Sports Radio Service is the only Bay Area outlet covering the 2018 Caribbean Series

Photo credit: @mexbaseball

Puerto Rico 7 | 15 | 0

Mexico 4 | 10 | 0

By Lewis Rubman
Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico
February 3, 2018

Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico–The 19th century Puerto Rican poet Lola Rodriguez de Tio is famous for her lines, “Cuba y Puerto Rico son/de un pajaro las dos alas.” Translation: “Cuba and Puerto Rico are two wings of the same bird.” If that’s true, that bird must be soaring because both country’s teams won their first game in this year’s Caribbean Series.

Following the Cubans’ 6-4 triumph over the Venezuelans, Puerto Rico’s Criollos de Caguas overcame host Mexico’s Tomateros de Culiacan by a score of 7-4 in a game featured a couple of surprises.

The first came before the game even began, when Bill Clinton came onto the field and was treated to a thunderous ovation when he was introduced as a friend of Mexico. More cheers followed when the ex-president proclaimed himself a lover of baseball.

The second surprise occurred in the top of the third inning with two outs and an 0-2 count on the Criollos’ Johnny Monell, Anthony Garcia attempted a straight steal of home. He was called out, and a long review was inconclusive, so the ruling was allowed to stand. But Garcia’s daring dash to the plate certainly was unexpected. He didn’t even get a good jump on starter Edgar Gonzalez’s pitch, and many spectators speculated that the play might have been a botched suicide squeeze attempt. In any case, Garcia definitely gave the crowd a jolt.

In spite of the failure of his act of daring do, he had a very successful night, going 3 for 5, hitting two doubles, and driving in two runs, Four other Caguas batters had multiple hit nights. Shortstop Jesmuel Valentin and thirdbasman David Vidal went 2 for 5, and first baseman Ruben Gotay and leftfielder Dayron Varona each got two hits in four at bats.

Puerto Rico opened the scoring in the top of the second with succesive singles by Vidal, Gotay, and Varona, followed by a walk to catcher Jonathan Morales off of Gonzalez.

Mexico closed the gap to one run in their half of the inning with a two out single to center by Dominican thirdbaseman Ronnier Mustellier, a walk to shortstop Issmael Salas, and a single in right by catcher Gabriel Gutierrez.

The Islanders tacked on another run in the third, only to see Mexico add another in the bottom of the frame and take the lead in the fourth when Criollos started Adalberto Flores hit Mustellier and Salas, who each moved up a base on Gutierrez’s sacrifice bunt. After Rico Noel struck out swinging, Sebastian Elizalde singled both runners home only to be caught stealing; 2-4-3-6.

After a walk to Irving Falu, who had replaced Rey Navarro at second base, followed by a wild pitch by Gonzlez that advanced him a base, and Garcia’s RBI single helped Puerto Rico retie the game at four apiece.

Thing stayed like that until the top of the eighth, when Casey Coleman, now pitching for Culiacan, gave up a double to deep left field to Garcia, who scored on Vidal’s rule book double to center. Vidal advanced one base on Gotay’s single to right.

At this point, manager Benjamin Gil replaced Coleman with Nick Struck, who proceeded to deliver a wild pitch on a 2 and 2 count to Varona, who tripled on his next offering, driving in both runners, and sealing Culiacan’s doom.

Elizalde and Gutierrez were the Mexicans’ leading hitters, with two apiece.

Lefty Luis Cruz got the win in relief. The save went to Miguel Mejia, who pitched a scoreless ninth. Coleman was charged with the loss.

This afternoon’s game will pit the Dominican Republics Aguilas Cibaenas against the Anzoategui Criollos of Venezuela. Game time is 2:00 pm (noon PT).

The 8:00 pm (6:00 pm PT) match up will see Mexico face Cuba.