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(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photo by Henk Seppen)
     Venezuela & México finalists in Serie del Caribe
Nederlands
 SANTO DOMINGO DE GUZMÁN (Dominican Republic) -
Tigres de Aragua (Venezuela) and Venados de Mazatlan (México) will play against each other in the Final of the 58th edition of the annual Serie del Caribe (Caribbean Series).
On Saturday (February 6), Day 6 of the event, both teams won their semi-final to reach the championship-game, that will be played on Sunday in the late afternoon on Sunday at Estadio Quisqueya Juan Marichal in Dominican capital Santo Domingo, the site of this years Serie del Caribe.
In the afternoon today, Tigres de Aragua, the champion of the Liga Venezolana de Béisbol Profesional (Venezuela), became the first finalist by winning 13-3 vs. Cangrejeros de Santurce, the champion of the Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente (Puerto Rico).
The Venezuelans briefly trailed 1-0 in the second inning, but then turned the game its way.
The team scored eight runs in the seventh and eighth inning combined.
In the evening, Venados de Mazatlán, the champion of the Liga Mexicana del Pacifico (México) won 7-2 vs. Tigres de Ciego de Ávila, the champion of the 2014-2015 season of the Serie Nacional de Béisbol (Cuba).
With that, México remained unbeaten and became the second finalist.
México has two 3-run rallies.
Host Leones del Escogido, the champion of the Liga de Béisbol Profesional de la República Dominicana (Dominican Republic), was eliminated for the Championship-weekend on Friday-evening by the Cuban squad.
(February 6-7)
Related Articles:
 Cuba wins vs. Dominicans; reaches semi-final Serie del Caribe! (February 5-6, 2016)
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 11 - Venezuela vs. Puerto Rico (Semi-Final 1)
Tigres de Aragua (Venezuela) won 13-3 vs. Cangrejeros de Santurce (Puerto Rico) to become the first finalist.
The Venezuelans briefly trailed 1-0 in the second inning, but then turned the game its way.
Puerto Rico got on the board quickly, scoring once in the first inning off of starter Marcus Walden.
The 27-year old American righthander pitched in Double-A last year for the Cincinnati Reds.
Earlier, he also pitched in the minors for Toronto Blue Jays and Oakland A's.
Walden gave up a lead-off single to Rubén Sosa, who moved to third base when next batter Danny Ortíz also singled.
When he made contact, Ortíz more or less celebrated his hit and clapped in his hands when he left the batter's box on his way to first base.
While Sosa ran towards third base, Ortíz thought he had a chance of moving to second base, but was thrown out there.
Moments later, Sosa scored the first run on a grounder by Neftalí Soto.
Venezuela came alongside and took the lead in the bottom of the second inning off of starter Adalberto Flóres.
He walked lead-off hitter Félix Pérez, then gave up a single to Dariel Álvarez.
With one out, Pérez scored the tying run on a single by Hernan Pérez.
Venezuela then took the lead when Álvarez scored on a sacrifice fly by Sandy León.
Venezuela took some distance by adding a run in the third inning off of new pitcher Joseph Colón.
The righthander began with a strikeout, but then walked Alex Romero, who advanced on a wild pitch and scored on a following single by Adonis García to make it 3-1.
Puerto Rico got a chance to do something back in the top of the third and the fourth inning.
In the third, Ozzie Martínez (fielder's choice) was on first base with two outs when Danny Ortíz hit a hard grounder to second baseman Hernan Pérez.
While running toward the infield, Pérez tried to field the ball on one hop, but instead hit the ball away.
Ortíz was credited with an infield-hit, but Puerto Rico stranded two runners when a strikeout ended the at bat.
In the fourth, Henry Ramos and René García singled with two outs off of Marcus Walden, but they also were left behind on first and second base.
In the top of the sixth inning, Puerto Rico again got two baserunners.
With one out, TJ Rivera singled.
