PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pirates Charities raised $65,000 through a July 26 auction on FSN to help fund the Pirates Charities Miracle League Field of Southwestern Pennsylvania in Cranberry Township's Graham Park.

Matt Nordby, Pittsburgh Pirates coordinator of business communications, said the auction was a great live event that Pirates Charities may do on an annual basis to raise money for the group's charitable endeavors.

The money from the auction will go toward the $200,000 Pirates Charities pledged toward the field's construction. That includes a $50,000 personal donation by Pirates infielder Freddy Sanchez and his wife, Alissa.

The rest of the funds will be raised through other efforts, said Nordby.

The new Pirates Charities Miracle League Field, which will serve the entire region, will be the second such field built in Pennsylvania. The first was built in Altoona in 2007.

The Miracle League concept, which was developed in 2000, is designed to allow handicapped children to play baseball.

The playing field will be a synthetic surface to make it possible for children in wheelchairs and walkers to safely move about the field.

Scheduled to open in May, the field will be in Cranberry's new Dick's Sporting Goods Sportsplex at Graham Park and will serve the entire Southwestern Pennsylvania region.