiar way -- Tabata led off with a single. This time, he came around to score from first base on a double.

1B Brad Eldred's struggles continue, as he went 0-for-4 for Zulia, with two strikeouts.  His batting average stands at .158.

Former Pirate farmhand 3B Yurendell de Caster hit a solo homer for Margarita in the 6th inning.  Two more homers, a two-run shot by Frank Diaz and a 3-run blast by Rafael Alvarez, in the 7th inning gave Margarita the victory.  Jonel Pacheco made his first start for Margarita (he had been playing for Los Caribes) in left field, and made caught two fly balls for outs in the top of the 3rd inning.  But he came out of the game in the bottom of the 3rd, replaced by a pinch-hitter for what would have been his first plate appearance.  

Former Pirate farmhand Alay Soler started for Santurce and pitched 5 innings, allowing only one run, a solo homer, and 3 hits, while striking out 4 batters over 5 innings of work.  Santurce was still behind when he left the game, though, so he did not get credited for the win.  Another former Pirate pitcher, Shane Youman, earned his first save, pitching 3 scoreless innings, and allowing two hits while striking out one batter.  

A double, two intentional walks, and a walk-off single won it for Arecibo in the bottom of the 9th.  Reliever Jorge Charry pitched two scoreless innings for Ponce.  He gave up a single to begin each inning, but one was caught stealing and the other was left stranded, as Charry retired the other 5 batters, including 2 strikeouts.  Greg Picart pinch-ran for Ponce in the top of the 9th inning, but three quick outs left him stranded on base.  

SS Luis Cruz hit his 2nd homer of the Mexican season for Obregon, a two-run bomb in the 2nd inning.  He also started the game with a single in the top of the 1st inning, and came around to score on an RBI single.  Obregon also scored two more runs in the 6th inning.  Mazatlan scored two runs in the 2nd on three walks, a single, and a sacrifice fly, and one more run in the 7th on a bases-loaded single.  Evan Meek pitched the top of the 9th for Mazatlan, allowing a walk, but striking out two.

Starter Jose Lima pitched 8 shutout innings for Los Aguilas, allowing only 3 hits and one walk, and striking out 7 batters.  Franquelis Osoria earned his first save of the winter by pitching a scoreless 9th inning, allowing one hit and striking out one.