Game 13 - México vs. Venezuela (Final)
Venados de Mazatlán of México is the champion of this years Serie dek Caribe.
In a very attractive final, the Mexicans won 5-4 vs. Tigres de Aragua of Venezuela.
México was outhit 12-7 with Hernan Pérez, Sandy León and Teodoro Martínez all collecting three basehits for Venezuela.
For México, Chris Roberson and Jorge Vásquez both had two basehits.
The latter contributed with the most important hit of the game!
Through the game, both teams were by their cheered enthusiastic fans.
That has been the case throughout the tournament in which all five teams got a lot of support from their fans, who really enjoyed themselves in the stadium.
Of course, the Mexican orchestra also was in the stands again during the final.
It all resulted in a great and sportive atmosphere in the stands.
Both teams were retired in order in the first and second inning by starting pitchers Eddie Gamboa (México) and Freddy García (Venezuela).
Both teams then got on base in the third at bat.
For Venezuela, Sandy León and Teodoro Martínez singled with one out in the third, but were left behind.
In its third at bat, México opened the score.
Esteban Quiroz led off with a single, then advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Sebastían Valle.
Moments later, Quiroz scored on a single by American Chris Roberson, who moved to second base on the throw to the plate.
Hereafter, Roberson advanced to third base when a bunt by Jeremias Pineda ended in an out.
Pineda was not credited with a sacrice bunt, as he was trying to bunt for a basehit.
In that case, it is up to the judgement of the Official Scorer to just record a groundout, instead of naming it a sacrifice bunt.
It is a decision which rarely is used.
Hereafter, Roberson was able to score the second run on a wild pitch by veteran pitcher Freddy García.
After Venezuela was retired in order again in the top of the fourth, México got another runner in scoring position in the bottom half of the at bat.
With one out, Jorge Vásquez doubled, but he was then eliminated when centerfielder Teodoro Martínez made a nice diving catch on a line drive by Yuniesky Betancourt, which resulted in a double play.
In the top of the fifth inning, Venezuela was productive and also scored.
José Martínez led off with a single.
Martínez, nicknamed 'Cafecito', wrote history in the semi-final on Saturday when he hit a homerun.
His father Carlos Martínez, nicknamed 'Café', also homered in a Serie del Caribe, while playing for Tiburones de la Guaira.
With that, they became only the second father-son duo to hit a homerun in a Serie del Caribe.
The others are Tony Peña and his son Francisco Peña.
José brother Teodoro Martínez also plays for Aragua in this years Serie del Caribe.
Shortly after Martínez had reached base, he scored when Hernan Pérez drove the ball into deep leftfield for a 2-run homerun that tied the score.
Sandy León then singled and moved to third base on a sacrifice bunt by Teodoro Martínez and a grounder by Juriel Querecuto, but he was left behind.
In the top of the sixth inning, Venezuela ran itself out of the inning.
With one out, Félix Pérez hit a hard, bad hop grounder towards second baseman Esteban Quiroz, who was credited with an error.
Hereafter, Pérez tried to advance to third base on a line drive single into short leftfield by Dariel Álvarez, but was thrown out at third base by leftfielder Chris Roberson.
Moments later, Álvarez tried to move to second base on a wild pitch in front of catcher Sebastían Valle, but ended up short and was thrown out on second base, ending the inning.
In the bottom of the sixth, Justin Greene walked with one out.
Hereafter, Venezuelan Manager Eduardo Pérez came out to make a pitching change.
He brought in Alexis Candelario to replace Freddy García.
And with that, the long professional career of García ended.
The veteran righthander, who participated in his first Serie del Caribe, had announced his retirement before the event.
The 39-year old righthander pitched 15 years in the Major League (1999-2013) for seven clubs, including six with the Seattle Mariners.
In 2005, he won the World Series with Chicago White Sox.
Last year, he played in México and Venezuela.
In November last year, García participated in the Premier12 with the National Team of Venezuela.
The inning ended when Greene was caught stealing and Candelaria closed with a strikeout.
In the top of the seventh, Venezuela struck with two runs.
Lead-off hitter José Martínez struckout, but reached on a passed ball, then a single by Hernan Pérez followed.
Everyone was then safe on a fielder's choice-sacrifice bunt by Sandy León, which loaded the bases.
Shortly hereafter, Martínez then scored on a single by his brother Teodoro Martínez.
Pérez also tried to score, but was eliminated at the plate.
