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(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photos by Henk Seppen)
     Cuba eliminates Dominicans to reach semi-final Serie del Caribe
Nederlands
 SANTO DOMINGO DE GUZMÁN (Dominican Republic) -
On Friday (February 5), Day 5 of the 58th edition of the annual Serie del Caribe (Caribbean Series), Venados de Mazatlán, the champion of the Liga Mexicana del Pacifico (México), closed the preliminary round with an 8-4 victory vs . Cangrejeros de Santurce, the champion of the Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente (Puerto Rico).
With that, the Mexicans remained unbeaten and finished in first place, meaning it will play in the second semi-final on Saturday-evening.
The Mexican win also resulted in the Venezuelan squad finishing in second place and the Puerto Ricans in third place.
They will meet each other on Saturday-afternoon in the first semi-final.
In the evening, Tigres de Ciego de Ávila, the champion of the 2014-2015 season of the Serie Nacional de Béisbol (Cuba), became the fourth team to reach the semi-final.
The Cubans won 4-2 in 11 innings vs. host Leones del Escogido, the champion of the Liga de Béisbol Profesional de la República Dominicana (Dominican Republic), which was eliminated because of this fourth consecutive loss.
The Cubans now face the Mexicans on Saturday-evening in the second semi-final.
The winners of the two semi-finals face each other on Sunday in the Final in Estadio Quisqueya Juan Marichal in Dominican capital Santo Domingo, the site of this years Serie del Caribe.
Tigres de Aragua, the champion of the Liga Venezolana de Béisbol Profesional (Venezuela), had the day off on Friday.
(February 5-6)
Related Articles:
 Venezuela & Puerto Rico reach semi-finals Serie del Caribe. (February 4-5, 2016)
3rd win México; Huge loss Cuba on Day 3 Serie del Caribe. (February 3, 2016)
Venezuela, México win again on Day 2 of Serie del Caribe. (February 2-3, 2016)
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 9 - Puerto Rico vs. México
Venados de Mazatlán (México) remained unbeaten and won its fourth game by closing the preliminary round with an 8-4 victory vs . Cangrejeros de Santurce (Puerto Rico), thanks to a 6-run rally in the eighth inning.
With that, México finished in first place and Puerto Rico in third.
México collected 16 basehits, including three by Jeremias Pineda, Justin Greene and Jorge Vásquez.
México opened the score in the top of the third inning off of starter Hiram Burgos.
With one out, Paul León was able to reach second base when a throwing followed on his routine grounder.
León advanced to third base on a grounder by Ramón Urías, then scored on a single by Jeremias Pinedas.
The inning ended when the latter was picked off at first base by Burgos, who also picked off a runner at first in the first at bat.
Puerto Rico left a runner on first base in the first and second inning, but got into scoring position in the third at bat.
With two outs, Ozzie Martínez singled and stole second base, but then stranded.
In the top of the fourth inning, México appeared to strike again.
With one out, Alex Liddi singled and the Italian professional then moved to third base when Jorge Vásquez followed with a double.
But hereafter, a strikeout and flyout ended the at bat.
Puerto Rico came alongside in the bottom of the fourth inning, scoring an unearned run on two errors, then took the lead when another error was made.
With one out, TJ Rivera reached on an error by short stop Paul León.
Hereafter, Henry Ramos grounded up the middle, where León fielded the ball nicely, then tossed it to second baseman Ramón Urías, who was on the base, but missed catching the ball and had no time to recover, as Rivera slid into second base.
Everyone was safe and it was ruled a throwing error by León.
Moments later, Rivera scored the tying run on a single by Danny Ortíz.
With runners on first and second base, a strikeout followed.
The two runners then executed a double steal and a throwing error to second base by catcher Sebastían Valle enabled Ramos to score and made it 2-1 in favor of Puerto Rico.
...Alex Liddi hit two basehits for the Mexicans...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
In the top of the fifth inning, Luis Juarez led off for México with a single.
Shortly hereafter, he slid into second base in time on a bunt by next batter Paul León.
Pitcher Hiram Burgos fielded the ball and threw it to short stop Ozzie Martínez.
