Saturday’s winter league action involving Pirates’ players and friends:
MEXICAN PACIFIC LEAGUE
Venados de Mazatlan 9, Caneros de Mochis 2
SS Brian Bixler hit his first home run for Mazatlan, giving Los Venados their first insurance run in the 4th inning. There’s a photo on Los Venados’ web site. Bixler is mentioned lower down in the article, which says that Bixler hit his first homer of the season, which left the yard to give Mazatlan a 4-2 lead, and also had an RBI in the 7th.
CF Ruben Rivera added a 2-run homer in the 5th inning. Los Venados loaded the bases on a single and two walks in the 7th, and brought in one run on a fielding error. Bixler came to the plate with the bases still loaded, and grounded to second for the force out there, but he beat out the throw to first base, so the runner from third base scored, with Bixler picking up the RBI. Three more singles and another RBI grounder gave Mazatlan one last run in the 8th.
Algodoneros de Guasave 9, Tomateros de Culiacan 2
CF Luis Cruz doubled in the 6th inning for Culiacan, but did not score, as Los Tomateros were held to just 2 runs.
VENEZUELAN LEAGUE
Bravos de Margarita 4, Aguilas de Zulia 3 (Game 1)
The first 7 batters of this game all struck out. Zulia’s Josh Schmidt (Yankees) struck out the side in the top of the 1st, and then struck out the first batter he faced in the 2nd. He went on to retire the next 5 batters in order too, before giving up Margarita’s first hit, a double to 2B Eider Torres (White Sox) to lead off the 4th. But Schmidt only faced the minimum in that inning too, as Torres was the second out in a double play when he was thrown out at the plate after a fly out. Margarita finally got to Schmidt in the 5th inning, when DH Rene Reyes singled and LF Selwyn Langaigne walked. Neil Walker, who started the game at first base, dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners to second and third. Both runners scored on a fielding error to tie the score at 2-2. Margarita took the lead with 2 more in the 6th inning, on a single, a fielder’s choice and two errors by Zulia. Walker was moved over to third base for the final inning of the game. On the other side, Margarita’s starter Carlos Monasterios struck out the side in the 1st inning, then gave up a run in each of the 2nd and 3rd innings. Each starter finished with 5 strikeouts.
Zulia 7, Margarita 5 (Game 2)
Zulia took the nightcap, pushing past Margarita with a 4-run 5th inning. Chris Hernandez earned his 7th save for Zulia with a scoreless 7th inning. Zulia began the scoring with two runs in the bottom of the 1st inning. Margarita came back with 2 to tie it up in the 2nd inning. After a walk by Rene Reyes and a single by Selwyn Langaigne, Neil Walker (back at third base for the second game) walked to load the bases. The next batter bounced into a double play, scoring one run, but forcing Walker out at second. A single by C Henry Blanco (Padres) brought in the tying run. A double, a wild pitch, and two singles gave Margarita a 4-2 lead in the 3rd inning, and they picked up one more run in the top of the 5th with two walks, a sacrifice bunt, a double steal, and an RBI ground out. Former Indy Indian Tim Harikkala made the start for Margarita, and he got into trouble in the 5th inning, when he gave up two 2-out doubles. Reliever Jesus Silva took over for Harikkala, and faced three batters — for an RBI single, a 2-run homer, and then a hit batter. Another former Indy Indian, Michael Tejera came on next, and he ended the inning with a strikeout, but the damage was done and the Mazatlan batters could not respond. Neil Walker went 0-for-2 besides the walk.
Navegantes del Magallanes 2, Tiburones de La Guaira 1
Jean Machi earned his 7th save with a scoreless 9th in this low-scoring and low-hitting game. Los Tiburones were held to just 4 hits and scored only one run, on a double, a stolen base, and a throwing error by the Magallanes’ catcher. Los Navegantes had just 6 hits, and their only scoring was on a walk and a 2-run homer by 1B Brian Dopirak (Blue Jays). DH
Tigres de Aragua 6, Cardenales de Lara 2
1B Hector Gimenez walked three times and scored once for Aragua, and C Raul Chavez added an RBI single. Lara scored one run in the top of the 1st, but Los Tigres came roaring back with 3 runs in the bottom of the inning. After a walk and a double put runners on second and third, Chavez was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Gimenez picked up an RBI as he was walked, forcing in a run. LF Justin Huber (Twins) singled, plating two runs. That chased Lara’s starting pitcher, and former Indy Indian Giovanni Carrara came on to finish that inning and pitch the next two scoreless frames. After Carrara finished his night’s work, Aragua started scoring again. They got one run in the 4th on a walk and two errors. In the 5th, Gimenez reached on Lara’s third error of the game, then scored on a RBI single. Chavez’s RBI single came after a single and a walk in the 6th inning. CF Jorge Cortes went 1-for-4 with a single in the 7th inning. SS Ronny Cedeno went 0-for-4, dropping his batting average to .182.
DOMINICAN LEAGUE
Gigantes del Cibao 4, Aguilas Cibaenas 3 (10 innings)
A two run homer in the 9th tied the game, and a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th gave Los Gigantes the win. Starling Marte got into the game as a late-inning defensive replacement in right field for Los Aguilas, but did not get a plate appearance.
Toros del Este 8, Estrellas de Oriente 6
Two runs by Los Toros in the top of the 8th broke a 6-6 tie, and Los Estrellas could not respond. 1B Brian Myrow had a walk and a single in 3 trips to the plate. He singled in the 3rd, and scored when LF Henry Mateo homered.