Hereafter, Jovany López came on in relief of starter Eddie Gamboa, but walked Juriel Querecuto that loaded the bases again.
Venezuela then added a run when León scored on a sacrifice fly by Alex Romero to take a 4-2 lead.
The lead didn't last long, as México reacted with two (unearned) runs of its own in the bottom of the seventh in which Venezuela used four pitchers.
Arcenio León began the inning and got two quick outs.
He then gave up a single to Yuniesky Betancourt and was replaced by Gumercindo González.
He fielded a comeback-grounder by Esteban Quiroz, but that ended in an error by first baseman Félix Pérez and runners on second and third base.
It should have been the third out with Venezuela still leading 4-2, but there were now two runners in scoring position and that proved to be decisive.
González was replaced by Jesús Sánchez, who was greeted with a 2-run single by Sebastían Valle that made it a 4-4 tie.
With Valle on second base, Chris Roberson was walked intentionally and that brought in the fourth pitcher.
José Mejias took over and he got a groundout that ended the at bat.
Venezuela got a chance of re-taking the lead again in the top of the eighth.
Félix Pérez led off with a walk and was replaced by pinch-runner Luis Ugueto.
Two outs followed, but then Ugueto advanced on a single by Hernan Pérez.
Sebastían Valle (who already was 2-for-2) then added another single.
Venezuela again showed some agressive baserunning, as Ugueto was waved home, but he was eliminated at the plate on a strong throw from centerfielder Justin Greene.
In the top of the ninth, Venezuela got its lead-off hitter on base and more pitching changes followed.
The Managers of Caribbean teams (Central, South and Latin America) frequently change pitchers.
Not only in these kind of tournaments, but also during the regular season.
After Teodoro Martínez had led off with a single off of reliever Jake Sánchez, Arturo Barradas took over.
He retired the next two batters (including a sac-bunt), had done his job and was replaced by Steven Hensley, who got a flyout that ended the at bat and stranded Martínez on second base.
The game then ended with a huge hit on the third pitch by reliever Renée Cortez, as Jorge Vásquez led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a walk-off homerun!
That made it 5-4 in favor of México to capture the title of the Serie del Caribe!
And that ended a very interesting, attractive and enjoyable tournament in Dominican capital Santo Domingo.
During the Closing Ceremony, José Martínez, leftfielder of the Venezuelan squad, was named Most Valuable Player of this years tournament.
Also named was the Tournament's All Star Team:
Righthanded Pitcher-Freddy García (Venezuela). Lefthanded Pitcher-Héctor Daniel Rodríguez (México).
Catcher-Sebastían Valle (Mexico).
1st Base-Neftalí Soto (Puerto Rico). 2nd Base-Yuliesky Gurriel (Cuba). 3rd Base-Adonis García (Venezuela). Short Stop-Juniel Querecuto (Venezuela).
Leftfield-José Martínez (Venezuela). Centerfield-Justin Greene (México). Rightfield-Alex Romero (Venezuela).
Designated Hitter-Dariel Álvarez (Venezuela).
Manager-Juan José Pacho (México).
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México wins Serie del Caribe on walk-off homerun!
SANTO DOMINGO DE GUZMÁN (Dominican Republic) -
Venados de Mazatlán, the champion of the Liga Mexicana del Pacifico (México), has won the 58th edition of the annual Serie del Caribe (Caribbean Series).
In the Final on Sunday-evening, at Estadio Quisqueya Juan Marichal in Dominican capital Santo Domingo, the Mexicans won 5-4 vs. Tigres de Aragua, the champion of the Liga Venezolana de Béisbol Profesional (Venezuela), to become this year Caribbean Champion and remained unbeaten!
The Mexicans reached the Final on Saturday-evening by winning the semi-final vs. Tigres de Ciego de Ávila, the champion of the 2014-2015 season of the Serie Nacional de Béisbol (Cuba).
The Venezuelans became the first team to reach the Final when it won on Saturday-afternoon n the semi-final against Cangrejeros de Santurce, the champion of the Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente (Puerto Rico).
The next Serie del Caribe will be held in February next year in the Mexican city of Culiacán, the largest city in and the capital of the state of Sinaloa.
The games then will be played in the brand new Estadio BBVA Bancomer, the new home of the Tomateros de Culiacán, which plays in the Liga Mexicana del Pacifico.
The stadium has a capacity of 20,000 and opened on October 9 last year.
The same five countries will be represented then again.
In recent days, it was reported that the champion of Panama also may be included as sixth team.