Juarez touched second base just before Martínez caught the ball.
However, Dominican 2B Umpire Domingo Polanco saw it differently and called Juarez out.
Instead of having runners on first and second base with no outs, there was now a runner on first base with one out.
Hereafter, a pop-fly and flyout ended the inning.
México got a big chance to do some scoring in the top of the sixth inning when it got the bases loaded.
With one out, Alex Liddi and Jorge Vásquez singled and with two outs, Olmo Rosario walked.
Miguel Mejía took over the pitching and he struckout Luis Juarez, who swung at a high inside pitch at the height of his head.
México then did come alongside in the seventh inning.
With two outs, Mejía was relieved by Efraín Nieves, but he was greeted with a triple by Jeremias Pineda.
Moments later, Pineda scored the tying run on a nice bunt-single by Justin Greene.
In the top of the eighth inning, México decided the game with a 6-run rally!
Jorge Vásquez and Sebastían Valle led off with singles and advanced on a sacrifice bunt.
Next batter Luis Juarez was walked intentionally, which loaded the bases and set up a force play.
But hereafter, pinch-hitter Cyle Hankerd drove the ball into deep centerfield for a 2-run double that gave México a 4-2 lead.
It was the first of four consecutive runscoring doubles!
Juarez and Hankerd's pinch-runner Esteban Quiroz then scored when Ramón Urías followed with a double, which led to a pitching change.
Alex Burgos took over, but gave up back-to-back RBI-doubles to Jeremias Pineda and Justin Greene that lifted the lead to 8-2.
Puerto Rico got one run back in its eighth at bat when Neftalí Soto led off with a homerun.
Hereafter, two runners were left in scoring position.
In the bottom of the ninth, Puerto Rico had something in the making, getting the bases loaded with no outs.
Héctor Galván became the fifth pitcher for México and he saw lead-off hitter José Lozada reach on an error by rightfielder Jeremias Pineda, who failed to make a catch.
It was the fourth Mexican error in this game.
Hereafter, pinch-hitter Rubén Sosa walked and pinch-hitter Jesmuel Valentín singled to load the bases.
Next batter Neftalí Soto then grounded into a double play.
Lozada scored, but that was to be the last run for Puerto Rico, as powerhitter Kennys Vargas popped out into fourl territory to third baseman Alex Liddi, which ended the game.
With that, México remained unbeaten and now will play on Saturday-evening in the second semi-final against the fourth placed team.
And that was to decided in the following game.
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Game 10 - Dominican Republic vs. Cuba
In the evening, Tigres de Ciego de Ávila (Cuba) became the fourth team to reach the semi-final by winning 4-2 in 11 innings vs. host Leones del Escogido (Dominican Republic), which was eliminated because of this fourth consecutive loss.
The Cubans now face the Mexicans on Saturday-evening in the second semi-final.
Cuba opened the score in the top of the second inning off of starter Edward Cabrera.
The lefthander gave up a line drive lead-off single to Alfredo Despaigne off the glove of third baseman Diory Hernández.
Hereafter, Yosvani Alarcón lined out to short stop Pedro López, who might have a chance of doubling up Despaigne at first base.
After the ball entered his glove, the ball dropped while López started to make the transfer to his throwing hand.
With that, Despaigne remained on first base, then scored moments later on a double off the wall in leftfield by Yeniet Pérez that made it 1-0 in favor of Cuba.
The lead was shortlived, as the Dominicans scored twice in its second at bat, also with two outs.
Cuban starter Vladimir García gave up a single to lead-off hitter Diory Hernández, then two outs followed.
Hereafter, Alex Valdez singled and both runners scored when Wilkin Castillo doubled with the ball ending up in the leftfield-corner of the field.
After Cuba was retired in order in the top of the third inning, the home team got the bases loaded with one out in the bottom half, but failed to add more runs.
With one out, Moisés Sierra reached on an error, then Zoilo Almonte singled.
With runners on first and third base, a high inside pitch grazed the right hand or arm of Diory Hernández, while he jumped out of the way.
