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(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photos by Henk Seppen)
     3rd win México; Huge loss Cuba on Day 3 of Serie del Caribe
Nederlands
 SANTO DOMINGO DE GUZMÁN (Dominican Republic) -
On Wednesday (February 3), Day 3 of the 58th edition of the annual Serie del Caribe (Caribbean Series), Tigres de Aragua, the champion of the Liga Venezolana de Béisbol Profesional (Venezuela), and Venados de Mazatlán, the champion of the Liga Mexicana del Pacifico (México), met each other in the afternoon.
Both teams were unbeaten, having won their games on Monday and Tuesday.
At Estadio Quisqueya Juan Marichal in Dominican capital Santo Domingo, the Mexican squad remained unbeaten, winning 6-4, but was outhit 15-12 by the Venezuelans.
In the evening, Cangrejeros de Santurce, the champion of the Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente (Puerto Rico), won its first game of the tournament.
They handed Tigres de Ciego de Ávila, the champion of the 2014-2015 season of the Serie Nacional de Béisbol (Cuba), a huge 12-1 loss!
For Cuba, this was its second big loss of the tournament.
Host Leones del Escogido, the champion of the Liga de Béisbol Profesional de la República Dominicana (Dominican Republic), which had lost its first two games, had the day off on Wednesday.
Between today's games, for the first time during a Caribbean Series, there was a Homerun Derby.
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, the trio was not allowed to participate for insurance reasons.
Each team was now represented by a player.
First, Yosvani Alarcón (Cuba), Cyle Hankerd (México), Neftalí Soto (Puerto Rico) andFélix Pérez (Venezuela) took turns, then former Major Leaguer Vladimir Guerrero batted for the Dominican Republic.
In their 4-minute at bat, Alarcón homered twice, then Hankerd hit one, followed by four for Soto, eight for Pérez and three by Guerrero, who played 16 years in the Major League.
The now 40-year old former outfielder, nicknamed 'Vlad', played for four clubs, including eight seasons for Montreal Expos.
In the final, Soto and Pérez both got two minutes.
Soto added one homeruns, then Pérez hit two to win the HR Derby.
(February 3)
Related Articles:
 Venezuela, México win again on Day 2 of Serie del Caribe. (February 2-3)
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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Hall of Fame
Also today, four new members were officially enshrined in the Caribbean Baseball Hall of Fame.
Eligible for election in this Hall of Fame are players, coaches, officials, umpires, executives and journalists, who were active through the years in the history of the Serie del Caribe (or Caribbean Series).
The first Class entered the Hall in 1996 and since then, 80 persons have been elected.
Since 2009, the new elected members are coming from the country that then organizes the Serie del Caribe.
However, the Election Committee is allowed to choose additional members coming from managers, coaches, umpires, officials, executives or journalists.
Besides that, it remains possible to elect new members that come from other countries than the organizing country.
In 2009 and following years, the new members indeed came from the organizing countries, except for last year.
Besides four members coming from host Puerto Rico, two Cubans also were elected.
For this year's election, there were ten candidares.
Four of them received the required 70% of votes to be elected.
They are catcher Tony Peña, outfielder Gerónimo Berroa, outfielder Luis Polonia and Manager Felipe Alou.
The 80-year old Alou was represented by George Bell, one of his former players and himself a Hall of Famer.
Tony Peña participated in eight Caribbean Series between 1979 and 1997.
He won the event with Tigres del Licey in 1980 and with Águilas Cibaeñas in 1997.
Gerónimo Berroa participated in six tournaments between 1988-1994 and won it four times, in 1988 and 1990 with Leones del Escogido and in 1991 and 1994 with Tigres del Licey.
He was the tournament's Most Valuable Player in 1990 and 1991.
Luis Polonia played in a record 14 Series del Caribe between 1986 and 2008.
He won the event seven times, five with Águilas Cibaeñas and once with Leones del Escogido and Tigres del Licey.
Polonia is the All-Time recordholder of the event in Games Played and Basehits.
Felipe Alou participated in five tournaments as Manager.
In 1978 and 1980, he led Caracas (Venezuela) and in 1982,1990 and 1992, he was the Manager of Leones del Escogido (Domincan Republic), with whom he won the event in 1990.
In previous years, eight Domican players were elected: Rico Carty (1996), Manny Mota (1998), Pedro Borbón (1999), George Bell (2004), Monchín Pichardo (2004), Winstin Llenas (2008), Joaquín Andujar (2012) and Neifi Pérez (2012).
