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(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photos by Henk Seppen)
     Venezuela, México win again on Day 2 of Serie del Caribe
Nederlands
 SANTO DOMINGO DE GUZMÁN (Dominican Republic) -
On Tuesday (February 2), Day 2 of the 58th edition of the annual Serie del Caribe (Caribbean Series), Venados de Mazatlán, the champion of the Liga Mexicana del Pacifico (México) registered its second victory.
After winning against the home team on Monday, the Mexican squad now won big vs. Tigres de Ciego de Ávila, the champion of the 2014-2015 season of the Serie Nacional de Béisbol (Cuba).
The Mexican won 9-3 in the afternoon-game, that started later due to a rain-delay.
When the rain and the clouds had cleared, it became another great day to play baseball with temperatures of 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit).
In the evening, at Estadio Quisqueya Juan Marichal in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, Tigres de Aragua, the champion of the Liga Venezolana de Béisbol Profesional (Venezuela), came from behind three times and won 8-7 in ten innings vs. Leones del Escogido, the champion of the Liga de Béisbol Profesional de la República Dominicana (Dominican Republic), in a long game that ended well after midnight.
With that, Venezuela also won its second game, while the Dominicans lost their second game.
Cangrejeros de Santurce, the champion of the Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente (Puerto Rico), had the day off on Tuesday.
Between today's games, there was a Mini-Homerun Derby for children.
For the first time during a Caribbean Series, a Homerun Derby is scheduled for Wednesday, with the participation of former Major Leaguer Vladimir Guerrero and Cuban powerhitter Alfredo Despaigne.
It was initially announced that Dominican Major Leaguers David Ortiz (Boston Red Sox) and Robinson Canó (Seattle Mariners) and Venezuelan Major League Miguel Cabrera (Detroit Tigers) might be amongst the participants, pending approval from their respective clubs.
However, it has been reported that Ortiz, Cabrera and Canó probably will be on the field on Wednesday, but are not allowed to participate for insurance reasons.
Guerrero and Despaigne will now be joined by participating players Kennys Vargas (Puerto Rico), Felix Perez (Venezuela), Cyle Hankerd (México) and Yosvani Alarcón (Cuba).
(February 2-3)
Related Articles:
 Venezuela, México open Serie del Caribe with small win. (February 1, 2016)
Serie del Caribe opens Monday in Dominican Republic. (January 31, 2016)
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Game 3 - México vs. Cuba
Venados de Mazatlán (México) handed Tigres de Ciego de Ávila (Cuba) a big 9-3 loss in the first game of today that started some 30 minutes later due to rain.
Cuba was the first team to reach base, but that was very briefly.
In the top of the first inning, Stayler Hernández led off with a single, but was caught stealing moments later.
The team was retired in order in the second at bat by American righthander Eddie Gamboa, who played in the minor league in 2008-2015 for Baltimore Orioles.
Since 2012, he is pitching in Triple-A.
Righthander Vladimir García started for the Cuban squad.
He started fine, retiring the side in the first inning, but ran into problems in the next at bat.
He first hit lead-off hitter Cyle Hankerd, then gave up an one-out single to Cuban Yuniesky Betancourt and loaded the bases by walking Esteban Quiroz.
Hereafter, the bases were cleared when Sebastian Valle delivered a 3-run double.
García was replaced by Yoanni Yera, who retired the next two batters.
Cuba got its next baserunner in the third inning.
With two outs, Lourdes Gourriel hit a routine grounder towards short stop Ramón Urías, who wanted to make the play somewhat nicer, but instead missed fielding the ball.
However, Gourriel stranded on first base.
...Yulieski Gourriel playing for Cuba in...
...the 2013 World Baseball Classic...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
Moments later, it was the experienced Yulieski Gourriel who also made an error.
On a grounder by Mexican lead-off hitter Justin Greene, he made a hard throw towards first base, but the ball went by first baseman Ariel Borrero.
Shortly thereafter, Greene stole second base, then also tried to steal third base, but then was caught stealing.
With two outs, México scored its next run when Cyle Hankerd homered.
