Dominican Republic beats Venezuela 3-2 and remains undefeated

by Guille Esquivel

Ebeisbol.com Exclusive

Escogido’s Freddy Guzman stole home to break a 2-2 tie in the eighth inning giving the Dominican Republic their third consecutive win.

Nerio Rodriguez was the starter for Escogido and southpaw Jose Orteganos was on the mound for the Venezuelan team.

The Dominican team was looking to win three in a row and remain atop of the standings while Venezuela was looking to avoid a loss that would dampen their hopes of repeating as champions.

Errors continue to plague this edition of the Caribbean Series. Two consecutive fielding mistakes by third baseman Juan Francisco and shortstop Ramon Santiago allowed the Leones del Caracas to load the bases in the second inning. Rodriguez worked harder and longer, but managed to strike out Gregorio Petit looking to end the threat.

The Venezuelan team was first to score when in the third inning Oscar Salazar hit a two-run shot to left off of Rodriguez to take the 2-0 lead.

Rodriguez pitched 5 2/3 innings and allowed 2 runs while striking out seven.

Orteganos dominated the Escogido lineup keeping them hitless through five innings. In the sixth inning, Pablo Ozuna drew a walk and advanced on a wild pitch making him the first runner to reach second base. Guzman singled to center to break up the no-hitter. Santiago then singled to center scoring Ozuna to make it a one run game and trailed 2-1.

Orteganos was pulled in favor of Edgar Estanga who quickly retired the first two batters he faced. He then walked Willis Otañez to load the bases and face Fernando Martinez who went 2-4 with a home run in Tuesday’s game. He worked Martinez to a full count before getting him to pop out to first in foul territory.

Orteganos pitched five innings allowing one run on two hits, while walking three and striking out three.

In the seventh inning the Dominican team produced a two-out rally against reliever Darwin Cubillan who issued back to back walks to Ozuna and Guzman. Cubillan who had already made two appearances was quickly replaced by Edgar Alfonzo. Santiago came through again with his second single of the night scoring Ozuna and tying the game at 2. Guzman then accomplishes a rare feat by stealing home and giving Escogido the 3-2 lead. Guzman became the third player to steal home in the history of the Caribbean Series.

Cubillan was charged with the loss.

Venezuela ’s bats were silenced in the final two innings and Escogido went on to win the game.

Jose Veras working one scoreless inning in relief got the victory and closer Dario Veras got the save.

The Dominican team will look to pad their lead in the standings against Mexico on Friday.

Venezuela will face Puerto Rico in the second game. They have identical records and neither can afford to lose.

Nelson Figueroa pitches a gem against Mexico

by Guille Esquivel

Ebeisbol.com exclusive

 

Starter Nelson Figueroa and the Dominican Republic squad dominated the Mexican team from the get-go and beat them 7-1 to become the only team that remains undefeated.

Mexico and the Dominican Republic were both looking to stay undefeated in the Caribbean Series. Each of their pitching staff allowed only one earned run in their opening game.

Figueroa not a stranger to the Latin winter leagues or Mexican baseball has a history with the Naranjeros de Hermosillo having played with them in the 1998-99, 2005-06 and the 2006-07 seasons.

In 2008, Figueroa was voted the MVP of the Caribbean Series by ebeisbol.com website visitors where he pitched for the champion Tigres del Licey ballclub.

Figueroa continued his Caribbean Series dominance pitching nine innings allowing one run on three hits while striking out eight without walking a batter.

With one out in the first inning, Ramon Santiago doubled to left field. Cincinatti Reds prospect Juan Francisco struck out and reached base on Hector Daniel Rodriguez’swild pitch. Willis Otañez hit a double deep to center scoring them both. Next batter, New York Mets outfielder Fernando Martinez hit a 2-run shot to right field to take the 4-0 lead.

The Dominican team continued the onslaught in the second when Victor Mendez and Pablo Ozuna opened the inning with back to back singles. They advanced on a wild pitch by Rodriguez and Freddy Guzman then singled to center pushing them both in to go up 6-0.

Homar Rojas did not yank his starter after the 6-run lead that Escogido built in the first two innings, but allowed him to stay in and gain back his confidence. That strategy was effective until the sixth inning when Fernando Martinez and Brayan Peña hit back to back singles and Rojas had seen enough. Wilkin Castillo greeted reliever JuanOramas with a single scoring Martinez putting the score at 7-0.

Rodriguez pitched 5 1/3 innings allowing seven runs on eight hits, while striking out five batters and walking three.

The Mexican team finally broke though in the eighth inning when Carlos Valencia spoiled Figueroa’s shutout with a solo home run to left field to get on the board.