Hereafter, Alexis Candelario took over the Venezuelan pitching for Marcus Walden, but he gave up a single to Henry Ramos.
The inning ended when René García lined into an unassisted double play to first baseman Félix Pérez.
He caught the ball, then raced back to the base to double up Ramos in a close play.
Ramos angrily argued with Mexican 1B Umpire Jésus Daniel Rubio Cárdenas, but he had made the correct call and that ended the inning.
...Santurce-reliever Miguel Mejia pitched for the National...
...Team of Puerto Rico in the 2012 Haarlem Baseball...
...Week in Haarlem (The Netherlands)...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
Puerto Rico left six runners behind (three in scoring position) in the third through sixth inning.
Venezuela had left two runners behind in scoring position since the third off of reliever Joseph Colón, but then did some scoring again in the bottom of the sixth.
Colón was then replaced by Fernando Cruz.
With one out, he gave up back-to-back triples to José Martínez and Hernan Pérez.
With two outs, another run was added on a double by Teodoro Martínez, which led to a new pitching change.
Alex Claudio took over and a line drive into centerfield ended the at bat, but Venezuela was now leading 5-1.
Puerto Rico finally was able to score again in the top of the seventh inning.
José Lozada led off with a single and Ozzie Martínez walked, which led to a pitching change.
35-year old veteran Wilfredo Ledezma took over.
The lefthander pitched nine years (2003-2011) in the Major League for seven clubs, including five for the Detroit Tigers
In 2006, he played in the World Series for the Tigers, which then lost to the St. Louis Cardinals.
After the two runners had advanced on a passed ball, Lozada scored on a sacrifice fly by Rubén Sosa.
Ledezma then walked Danny Ortíz (who was 3-for-3) and was replaced by Jesús Sánchez.
He struckout productive batter Neftalí Soto, had done his job and relieved by lefthander José Mijares.
He faced powerhitter Kennys Vargas, whom he struckout to end the inning.
Venezuela then decided the game with a 5-run rally in the bottom of the seventh inning off of two pitchers.
In the inning, Dariel Álvarez delivered a 2-run double, then scored on a single by José Martínez, which was his third hit in the game.
A throwing error and a single by Teodoro Martínez then lifted the lead to 10-2.
Hereafter, Miguel Mejia became the third pitcher in this inning and closed with a groundout.
Venezuela added three more runs in the eighth off of new pitcher Chris Smith.
He walked lead-off hitter Alex Romero, then gave up a 2-out double to pinch-hitter Guillermo Quiroz, followed by a 3-run homerun by José Martínez that made it a 13-2 score.
Martínez was 4-for-5 and only missed the double to hit for-the-cycle.
The Venezuelan leftfielder scored three runs and batted in four.
In the top of the ninth, off of new pitcher Ronald Belisario, Puerto Rico registered four consecutive basehits with two outs.
With runners on first and second base, the one hit by Kenny Vargas led to a run and made it 13-3.
Moments later, Puerto Rico left three runners behind, as a strikeout ended the game.
And with that, Venezuela became the first team to reach the final, while Puerto Rico was eliminated.
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Game 12 - México vs. Cuba (Semi-Final 2)
In the evening, Venados de Mazatlán (México) won 7-2 vs. Tigres de Ciego de Ávila (Cuba) to become the second finalist.
Cuba had good contact in the top of the first inning off of starter Héctor Daniel Rodríguez, but didn't score.
José Adolis García led off with a single, but then Yorbis Borroto grounded into a double play on a hard hit through the middle.
Next batter Yuliesky Gurriel then lined the ball towards third baseman Alex Liddi, who put up his glove.
The ball tipped off of top of his glove down the leftfield-line and Gurriel reached second base.
While Liddi might have a chance to catch it, the ball was hit very hard above his head.
Nevertheless, it was ruled an error.
However, Gurriel stranded on second base.
Cuba was then retired in order in the next two innings.
