A former Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher charged with sexual assault is asking a judge to get out of jail. Felipe Vazquez is accused of engaging in sexual activity with a 13-year-old girl in Scottdale, Westmoreland County. Vazquez has been in the Westmoreland County Jail ever since he was arrested last year. His new attorney, Gary Gerson, said Vazquez is unfairly being denied bail because he is a native of Venezuela and because of a false perception that he is a wealthy baseball player. Vazquez is accused of sexually assaulting the girl outside her Scottdale home. He allegedly met her at PNC Park, and then the relationship escalated online. But in court papers filed Wednesday, Gerson said, “All alleged acts in this case were initiated by the alleged victim.” Gerson also said that Vazquez “took reasonable steps to ascertain the age of the alleged victim after being contacted and was presented with identification by the alleged victim that showed she was over the age of consent.” In 2018, Vazquez signed a four-year, $22 million contract, including a $2 million signing bonus. Prosecutors cited his money and status as a professional baseball player as concerns he might be a flight risk. But Gerson said the perception of wealth is false. In fact, he said, Vazquez “has no significant funds.”