photo from foxnews.com: San Francisco Giant and Venezuela player Pablo Sandoval (48) gets congratulations as Venezuela continues to roll in the Caribbean Series in Puerto Rico
February 3
By Lewis Rubman
Venezuela (2-0) 3 7 0
Dominican Republic (1-1) 2 7 0
HATO REY PUERTO RICO–When the Cardenales (Cardinals) of Lara and the Toros del Este (of the east) began play a minute or two before 9:00 o’clock last night, they knew that, when the game of over, one of them would be the only remaining undefeated team after two days of play in this year’s Caribbean Series. The other would join the pack of three teams with records of 1-1, one game ahead of the lagging Panamanians, who had lost both of their conferences.
The Cardenales, Venezuela’s entry, was the team that emerged unscathed.
They scored early, if not often. A line drive double to right by Juan Apodaca plated Adonis García and ex-Giant Gorkys Hernández to give the Redbirds a two run advantage after two innings of play. An inning later, René Reyes’s sacrifice fly to right brought in Alexi Amarista with the third Lara tally, which proved to be the winning run.
The Toros waited until the bottom of the sixth to make their charge. A single by Jordani Valdespín, a walk to Junior Lake, and another single, this one off the bat of Abraham Almonte, and the Dominicans had cut Venezuela’s lead to 3-1.
Things looked pretty grim for the team from La Romana when they came to bat in the bottom of the ninth, after midnight and with Venezuela still leading, 3-1. But Peter O’Brien dropped a single to left, and, after Almonte and Alen Hanson had made outs, Jimmy Paredes single to center, bringing O’Brien around to third.
Wilkin Castillo then hit a rule book double that bounced over the right field fence and scored O’Brien, reducing the deficit to a single run. But the same rule that granted Castillo his extra base hit required that Gustavo Nuñez, running for Paredes, stop at third. This brought the Jorge Mateo to the plate. I like to tell you that the Athletics’ prized prospect singled in the tying and winning runs, but he didn’t. He flew out to left to end the game.
The contest featured some pretty good pitching. Venezuela’s starter, Wilfredo Ledesma went five innings, giving up one run on three hits, although his four walks left much to be desired. He was the winning pitcher. José Ascancio, Francisley Bueno, Hassan Pena, and Pedro Rodríguez combined to shut out the Toros over three innings, with Bueno being the only member of the quartet to allow a hit.
Ricardo Gómez, who got his second save in as many games, gave up a run and three hits in his only inning of work. Such are the vagaries of baseball statistics.
Jorge Martínez pitched two innings for the Dominicans and earned the loss, surrendering three runs on as many hits during his brief stint. Jhan Martínez, Edgar García, Anthony Carter, and Warner Madrigal, collectively, were magnificent. The shut down the strong Lara offense, not allowing a run and surrendering just four hits over seven innings.
It will be Panama against Mexico, Dominican Republic against Colombia, and Puerto Rico against Venezuela this morning, afternoon, and night.
