Venezuelans had more opportune batting than the Cubans. Photo: Ricardo Lopez Hevia / Granma / Cubadebate

Sports Radio Service is the only Bay Area outlet to cover the Caribbean Series

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. 7. 10. 4

CUBA. 1. 10. 1

By Lewis Rubman

February 8, 2018

Zapopan, Jal., Mexico–The dramatic turnaround of events in the opening inning of last night’s contest between the Dominican Republic’s Aguilas Cibaeñas (Cibao Eagles) and Cuba’s Granma Alazanes (Sorres) gave a foretaste of the dramatic turns the game would take. The outcome determined that the Aguilas will face Puerto Rico’s Caguas Criollos (Creoles) tonight for the championship of Latin American baseball.

Cuba’s ace right hander, Lázaro Blanco, who started the evening with a 1-0, 3.00 record, was surprisingly wild out of the gate. He allowed the Dominicans to load the bases on two singles and walk before bearing down and striking out the numbers four, five, and six hitters. Edwin Espinal, Christian Bethancourt, and Ronny Rodríguez swinging. Yusenay Maya, making his first in this year´s Caribbean Series for the Dominicans, kept the Cubans from scoring in their half of the first by getting number three hitter Yurisbel Gracial to take a called third strike with two men on base and then getting Alberto Despaigne, who was making his first start since his injury in the opening game, to ground into a double play.

Granma chased Maya – or rather Maya chased himself – in the bottom of the second. He walked Guillermo Avelés, who promptly scored on Frederich Cepeda´ s triple to right.

Carlos Benítez folowed with a stand up double to right and scored on Raúl González´s single to left center. Santos made it safely to first on a fielder´s choice and González was safe at second on Maya´s errant throw. Ulises Joaquín came on to relieve Maya and keep the damage down to three runs.

Joaquín kept Granma in check for the Eagles until the fifth, and a series of three other Dominican relivers also kept their opponents scoreless through the seventh frame.

Blanco continued to blank the Dominicans, allowing only two more hits until Ronny Rodríguez came up with Junior Lake on third with two down in the top of the sixth.Blanco´s rocky start seemed a thing of the distant past. Then Rodríguez blasted Blanco´s first pitch into the left field night, and we were in a one run game with the Dominican Republic´s forces surging forward. Blanco walked Carlos Paulino and was yanked from the now vastly changed game. After sticking with his for five and two-third innings, Carlos Marté played whack-a-mole with his bull pen, using four relievers in the ensuing three and a third frames.

But it was in vain. The Aguilas tied the game in the seventh when, after Miguel Lahera after had given up a lead off single to Yefri Pérez and a walk to Abiatal Avelino, Raidel Martínez entered the game to face Gustavo Núñez, The latter lay down a bunt that first baseman Edwin Espinal bobbled and Martínez picked up and threw down the right field foul line. And when the dust had lifted, there was Núñez save at second and Avelino a-hugging third. Two batters later, Espinal singled the two of them in and there was joy in Santo Domingo as the Aguilas led 5-3.

They tagged on another run in the eighth, and Cepeda got one back for Granma in his team’s half of that inning with a lead off home run close to the left field foul pole, but it was all over but the shouting.

Ramón Ramírez won, and Miguel Lahera lost, both in relief. Josh Judy got the save, his second. Rodríguez and Espinal each drove in two runs for the Dominicans. Núñez and Junior Lake got one RBI a piece. Cepeda got two and González one for the Cubans.

The starting pitchers haven´t yet been announced for tonight´s Battle of the Antilles for the crown of the Caribbean Series.