He was awarded first base on a hit by pitch and that loaded the bases.
But hereafter, Junior Lake flied out into short rightfield and Jimmy Paredes struckout, ending the inning.
...Cuban starter Vladimir García left with an injury...
...On the photo, he pitches for the Cuban team...
...during the 2012 Haarlem Baseball Week...
...in Haarlem (The Netherlands)...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
In the bottom of the fourth, the Dominicans again threatened to score, but again left three runners behind.
With one out, Wilkin Castillo walked.
With two outs, Leury García also walked and Moisés Sierra reached on an infield-hit, but he was then forced out.
Cuba got runners on base again in the top of the sixth inning when Yorbis Borroto and Yuliesky Gurriel both began with walks.
But Cuba also was unable to score.
With the two runners on base, Edgar García replaced starter Edward Cabrera.
Alfedo Despaigne then line out.
Hereafter, Yosvani Alarcón hit the ball into rightfield, where Moisés Sierra misjudged the ball, signaling he lost it in the lights.
The ball almost went over his head, which surely would have led to at least one run and maybe even two.
But Sierra reached back and caught the ball.
Hereafter, centerfielder Junior Lake made a nice running catch on a hit by pinch-hitter Guillermo Aviles to end the inning.
In the bottom of the sixth, Cuba was forced to make a pitching change.
With one out, Wilkin Castillo singled up the middle, but while completing his follow-through, pitcher Vladimir García injured his right ankle when he landed on it.
García immediately fell down, but was able to slowly walk off the field.
Miguel Lahera took over and his first pitch to Pedro López ended in a double play.
Cuba made it a 2-2 score in the top of the eighth inning off of new pitcher Joel Peralta.
With one out, he gave up a triple into deep centerfield by pinch-hitter Stayler Hernández, who then scored the tying run on a sacrifice fly by Yuliesky Gurriel.
Another Cuban player got injured in the top of the ninth inning.
With one out, Guillermo Aviles and Yeniet Pérez singled, which led to a pitching change.
Wirfín Obispo took over and faced Lourdes Gurriel.
He went after the first pitch and lined out to second baseman Leury García, who then doubled up Pérez at first base in a very close play.
While returning to the base, Pérez twitched his left ankle just after stepping in the base.
Pérez also had to leave the game.
After a scoreless tenth inning, Cuba got the bases loaded with no outs in the top of the eleventh off of new pitcher Fernando Rodney.
The veteran closer made a throwing error on a comeback-grounder by lead-off hitter Yosvani Alarcón, who was able to move to second base.
The righthander then walked Guillermo Aviles.
Hereafter, everyone was safe on a sacrifice bunt-fielder's choice by Yurisbel Gracial.
He bunted towards first baseman Alex Valdez, who opted for the force out at third base, but there, Alarcón reached in time.
With the bases loaded Rodney struckout Lourdes Gurriel and pinch-hitter Ariel Borrero.
After walking Aviles, Rodney was visited by Pitching Coach Mark Brewer and Trainer Maritza Castro, as he appeared to have some kind of problem.
After striking out Borrero, the Trainer again came to the mound, this time joined by Manager Luis Rojas.
With the bases loaded, Rodney was replaced by Rafael Soriano, whose first pitch to next batter José Adolis García ended in centerfield for a 2-run single that gave Cuba a 4-2 lead!
In the bottom of the 11th, Cuban reliever Miguel Lahera began with a walk for Jimmy Paredes and was replaced by Yennier Cano, who hit next batter Alex Valdez with a pitch on a 3-0 count.
Cuban Manager Roger Machado immediately came to the mound to make another pitching change and brought in José Angel García.
The two runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Carlos Paulino.
The it was García's time to get a visit from the Trainer, but he stayed in the game and then struckout pinch-hitter Lew Ford.
Moments later, Leury García grounded out to end the game, which lasted four hours and 55 minutes.
And with that, it was almost 1 AM on Sunday-morning, Cuba won 4-2 to become the fourth team to reach the semi-finals, while the Dominican Republic was left empty-handed for the fourth time and was eliminated!
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