ARAGUA TIGERS ROAR LOUDER

By Guile Esquivel
Exclusive to www.eBeisbol.com

Aragua upsets Licey 3-2 in the inaugural game trying to prevent the winningest Caribbean Series team (10 crowns) from claiming back to back titles for the first time in their history.

Dominican pitcher Victor Marte opened the ninth inning by walking Ramon Castro. Castro moved to second base on Rodney Medina’s grounder to first and Maza singled to right allowing Castro to score the winning run. Marte was charged with the loss in one inning of relief.

American pitcher Brad Knox flirted with a no hitter through 6 1/3 before being pulled and replaced by Yohan Pino. Knox struck out five and walked five including Jose Bautista with one out in the seventh inning. Pino’s first pitch was promptly placed in the left field seats by Belliard to tie the game at 2.

With two outs in the second inning, Aragua took advantage of Ronnie Belliard’s throwing error allowing Aragua to extend the inning and take the 1-0 lead when Luis Ugueto scored on Castro’s single to left.

In the top of the seventh, they added to their lead when Dodgers’ farmhand Luis Maza doubled in Alex Delgado to go up 2-0.

Last year’s Caribbean Series MVP Ramon Ortiz allowed two runs one of those unearned on eight hits while pitching 7 innings and leaving the game with a no decision.

In the eighth inning, Tampa Bay’s Willy Aybar hit a dribbler to Ronald Belisario who lost the ball in the sun. Philadelphia Phillies’ Ronny Paulino followed with a single to left, but Amaury Cazaña hits into the 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.

Belisario was the winning pitcher and closer Francisco Butto came in the ninth to close out the game retiring the three batters he faced to get the save.

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