GCL Twins BBQ GCL Pirates, 17-3

GCL Twins 17 at GCL Pirates 3

W. A.Sachez (1-1, 1.84) L: G.Alvarado (0-1, 5.50)
HR: TWN: A.Hicks (1)

Evidently the GCL Twins wanted to get the fireworks going early on America's Birthday, and so they set off some of their own, putting up 17 runs on 20 hits as they pounded the GCL Pirates into submission at Pirate City in Bradenton.

Leading the attack was Aaron Hicks who went 4-for-7 at the plate with 3 runs, and four RBIs, falling a triple short of the cycle. Not far behind was catcher Josmir Pinto, who was 3-for-6 with 2 runs and 2 RBIs. He did get the triple, but lacked the home run.

Jon Goncalves and Hicks opened up the contest with back-to-back doubles, putting one on the board right away. Following a ground out to Danny Ortiz and a fly out to Tyler Ladendorf that scored Hicks, Mike Gonzalez and Hyeoung-rok Choi singled. Pinto followed that up with a double to drive in Gonzalez. Juan Sanchez's ground ball single pushed Rocky over the plate for the 4th run and Herbert Lara brought in Pinto and Sanchez for the fifth and the sixth. Having batted around the order, Goncalves took a walk which finished it up for big Gabriel Alvarado. Melvin Vaszquez came in and got Hicks to strike out to let the Pirates have a chance.

Jarek Cunningham would single and make his way to 3rd on a passed ball by Pinto, but with two outs on the board, he'd be stranded when Craig Perry, the Pirates 50th round pick, hit into a force out.

Vasquez would keep the Twins in check for the second and third innings. The Pirates mustered some offense in the bottom of the 3rd, with Kyle Sauldo and Ben Gonzalez taking back-to-back singles off Sanchez. Frezier Pedron lined into a double play, but Cunningham doubled to move Gonzalez to 3rd. Miguel Mendez would get plunked by a pitch before Perry ground out (again) to strand the runners.

The Twins had the bases loaded in the top of the 4th, but Ortiz flew out and Ladendorf ground out that also took Hicks down at 2nd to end the inning. Ortiz and Ladendorf would finish up the game 0-for-4 each, being replaced in the later innings as field manager Jake Mauer tried to muster up a little bit more offense.

The Pirates meekly came up to bat, and equally meekly went to sit down in the bottom of the stanza, much to Tom Prince's chagrin.

Zach Foster would replace Vasquez on the mound in the top of the 5th, and Gonzalez took advantage of the pitching change to hit a double. Rocky would fly out, but Pinto got his triple to score the Twin's clean up man. Juan Sanchez singled in Pinto. Lara would lined out, and Goncalves took a walk. Hicks then went yard over the left field wall - er fence - to drive in 3 more, making it 11-0 Twins.

The sixth inning was a relatively quiet affair, despite the fact that the Twins had the bases loaded and could not capitalize again. They really need to work on that. Jean Mijares would replace Sanchez on the mound and allow a walk to Mendez, but got Perry to hit into a double play.

Carlos Teller would strike out Lara to start the 7th, but Goncalves took a walk and Hicks singled to move him to 2nd. Hyun-Wook Choi would take over Ortiz's spot in the batting order, hitting into a ground out that scored Goncalves. Ladendorf would reach on a fielding error that also scored Hicks, and Gonzalez would sacrifice in Wook to make it 14-0. Rocky took a walk before Pinto flew out to retire the side.

Kyle Sauldo got a single off Mijares in bottom of the seventh for the Pirates, who would manage a total of 9 hits in the game.

Matthew Foust took over the mound for the Pirates in the top of the 8th, and got Sanchez to ground out. Hildago Anderson would come into the game for Lara, who finished up 2-for-4 in the contest with a pair of RBIs. Hidalgo singled and Goncalves took another walk. Hicks went down on strikes before Wook singled in Hidalgo. Jakub Hajtmar would replace Ladendorf, and the Czech reached on a fielding error by Jarek Cunningham that also allowed Goncalves to score. Gonzalez would fly out to end the inning.

Nick Lobanov took over for Mijares in the bottom of the stanza, and allow a walk to Pedron. Cunningham and Mendez both singled to load up the bases, and Perry would reach on throwing error by Rocky, which also brought in two runs. Joe Munoz ground into a force out to which scored Mendez and took Perry out at 2nd. Carlos Silva (remember him from last season?) ground into a double play to end the inning.

The Twins really didn't need any more runs but saw no reason to leave Victor Igsema out of the slaughter, so Rocky lead off with walk and Pinto doubled to move him to 3rd. Sanchez went down on strikes before Hidalgo singled to score Rocky for the 17th and final run of the game.

Kyle Carr worked the ninth inning for the Twins, allowing a single to Ben Gonzalez, but that was all the Pirates would get as Pedron ground out to send the boys out to celebrate Independence Day.

Nice fireworks kids! Keep it up!

The Twins are back at the Lee County Sportsplex Saturday against the Orioles and Sunday against the Reds. Both games start at noon - weather permitting.

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From NDN: So far, the deep ball belongs to Andres Diaz. The Lake Worth native has two home runs, which is two more than the rest of the GCL Twins active roster. Diaz is a 43rd round draft choice by the Twins.

Now it would be ONE more than the rest of his teammates, however, word has it that Diaz holds the unofficial record for the longest home run hit by a GCL Twins player. Supposedly it landed somewhere near the left field lake. "What lake?" you say. You know, the one on the other side of the parking lot.



DSL Cubs1 1 at DSL Twins 2

W: A. Salcedo (1-2, 1.93); L: M. Coletto (1-2, 2.11); SV: E. Alvarez (8)
HR: None.

The host DSL Twins doubled up the DSL Cubs1 Friday, keeping the Cubs off the board until the 9th inning and then allowing only 1 run.

Adrian Salcedo worked five innings for the Twins, allowing only 3 hits and 1 walk while fanning five for his first win of the 2008 season. He'd give way to Jose Gozalez for the next two, who gave up only 1 hit while striking out 4.

Willy Gil would reach on a fielding error by Cub Robert Bautista, then steal 2nd. Following a pop out to Juan Blanco and a line out to Danny Santana, Oswaldo Arcia singled to move Gil to 3rd. A wild pitch by Cubs starter Miguel Coletto put Gil over the plate for the first Twins run.

The Twins would only manage five hits in the game, but made the most of their limited opportunties. With Jose Tineo on the mound for the Cubs and one out on the board, Jairo Rodriguez singled. He'd be lifted from the game in favor of pinch runner Yancarlo Franco. Randy Pina singled to move Franco to 2nd, and Carlos Vasquez would get plunked by a pitch, loading the bags. Gil sacrificed in Franco to give the Twins 2 before Blanco ground out to end the inning.

Edison Alverez allowed a walk to Juan Medina and a single to Albert Hernandez to lead off in the top of the 9th. He'd get Juan Pena to ground into a force out that took down Medina at 3rd. Ramon Bonilla likewise ground into a force out, but a throwing error by Carlos Vasquez at 2nd base proved costly as Hernandez was able to cross the plate. Marcos Perez ground out however, without further damage, and the game went to the Twins.

Pina, the Twins catcher, was 2-for-2 in the contest, the only Twin with a multi-hit game.

The DSL Twins finish up their week on the road against the DSL Reds, with the start coming at 10:30 AM, Dominican time, as always.

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