VENEZUELAN LEAGUE

ZULIA 9, ARAGUA 2 IN ZULIA

Zulia scored three in the fifth to break a 2-2 tie and led the rest of the way.  Reynaldo Rodriguez was 0-for-4 for Zulia.  Eduardo Escobar was 0-for-3 with a walk for Aragua.  Freddy Galvis was 4-for-5 with two doubles for Zulia, scoring twice and driving in two.  Ali Castillo was 3-for-4 with three runs for Zulia.  Jordany Valdespin hit a two-run homer for Zulia.

Zulia leads the best-of-seven series 3-0.

MARGARITA 9, LARA 8 IN MARGARITA

Margarita had leads of 4-0, 5-1, and 6-3, but needed a three-run eighth to break a 6-6 tie and then held on as Lara got two in the ninth.  Omar Poveda pitched four innings for Margarita, giving up one run on three hits and two walks with two strikeouts.  Jose Osuna was 4-for-5 with a run and three RBIs for Margarita.  Daniel Mayora was 4-for-5 with two runs and an RBI for Margarita.

Margarita leads the best-of-seven series 2-1.

ANZOATEGUI 6, LA GUAIRA 5 IN LA GUAIRA

Anzoategui trailed 3-0 and 4-2, but single runs in the fifth and sixth tied it and Luis JImenez homered in the seventh to put Anzoategui in the lead to stay.  They got an insurance run in the ninth and needed it, because La Guaira scored once in the ninth, but had the tying run thrown out at the plate trying to score from second on a single.  Each team used eleven pitchers in the game.  Niuman Romero was 3-for-4 with a walk for Anzoategui, scoring once and driving in one.  Rene Reyes and Mario Lisson each hit a home run for Anzoategui.

La Guaira leads the best-of-seven series 2-1.

DOMINICAN LEAGUE

GIGANTES 6, ESCOGIDO 5 IN ESCOGIDO

The Gigantes led 6-0 after eight, but Escogido scored five in the ninth and had the tying run on third before going down.  Jorge Polanco was 0-for-3 for Escogido.  Terry Doyle pitched 4.2 scoreless innings for the Gigantes, giving up three hits and a walk with three strikeouts.  Cam Perkins was 4-for-5 with a run and three RBIs for the Gigantes.  Wilmer Difo was 3-for-4 with a walk and two runs for the Gigantes.

AGUILAS 5, LICEY 2 AT AGUILAS

Licey took a 2-0 lead in the third, but the Aguilas got all five of their runs in the eighth to win.  A three-run double by Brayan Pena broke a 2-2 tie and provided the margin of victory.  Danny Santana was 1-for-3 with a run for the Aguilas.  Francisley Bueno pitched five innings for the Aguilas, giving up two unearned runs on two hits and two walks with three strikeouts.

STANDINGS

Aguilas, 7-1
Escogido, 3-4
Gigantes, 2-4
Licey, 2-5

PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE

No games scheduled.

MEXICAN LEAGUE

CULIACAN 8, HERMOSILLO 7 IN HERMOSILLO

Culiacan led 7-1 half way through, but held on to win 8-7.  Issmael Salas hit a home run for Culiacan.

Culiacan leads the best-of-seven series 2-1.

LOS MOCHIS 3, MAZATLAN 0 IN MAZATLAN

Lew Ford doubled home a run in the third and Los Mochis led the rest of the way.  Luis Niebla pitched eight shutout innings for Los Mochis, giving up four hits and two walks with seven strikeouts.  Ford was 4-for-5 with a double and two RBIs for Los Mochis.

Los Mochis leads the best-of-seven series 3-0.

MEXICALI 3, NAVOJOA 2 IN MAZATLAN

Chris Roberson hit a three-run homer in the second and it stood up.  Navojoa got both of their runs in the fifth.  Navojoa had the tying run in scoring position in the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth, but could not bring him home.  Efren Delgado struck out seven in five innings for Mexicali, giving up two runs on three hits and a walk.

Mexicali leads the best-of-seven series 2-1.

AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE*

MELBOURNE 5, BRISBANE 3 IN MELBOURNE

Melbourne scored two in the seventh to take a 3-2 and Mike Walker hit a two-run homer in the eighth (his fifth) to secure the win.  Aaron Whitefield was 2-for-5 with a double and a run for Melbourne and is batting .347.  Logan Wade was 0-for-5 for Melbourne and is batting .303.  Jeremy Guthrie struck out six in six innings for Melbourne, giving up an unearned run on four hits and a walk.

ADELAIDE 8, CANBERRA 3 IN ADELAIDE

Adelaide scored four in the first and four in the seventh to get the win.  Jack O'Laughlin pitched six innings for Adelaide, giving up two runs on seven hits and a walk with one strikeout.

PERTH 8, SYDNEY 7 IN PERTH

Sydney scored seven in the second to take a 7-0 lead, but Perth got four in the third and two in the sixth to get back into the game and in the ninth, RBI singles by Tim Kennelly and Matt Kennelly won it for Perth.  Luke Hughes hit a three-run homer for Perth, his fourth.

*Games played January 6.  It's timey-wimey.