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...During the 2013 World Baseball Classic, Tony Peña (left) was the Manger of the Dominican Republic...
...Felipe Alou was the Dominican Manager in 2009 and was a special guest in 2013...
...Left: Peña meets Netherlands Manager Hensley Meulens before the 2013 semi-final in San Francisco...
...Right: Alou and Meulens throw out the ceremonial first pitch before that game...
(© Photos: Henk Seppen) |
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Game 5 - México vs. Venezuela
In the first game of today, Venados de Mazatlán (México) won its third consecutive game, winning 6-4 vs. Tigres de Aragua (Venezuela), which suffered its first loss of the event.
Venezuela outhit México 15-12, led by Adonis García and José Martínez, who both had three hits.
Justin Greene collected three hits for the Mexicans.
After leaving a runner on first base in the first inning and another runner being picked off in the second at bat, Venezuela opened the score in the third inning.
Mexican starter Alejandro Soto gave up a lead-off single to veteran Oscar Salazar, who then advanced on a wild pitch.
With two outs, Soto hit Alex Romero with a pitch and the lefthander then gave up a runscoring single to Cuban Adonis García.
Defensively, García made another great play as third baseman in the bottom of the first inning.
Venezuelan starter Omar Bencomo gave up singles to Americans Justin Greene and Chris Roberson, which led to runners on first and second base.
Hereafter, Italian Alex Liddi hit a line drive towards García, who made a nice diving catch and doubled up Greene at second base.
A strikeout then ended the at bat.
Liddi played in his first game for the Mexicans during this tournament.
The 27-year old infielder was born in San Remo (Italy) and plays professionally since 2006.
He signed with the Seattle Mariners, with whom he made his Major League-debut in 2011, playing in 15 games.
Liddi also played in the Majors for the Mariners in 2012 and 2013.
During the 2011 season, playing in Triple-A and in the Major League, Liddi was a teammate of the Dutch Major Leaguer Greg Halman, who sadly passed away in November 2011 at the young age of only 24.
Liddi attended Halman's funeral in Haarlem (The Netherlands).
In November 2012, Liddi participated in the European Big League Tour, which was organized by Dutch professional pitcher Rick van den Hurk.
In 2014 and 2015, Liddi played in the minors for Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Royals.
This Winter, he initially started playing for Charros de Jalisco in the Mexican Pacific Winter League.
Early January, he transferred to Yaquis de Obregon.
On January 12, Liddi signed a minor league-contract for the upcoming season with the Baltimore Orioles and was assigned to its Triple-A team.
Late January, he joined Águilas de Mexicali, but a week ago, he was added to the roster of Mazatlan for this Serie del Caribe.
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...Alex Liddi took part in the European Big League Tour (left)...
...in 2012 in Rotterdam (Netherlands) and played for the Italian...
...National Team during the 2014 European Championship...
...in the Czech Republic (right)...
(© Photos: Henk Seppen) |
In the bottom of the fourth inning, it was Liddi who started a productive rally for the Mexican squad, as he led off with a triple.
With one out and after Jorge Vásquez was hit by a pitch, Cuban Yuniesky Betancourt connected for a 2-run double that gave México the lead.
With two outs, Erick Rodríguez added a runscoring single that made it 3-1 and led to a pitching change.
In the top of the sixth inning, Venezuela started to come back.
With two outs, Dariel Álvarez singled off of starter Alejandro Soto, who was then relieved by Sergio Valenzuela.
By the way, the righthander is not related to famous Mexican pitcher Fernando Valenzuela, who played 17 years in the Major League, including 11 for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
José Martínez greeted the new pitcher with a single and Hernan Pérez followed with a runscoring single that narrowed the deficit to 3-2.
Valenzuela was replaced by Héctor Galván, who closed the at bat.
México answered with two runs in its sixth at bat.
American Cyle Hankerd led off with a single.
José Flores was then brought in as new pitcher and he retired the next two batters, but then gave up an RBI-double to Esteban Quiroz.
A throwing error on a grounder by Erick Rodríguez led to the next run and gave México a 5-2 lead.
In the top of the seventh inning, with two outs, Venezuela got the bases loaded off of two pitchers.
But the three runners all stranded when the third pitcher in this at bat successfully fielded a comeback-grounder.
In the bottom of the seventh, México added another run when Justin Greene led off with a single and scored with two outs and after a pitching change on a single by Cyle Hankerd.
