Gonzalez's two homers pace Virtual Pirates




I will be serving as general manager/manager of the Pirates in a 2020 season simulation along with 29 others using Out Of The Park Baseball. Feel free to check here for daily updates. I realize baseball is a lot less important than what is going on in the world today but perhaps it can provide a diversion for a few moments.

WASHINGTON – Erik Gonzalez is providing a jolt of power off the bench for the Virtual Pirates.

Subbing at shortstop while Kevin Newman was rested, Gonzalez hit a pair of home runs to lead the Virtual Buccos to a 7-2 victory over the Virtual Washington Nationals on Wednesday night at Virtual Nationals Park.

The Pirates have won two of three in the four-game series. They improved to 43-36 with their fifth win in seven games.

Gonzalez hit solo shots in the second and ninth innings to open and close the scoring. He also homered in Tuesday night’s loss to the Nationals, playing third base while Ke’Bryan Hayes got the night off.

Adam Frazier and Gregory Polanco each had three hits as the Pirates had a total of 13. Polanco also drove in two runs.

Elias Diaz hit a two-run single in the sixth inning off James Bourque that broke a 1-1 tie.

The runs came after bench coach Craig Wilson sprung for a team lunch from the famous Chili Bowl.

Victor Robles’ RBI single in the fourth had tied the game.

Trevor Williams (7-4) pitched into the seventh inning for the win. He gave up two runs (one earned) and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings with three strikeouts and two walks while throwing 105 pitches.

Michael Feliz and Chad Kuhl finished with a combined 2 2/3 scoreless innings.

In other news, Derek Holland opted for free agency rather than accept an assignment to Virtual Triple-A Indianapolis. He was designated for assignment last week.

It was 79 degrees at the start of the game with the wind blowing in from center field at 9 mph. Attendance was 40,813 and time of game was three hours, 27 minutes.

The series concludes Thursday with Chris “Arch” Archer (7-1, 2.94) facing Austin Voth (4-6, 6.35).

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