GAMES OF JANUARY 3
VENEZUELAN LEAGUE
LARA 8, MARGARITA 1 IN LARA
It was 1-1 after three, but Lara scored six in the fourth to take control of the game. Jorge Martinez pitched six innings for Lara, giving up one run on three hits and no walks with three strikeouts. Juniel Querecuto was 3-for-5 with a double, scoring once and driving in two.
The best-of-seven series was tied 1-1.
LA GUAIRA 13, ANZOATEGUI 6 IN ANZOATEGUI
Again a six-run inning made the difference, as La Guaira got that number in the sixth to turn a 3-2 deficit into an 8-3 lead. Hector Sanchez was 4-for-4 with a home run and a walk for La Guaira, scoring three times and driving in four. Danry Vasquez was 4-for-5 with a home run and four RBIs.
La Guaira led the best-of-seven series 2-0.
ZULIA 6, ARAGUA 5 IN ZULIA
It was tied going to the bottom of the ninth. The first two batters went out, but a single was followed by two walks, loading the bases. A wild pitch then brought home the winning run. Reynaldo Rodriguez was 1-for-4 with a double and a walk for Zulia, scoring once. Eduardo Escobar was 1-for-4 for Aragua. Alex Romero was 3-for-4 with two doubles for Zulia, scoring twice and driving in one.
Zulia led the best-of-seven series 2-0.
DOMINICAN LEAGUE
AGUILAS 7, GIGANTES 5 AT GIGANTES
The Aguilas scored three in the first and built a 7-0 lead through four. The Gigantes got back into it with one in the sixth and four in the seventh but did not get the tying run on base. Jose Urena pitched five shutout innings for the Aguilas, giving up one hit and no walks with four strikeouts. Ronny Rodriguez was 3-for-5 with two doubles for the Aguilas, scoring once and driving in two. Alfredo Marte was 3-for-4 with a double for the Aguilas, scoring twice and driving in one.
ESCOGIDO 2, LICEY 0 IN ESCOGIDO
It was scoreless through eight. The first two Escogido batters went out in the ninth, but an error was followed by Ronny Paulino's two-run walkoff homer. Jorge Polanco was 0-for-4 for Escogido. Kelvin Marte pitched six shutout innings for Escogido, giving up four hits and a walk with three strikeouts.
STANDINGS
Aguilas, 5-1
Escogido, 2-3
Licey, 2-3
Gigantes, 1-3
PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE
SANTURCE 2, CAROLINA 1 IN SANTURCE (11 INNINGS)
Ivan De Jesus, Jr.'s RBI single in the bottom of the eleventh won it for Santurce. J. J. Fernandez was 1-for-4 for Carolina. Adalberto Flores pitched 6.1 scoreless innings for Santurce, giving up one hit and one walk with two strikeouts.
Santurce leads the best-of-seven series 1-0.
MAYAGUEZ 4, CAGUAS 3 IN MAYAGUEZ (14 INNINGS)
Caguas got three in the ninth to tie it 3-3. In the fourteenth, however, Yadiel Rivera delivered a two-out RBI single to win it for Mayaguez. Eddie Rosario was 3-for-6 for Mayaguez. Kennys Vargas was 1-for-5 with a double and a walk for Mayaguez, scoring once and driving in one. Benji Gonzalez was 1-for-4 with a run for Mayaguez. Dereck Rodriguez pitched two-thirds of an inning for Mayaguez, giving up no runs on two hits. Jorge Lopez struck out six in five innings for Mayaguez, giving up one run on one hit. Henry Ramos was 3-for-6 with a run for Mayaguez.
Mayaguez leads the best-of-seven series 1-0.
MEXICAN LEAGUE
MEXICALI 7, NAVOJOA 6 IN NAVOJOA
Navojoa led 6-4 after four, but Mexicali got single runs in the fifth, sixth, and seventh, the last on a C. J. Retherford homer, to take the lead. Yuniesky Betancourt was 3-for-5 with an RBI for Mexicali.
The best-of-seven series is tied 1-1.
HERMOSILLO 6, CULIACAN 4 IN CULIACAN
Hermosillo got three in the third and three in the sixth to gain the victory. Barry Enright pitched 5.1 innings for Hermosillo, giving up one run on four hits and a walk with three strikeouts. Jorge Flores was 3-for-4 for Hermosillo. Tim Torres hit a two-run homer for Hermosillo.
The best-of-seven series is tied 1-1.
LOS MOCHIS 6, MAZATLAN 4 IN LOS MOCHIS
Eugenio Velez hit a two-run homer in the seventh to turn a 4-3 deficit into a 5-4 Los Mochis lead. Saul Soto homered in the eighth for an insurance run. J. C. Linares and Leandro Castro also homered for Los Mochis.
AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE
No games scheduled.
GAMES OF JANUARY 4
VENEZUELAN LEAGUE
No games scheduled.
DOMINICAN LEAGUE
ESCOGIDO 5, LICEY 0 IN LICEY
Erik Gonzalez hit a two-run double in a three-run third and Escogido never trailed. Jorge Polanco was 1-for-5 for Escogido. Bryan Evans pitched 4.2 scoreless innings for Escogido, giving up five hits and a walk with three strikeouts.
AGUILAS 5, GIGANTES 3 AT AGUILAS
Already leading 3-2, the Aguilas scored two runs in the fifth and the Gigantes were never able to get the tying run on base after that. Danny Santana was 0-for-1 for the Aguilas in a reserve role. Angel Castro pitched five innings for the Aguilas, giving two runs on four hits and no walks with one strikeout. Jonathan Villar was 3-for-5 with a double for the Aguilas, scoring once and driving in one.
STANDINGS
Aguilas, 6-1
Escogido, 3-3
Licey, 2-4
Gigantes, 1-4
PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE
CAROLINA 6, SANTURCE 3 IN CAROLINA
Luke Tendler hit a three-run homer in the fifth to break a 3-3 tie. J. J. Fernandez was 1-for-3 for Carolina.
The best-of-seven series is tied 1-1.
MAYAGUEZ 5, CAGUAS 1 IN MAYAGUEZ
Mayaguez took a 2-0 lead in the first and put the game out of reach with a three-run sixth. Eddie Rosario was 1-for-5 with a run and two RBIs for Mayaguez. Kennys Vargas was 2-for-5 with an RBI for Mayaguez. Benji Gonzalez was 1-for-3 with a walk for Mayaguez. Hiram Burgos pitched six innings for Mayaguez, giving up one run on five hits and no walks with three strikeouts. Henry Ramos was 3-for-5 with a run for Mayaguez.
Mayaguez leads the best-of-seven series 2-0.
MEXICAN LEAGUE
No games scheduled.
AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE*
MELBOURNE 4, BRISBANE 3 IN MELBOURNE
Melbourne scored two in the sixth to tie it 3-3. In the ninth, Mike Walker delivered an RBI single to win it for Melbourne. Aaron Whitefield was 3-for-5 with a run for Brisbane and is batting .344. Logan Wade was 2-for-5 with a run for Brisbane and is batting .317. Mark Hamburger struck out thirteen in eight innings for Melbourne, giving up three runs on ten hits and a walk.
SYDNEY 3, PERTH 0 IN PERTH
Sydney scored one in the first and two in the second and the pitchers took it from there. Trevor Foss struck out seven in six shutout innings for Sydney, giving up five hits and a walk. Todd Van Steensel pitched a perfect inning for Sydney, striking out one.
*Games played January 5. It's timey-wimey.