Winter League and Premier12 action for players from the Pittsburgh Pirates over the last two days.
Tuesday
Two long-time Pirates players who just became minor league free agents saw action on Tuesday in the Premier12 tournament. Elvis Escobar pitched for team Venezuela and retired the final batter of the seventh inning, before walking the first two batters in the eighth. He was then removed from the game and both of those runners ended up scoring.
Eric Wood helped Canada to a 3-0 victory over Cuba by going 2-for-3 with a double and two walks, while scoring two runs. Wood and Escobar first reached minor league free agency last year, though both ended up re-signing with the Pirates, which would could see again this winter.
Robbie Glendinning kept Australia from having a perfect game tossed against them by picking up an infield single in the fourth inning. He ended up being the only base runner in a 5-0 loss to Korea.
In winter league action in Mexico, Fabricio Macias was used as a pinch-runner in his team’s 2-1 loss. He did not bat or play in the field.
The season began in Venezuela, though no Pirates are on the current active rosters. Jose Osuna and Elias Diaz both belong to teams in the league, though there hasn’t been any word of either possibly playing this winter yet. Elvis Escobar will likely join his team once the Premier12 tournament is over.
Wednesday
In the Dominican, Pablo Reyes returned to the lineup after missing exactly two weeks with an ankle injury, which he suffered in his second game of the winter. Reyes seemed to be just fine, going 2-for-3 with a double and a triple. He scored two runs and drove in one.
Erik Gonzalez went 1-for-3, reaching base three times on a triple, a walk and a hit-by-pitch. He is hitting .270/.333/.459 in ten games.
Jesus Liranzo threw a shutout inning. That gives him a 2.89 ERA in 9.1 innings over ten outings. All three runs he has allowed this year came in one game.
In Mexico, Fabricio Macias started in center field and went 0-for-3 before leaving for a pinch-hitter in the ninth. He is hitting .214/.262/.304 in 21 games.
In the Premier12 tournament, Robbie Glendinning was at second base again and he went 1-for-3 with two walks and a run scored in his team’s 3-2 loss to Cuba.
Eric Wood went 0-for-3 with a walk in his team’s 3-1 loss to Korea.
Australia plays Canada tonight, so Glendinning and Wood will get a chance to be on opposing sides.