The Dominican team’s starting pitching has been impressive and are looking like the favorites early on.

Mexico suffered their first loss of the series and will face Puerto Rico in the first game on Thursday.

Escogido will look to remain undefeated against host Venezuela who is trying to defend their title in tomorrow’s nightcap.

Dominican Republic wins a close one over Puerto Rico, 2-1

by Guille Esquivel
Ebeisbol.com Exclusive

The Leones del Escogido got their first win as they squeaked by and beat the Indios de Mayagüez 2-1 in the first game of the 2010 Caribbean Series.

There is a great rivalry between these two teams and an exciting game is always expected. They never fail in providing entertainment when they meet and that was the case in this matchup.

The Puerto Rican team is managed by Mako Olivares who is the winningest coach in Puerto Rican league history with seven titles and he adds two Caribbean Series titles to his trajectory. The Dominican team is led by Ken Oberkfell who led the Leones del Escogido to their first title in 18 years.

Escogido is making their fifth official appearance as they were the league champions in 1981, but a Caribbean Series was not played that year. The Dominican Republic is looking for their 18th title making them the winningest team.

Puerto Rico who is second in titles is looking for their 15th title in their history. The Indios de Mayaguez are representing their team for the first since 2005 where they only won one game in Mazatlan . 

The Dominican team was first to get on the board when they capitalized on a sloppy first inning by the Puerto Rican defense. Freddy Guzman got on base on an error by first baseman Randy Ruiz. Guzman stole third and came around to score when third baseman David Valencia tripped and failed to make the throw home, Escogido took the 1-0 lead.

The first hit for the Dominican team came in the bottom of the fourth on a single off the bat of Willis Otanez against Puerto Rico starter Mario Santiago who belongs to the Royals’ organization.

Mayaguez’ Miguel Abreu opened the sixth inning with a single to center off of Raul Valdes and came around to score on Edgardo Baez’ fielder’s choice tying the game at 1. Valdes pitched six innings allowing one run, six hits while striking out eight batters.

The game did not remain tied for long as Kevin Barker the second batter for the Escogido in the bottom half of the sixth inning took Santiago deep to left field for the solo homerun. Dominican Republic took the 2-1 lead. The homerun along with the errors blemished an otherwise spotless outing for Santiago who pitched seven innings, allowing three hits, one earned run, walking one while striking out eight.

The Puerto Rican team went down fighting as they attempted to take advantage of the errors committed by the Dominican defense in the eighth inning. Ruiz got on base on the error by third baseman Alexander Valdez to open up the inning. Next batter, Raul Casanova hit an easy fly ball to left field that was dropped by Juan Francisco. Ruiz attempted to score from first and was gunned down at home ending the threat.

Joel Peralta pitched two scoreless innings in relief only allowing one hit, one walk and striking out one batter. Dario Veras came out in the ninth to close out the game for the Dominican Republic.

METS PROSPECT FERNANDO MARTINEZ ENJOYING HIS FIRST SERIE DEL CARIBE

 

By Guille Esquivel
Exclusive to www.eBeisbol.com

 

Mexicali, Mexico - Feb. 5th - The New York Mets baseball operations hierarchy are proponents of winter baseball as a place where team prospects can work to improve on certain aspects of their game. In the Dominican Republic, winter baseball is not about development, but competiveness and winning. This also adds to the overall make up of a professional player. Fernando Martinez, a 20-year old Dominican and coveted outfield prospect of the Mets, experienced his winter ball season playing for the leones de Escogido and he had an enviable debut.Martinez batted .314, had 6 homeruns, 26 RBI and 26 runs scored. That was enough to get him an invitation to join the Dominican League champions, the Tigres del Licey to represent the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean Series.

Martinez felt a pull in his right elbow in practice prior to playing in his first game on Tuesday. It did not seem to affect him as he hit a homerun in his only at bat as a pinch hitter for Licey. It was a 2-run homerun that secured the Dominican Republic’s first and only victory up until the midway point of the Caribbean Series.

Fernando Ravelo, Licey’s GM called the New York Mets and notified them of the injury, leading to the end of Martinez’s winter league season. The Mets are looking to have Fernando rest and heal before the start of spring training.

Martinez will be missed by Licey who will only be carrying 27 players which only four of them are outfielders.

There has been a lot of firsts for Martinez who is participating in his first Caribbean Series and this is also his first time in Mexico. “Mexicali is very pretty and I have enjoyed my time here,” Martinez told ebeisbol.com. He also said that he hopes to keep playing in the winter league in the Dominican Republic and hopes to participate in more Caribbean Series.