Cuba got its first two batters on base in the top of the fourth inning, but both were left behind, as the next three batters were retired.
México then added another run in its fourth at bat.
Yuniesky Betancourt led off with a walk and Esteban Quiroz singled.
A double play followed, as Betancourt was caught stealing at third base (in a double steal) while Sebastian Valle struckout.
But with Quiroz on second base, Ramón Urías followed with a runscoring single to make it 5-0.
Cuba finally was able to do something back in the top of the sixth inning and they did it with a characteristic rally, scoring three runs on five basehits.
31-year old veteran Yulieski Gourriel led off with a double, but was unable to advance on two following grounders.
Hereafter, the rally started and four basehits followed.
Gourriel scored the first Cuban run on a single by Ariel Borrero, then the bases got loaded when José Adolis Garciá and Yorbis Borroto also singled.
Lourdes Gourriel then followed with a 2-run single that narrowed the deficit to 5-3 and led to a pitching change.
New pitcher Jovany López began with a wild pitch with pinch-hitter Yoelvis Fiss in the batter's box, but then struckout then experienced Cuban National Team-player.
...Alfredo Despaigne playing for Cuba in...
...the 2012 Haarlem Baseball Week...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
The comeback was not enough for the Cuban squad, as México reacted with more runs in the next at bats.
In the bottom of the sixth, with one out, Yuniesky Betancourt walked and Esteban Quiroz singled.
After a pitching change and with two outs, Ramón Urías walked, then a following walk for Jeremias Pineda led to a run, but México also left three runners behind.
In the top of the seventh, with two outs, Alfredo Despaigne and Yosvani Alarcón singled, but stranded.
The last two years, international veteran Despaigne is playing in the Japanse Major League for Chiba Lotte Marines.
México then took more distance by scoring three runs in its seventh at bat, thanks to a double by Yuniesky Betancourt and a 2-run double by Sebastian Valle, that lifted the lead to 9-3.
Valle also had hit a 3-run double back in the second inning.
Except for the sixth inning, Cuba was unable to do something back.
In the top of the ninth, off of closer Roberto Espinosa, pinch-hitter Guillermo Aviles singled with one out.
But hereafter, Espinosa struckout veterans Yulieski Gourriel and Alfredo Despaigne to end the game.
Several of the players the Cuban team of Ciego de Ávila, which is led by experienced Manager Roger Machado Morales, are wellknown to international baseball.
Some of them not only participated in the Olympic Games, World Baseball Classic, Premier12, World Championships and Pan American Games, but also are familiar names to Dutch baseball-fans, as they participated in the two big annual international events, the Haarlem Baseball Week (even years) and Rotterdam World Port Tournament (odd years) or in World Championships staged in the Netherlands in recent years.
Amongst them are players as Yoelvis Fiss, Alfredo Despaigne, Ariel Borrero, Yorelvis Charles, Yorbis Borroto, Vladimir García and of course Yulieski Gourriel and Lourdes Gourriel, whose father Lourdes Gourriel Sr. also participated in the Haarlem Baseball Week.
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Game 4 - Venezuela vs. Dominican Republic
In the evening, Tigres de Aragua (Venezuela) and Leones del Escogido (Dominican Republic) played a long, but interesting game.
Aragua came from behind three times to come alongside and went on to win 8-7 in ten innings.
The game started 35 minutes later than scheduled.
Due to rain, the afternoon-game began later.
After that game, a children's Homerun Derby followed and after completion of this, tonight's teams started their warming up.
After both teams were retired in order in the first inning, the Dominican Republic struck with a 4-run rally in the top of the second inning off American starter Austin Bibens-Dirkx.
The 30-year old righthander plays professionally since 2006 in the minor leagues for five organizations.
Since 2013, played in Double-A and Triple-A for the Toronto Blue Jays.
He also played in several Winter Leagues, including in the most recent season in Venezuela for Aragua.
Diory Hernández led off with a single, then an error followed on a force play-grounder by Alex Valdez.
With one out, Junior Lake and Carlos Paulino delivered runscoring singles, followed by a 2-run double down the leftfield-line by Pedro López that made it 4-0.