However, the 6-2 Mexican lead wasn't so secure, as Venezuela was productive again in the top of the eighth.
New pitcher Jake Sánchez gave up singles to José Martínez and Hernan Pérez.
With runners on first and third base, the first scored on a passed ball.
With one out, the second scored on a single by Sandy León to narrow the deficit to 6-4.
When next batter Juniel Querecuto also singled, another pitching change followed.
Arturo Barradas became the seventh Mexican pitcher.
He was successful, as he turned a comeback-grounder into an inning-ending double play.
American righthander Steven Hensley became México's eighth pitcher in the top of the ninth inning, but initially ran into problems.
With one out, he walked Félix Pérez and gave up a single to Dariel Álvarez.
But a force out followed and the game ended with a sliding catch by centerfielder Justin Greene.
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Game 6 - Cuba vs. Puerto Rico
In the evening, Cangrejeros de Santurce (Puerto Rico) won big with a 12-1 score vs. Tigres de Ciego de Ávila (Cuba).
For Puerto Rico, this was its first win.
For Cuba, this was its second big loss of the tournament.
Puerto Rico opened the score with two runs in the top of the second inning off of starter Wilber Pérez.
The lefthander walked lead-off hitter Kennys Vargas, then gave up an one-out single to Henry Ramos.
The two then respectively scored on a single by Jorge Padilla and a sacrifice fly by René García.
A disastrous top of the third inning followed for the Cuban squad, but on the other hand, this was of course, a very productive at bat for the Puerto Ricans, who rallied for five runs to take a commanding lead.
Livan Moinelo started the inning in relief of starter Wilber Pérez, but was greeted with a lead-off single by Ruben Sosa.
A strikeout followed, but then six consecutive batters would reach base.
First, Neftalí Soto walked, then Kennys Vargas followed with a towering 3-run homerun.
T.J. Rivera then doubled and Henry Ramos walked.
That marked the end for Moinelo, who was replaced by Dachel Duquesne.
He gave up a runscoring single to Jorge Padilla, which was followed by a double-steal and a walk for René García that loaded the bases.
The next run was then scored on a sacrifice fly by José Lozada, that made it a 7-0 score.
The bases were re-loaded when Ruben Sosa also walked in his second at bat of the inning.
It brought out Manager Roger Machado to the mound again to make another pitching change.
Yayfredo Domínguez took over and got a force play-grounder that ended the inning.
The first two batters of Puerto Rico now already had three plate appearances, while the eighth Cuban batter still awaited his first turn at bat.
...Manager Roger Machado...
...Here, he is the Manager of the...
...Cuban Team during the...
...World Port Tournament 2011...
...in Rotterdam (Netherlands)...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
Domínguez retired the side in the fourth, fifth and sixth inning!
And how did Cuba do in its first six innings?
Puerto Rican-starter Andrew Barbosa gave up a 2-out single to Yulieski Gourriel in the first inning.
Hereafter, the lefthander retired the next eleven batters in a row!
With one in the fifth, he gave up a single to Yoelvis Fiss, who then advanced on a grounder and scored the first Cuban run on a single by Yorelvis Charles.
The team was retired in order for the fourth time in the sixth inning.
Cuban pitcher Yayfredo Domínguez did very well since taking over in the third inning, but gave up three Puerto Rican runs in the seventh.
Probably unnecessary, as they followed an intentional walk with two outs.
Domínguez gave up a lead-off double to Neftalí Soto, but then two grounders followed.
With Soto on third base, it was decided to walk next batter Henry Ramos intentionally.
That backfired, as the bases got loaded hereafter when Jorge Padilla walked.
René García followed with a 2-run single and José Lozada added a ruscoring infield-hit that lifted the lead to 10-1!
Hereafter, Domínguez was replaced by Yennie Cano, who closed with a strikeout.
Puerto Rico did some more scoring in the top of the ninth off of new pitcher José Angel García.
He walked pinch-hitter Jesmuel Valentín, then gave up a single to Henry Ramos.
An RBI-single by pinch-hitter Juan Silva followed and another run was added on a force play-grounder by René García.
After another force play-grounder, the bases got loaded via an error and a walk.
The inning then ended with a nice defensive play by third baseman Yeniet Pérez, but Puerto Rico now led 12-1.
In the bottom of the ninth, Alex Burgos closed the game for Puerto Rico.
He gave up a 2-out single to Yulieski Gourriel, but that was to be only the fourth and last basehit for Cuba in this game.
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