In its first three at bats, México reached base twice.
Chris Roberson singled with one out in the first inning and Esteban Quiroz singled with two outs in the second, but both stranded on first base.
In the top of the fourth, Cuba got a runner on third base.
Yorbis Borroto led off with a single, then Yuliesky Gurriel again hit a hard line drive towards Alex Liddi.
This time, the ball got a bad hop and jumped over his left shoulder.
Again, Liddi was credited with an error, meaning Gurriel again was not credited with a basehit!
With runners on first and second base, Alfred Despaigne grounded into a double play.
Gurriel moved to third base, but was left, as a strikeout ended the at bat.
México opened the score in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Alex Liddi led off with a double, then the bases got loaded when Cyle Hankerd and Jorge Vásquez walked.
The latter had a 3-2 count when Cuban starter Vladimir Baños threw his next pitch.
That looked attractive, but not according to veteran Venezuelan Home Plate Umpire Jonathan Parra, resulting in some reactions.
With the bases loaded, it was Cuban Yuniesky Betancourt who followed with a single to bring in Liddi and open the score.
A pitching change followed and Liván Moinelo took over.
He walked Esteban Quiroz, resulting in another run.
When his first pitch to next batter Erick Rodríguez also missed the strike zone, Cuban Manager Roger Machado came out of the dug-out to make another pitching change.
Yander Guevara was brought in and he got a double play-grounder from Rodríguez, but that also brought in the third Mexican run.
Cuba got two runners on base again with two outs in the fifth, but they were left.
In the sixth, they had runners on first and second base with one out, but then two force outs followed.
México then added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Jorge Vásquez and Yuniesky Betancourt led off with singles.
After a pitching change, an attempt for a sacrifice bunt by Esteban Quiroz ended in a force out at third base, but hereafter, Erick Rodríguez followed with a runscoring single to make it 4-0.
After having stranded four runners in scoring position in its previous at bats, Cuba scored in the top of the seventh.
Pinch-hitter Lourdes Gurriel led off with a walk, then Terance Marin relieved starter Héctor Daniel Rodríguez.
He was greeted with a comeback infield-hit by pinch-hitter Guillermo Aviles, then gave up a runscoring single to Osvaldo Vásquez.
A flyout into short centerfield followed, then the possible rally ended when pinch-hitter Stayler Hernández grounded into a double play on a hard hit through the middle.
México struck again in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Chris Roberson led off with a ground-rule double, which was followed by a pitching change.
Yayfredo Domínguez took over.
With one out, he walked Cyle Hankerd intentionally, but then hit Jorge Vásquez with a pitch that loaded the bases.
The bases were then cleared when Cuban powerhitter Yuniesky Betancourt drove the ball into deep centerfield for a 3-run double.
With that, the former Major Leaguer lifted the lead to 7-1, which led to another pitching change.
And this productive at bat enlarged the Mexican festivities in the stands.
The Mexican fans enjoyed the game, laughed, eat, drank and danced on the music of a small Mexican band, complete with trumpets, guitars and singing.
Cuba got another scoring opportunity in the top of the eighth, but scored only once.
Off of new pitcher Esmailin Caridad, Yuliesky Gurriel led of with a walk and scored on a double by Alfredo Despaigne.
With two outs, the bases got loaded when Lourdes Gurriel and Guillermo Aviles both walked.
Jake Sánchez then became the new pitcher and the Cuban inning ended when Osvaldo Vásquez was called out on strikes and three runners were left behind.
It was to be the last Cuban run.
American Steven Hensley pitched the top of the ninth inning for México, but needed 28 pitches.
With two outs, he walked Yuliesky Gurriel, then hit Alfredo Despaigne with a pitch.
The righthander then ended the inning by striking out veteran Ariel Borrero.
And with that, México won 7-2 and became the second finalist!
Oh, by the way, it again was well after midnight that this game ended!
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