MLB suspends pair of DSL pitchers

Major League Baseball handed out suspensions for a third consecutive day on Wednesday after a pair of Dominican pitchers tested positive for performance enhancers.

The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball announced that Tampa Bay's Francisco Vizcaino and Baltimore's Saulo Alcantara have been suspended following their violations of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

Vizcaino received a 50-game suspension after testing positive for Stanozolol, an anabolic steroid that has been widely banned from use in sports competition. Also known as Winstrol, the drug has been used in horse racing and has previously been linked to former Major Leaguers Rafael Palmeiro, Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens.

Vizcaino, who turns 22 on Monday, was originally signed by the Washington Nationals as a non-drafted free agent before the 2007 season. He was 2-0 with a 2.35 ERA and a save in 12 outings this season in the Dominican Summer League.

Alcantara was also banned 50 games after testing positive for Formestane, a performance-enhancing substance. Rangers' Minor Leaguer Cristian Santana was suspended Tuesday for using the same drug.

Formestane is an "estrogen control agent" that reduces excess estrogen in the body by blocking the production of it. Typical results include lean muscle and strength gains, fat loss and increased libido.

Alcantara was signed by the Orioles as a non-drafted free agent on June 13, 2009 and had appeared in 11 games for one of the O's DSL clubs, going 1-2 with a 2.77 ERA.

The suspensions of the two players are effective immediately.

The news comes a day after Santana was banned 50 games and two days after retired outfielder Jon Weber, free-agent pitcher Guido Gomez and Dodgers' Dominican Summer League pitcher Wilmer Colmenarez were suspended for drug use Monday.