Hereafter, Bibens-Dirkx closed with two strikeouts.
The Venezuelan squad got one run back in the bottom of the second off of 24-year old righthander Adrian Salcedo, who is playing professionally since his 17th in the organization of the Minnesota Twins.
Last year, he pitched in Triple-A.
With one out, Salcedo hit Dariel Álvarez with a pitch, who then scored on a following double by José Martínez.
...Moisés Sierra hitting for the...
...Toronto Blue Jays in 2012...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
In the bottom of the third, it was Venezuela that staged a rally, scoring three runs with two outs off of Adrian Salcedo.
With one out, Juniel Querecuto walked and with two outs, Adonis García doubled.
Hereafter, Félix Pérez singled in a run and Dariel Álvarez followed with a 2-run triple that made it a 4-4 score.
Salcedo was then relieved by Ramón García, who ended the at bat with a strikeout.
The Dominicans re-took the lead in the top of the fourth inning.
Moisés Sierra and Junior Lake opened with singles.
Oscar Morales was then brought in as reliever, but gave up an RBI-single to Carlos Paulino that made in 5-4.
Venezuela then came alongside for the second time in the bottom of the fifth.
With one out, Alex Romero and Adonis García walked, then Félix Pérez followed with a runscoring single to even the score again.
The Dominicans scored again in the top of the sixth to take the lead for the third time when Junior Lake homered with two outs off of reliever Wilfredo Ledezma.
The team added another (unearned) run in the next at bat when Venezuela committed two errors.
With one out, Diory Hernández reached on an error, but was forced out on a grounder by Alex Valdez.
The latter then scored when an outfield-error followed a single by Moisés Sierra to make it 7-5.
Sierra played in the Major League in 2012-2014 for Toronto Blue Jays and Chicago White Sox.
In the bottom of the eighth of the slow game, Venezuela narrowed the deficit to 7-6 off of reliever Wirfín Obispo.
Dariel Álvarez led off with a single, moved when José Martínez walked and advanced to third base on a throwing error by the catcher back to the pitcher.
Moments later, he scored on a sacrifice fly by Hernan Pérez.
Edward Paredes was then brought in as new pitcher.
He began with a strikeout, then faced pinch-hitter Óscar Salazar.
The 37-year veteran played in parts of four seasons in the Major League for three teams.
During his at bat, Martínez advanced on a wild pitch, but the inning ended when Salazar flied out.
With a minimal 7-6 lead, 38-year old Major League-veteran Fernando Rodney took the mound for the Dominicans to close the game in the bottom of the ninth.
The righthander began with a strikeout, but then gave up back-to-back singles to Alex Romero and Adonis García, which led to runners on first and third base.
Rodney, who earned 236 saves in 13 Major League-seasons, followed with another strikeout.
But hereafter, Dariel Álvarez hit the ball back to Rodney for an infield-hit, that enabled Romero to score the tying run.
And the inning wasn't over, as an error then followed on a force play-grounder by José Martínez that loaded the bases!
With a 1-2 count on next batter Hernan Pérez the inning suddenly ended.
When the ball was thrown back to Rodney, Garciá took off from third base trying to steal home plate, but was eliminated!
And with that, the game went into extra innings.
Oh, in the meantime, it was well after midnight!
In the bottom of the tenth, José Véras took over for Rodney and became the eighth Dominican pitcher in the game (Venezuela already had used eight).
He gave up a lead-off double to Hernan Pérez, who then moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Sandy León.
Pinch-hitter Alex Núñez then struckout, but Juniel Querecuto followed with a walk-off single that enabled Pérez to score the winning run!
And with that, the exciting game game ended in an 8-7 victory for Venezuela, which record its second win, while the Dominicans lost its second game with a one-run difference.
The game lasted four hours and 36 minutes.
In the meantime, it was 1:01 AM and it still was warm with temperatures of 26 degrees Celsius (78 Fahrenheit).
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Copyright © 1997-2016 Marco Stoovelaar / Grand Slam * Stats & News.
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