Winter Wonderland: Games of January 18

GIGANTES

AGUILAS 7, GIGANTES 4 AT GIGANTES

The Aguilas scored five runs in the seventh to break a 2-2 tie.  Luis Juarez homered to break the tie and Jonathan Villar contributed a two-run double.  For the Gigantes, Abiatal Avelino was 2-for-2 with a triple and two walks, scoring twice.  Kelvin Gutierrez was 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs.  Jose Siri was 2-for-5 with a double.  Chris Ellis pitched six innings, giving up two runs on two hits and a walk and striking out two.

Record:  The Gigantes lose the Dominican League Championship series to the Aguilas, three games to four.

LARA

ARAGUA 6, LARA 4 AT ARAGUA

Aragua scored three in the first and three in the seventh to build a 6-1 lead.  Lara got the tying run to the plate in the ninth, but no more.  For Lara, Gorkys Hernandez was 2-for-4 and Ildemaro Vargas was 2-for-5 with a double.  Ex-Twin Rene Reyes was 1-for-4 with a two-run homer.  Henry Centeno started but pitched just 1.2 innings, allowing three runs on five hits and three walks and striking out two.

Record:  Lara leads the best-of-seven series three games to two.

Next game:  Lara hosts Aragua tonight.

MAYAGUEZ

MAYAGUEZ 20, MANATI 7 AT MANATI

After scoring thirty runs Sunday, Mayaguez slacked off to just twenty on Monday.  It was 3-2 after two and 9-7 after five, but Mayaguez then scored eight in the sixth and single runs in each of the last three innings.  Ex-Twin Kennys Vargas was 5-for-6 with a home run, a double, three runs, and five RBIs.  Emmanuel Rivera was 4-for-7 with two home runs and three runs.  Jeremy Rivera was 4-for-5 with a home run, a triple, two runs, and four RBIs.  David Vidal was 2-for-5 with a home run and three runs.  Christian Colon was 2-for-5 with two doubles, a walk, two runs, and three RBIs.  Xavier Fernandez was 2-for-5 with a walk and two runs.  Ivan De Jesus was 2-for-7 with a three-run homer and a double.  Luis Medina started and pitched 3.1 innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on eight hits and no walks and striking out two.  Yadier Molina, who was the DH for Manati, pitched the last inning for them.

Record:  Mayaguez leads the best-of-seven series 3-0.

Next game:  The schedule shows that Mayaguez and Manati will play a doubleheader today.  The second game, of course, is "if necessary".

MELBOURNE

No game scheduled.  Their next game is Thursday afternoon, when they host Brisbane.  Melbourne is 11-5, in first place in the Australian League, one game ahead of Adelaide.