Winter Wonderland: Games of January 23 and January 24

LARA

Saturday

ANZOATEGUI 1, LARA 0 IN LARA (11 INNINGS)

Happily, this great game was not decided with the "runner on second" rule.  In the eleventh, Ali Castillo singled, went to second on a ground out, and scored on a Luis Sardinas single for the game's only run.  Lara loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the eleventh, but a double play ended the game.  Lara had just three hits.  Raul Rivero pitched six shutout innings, giving up three hits and no walks and striking out four.

Sunday

ANZOATEGUI 9, LARA 6 AT ANZOATEGUI

Anzoategui scored four in the fifth and four in the sixth to take a 9-3 lead.  Rafael Ortega hit a three-run triple in the sixth.  Carlos Rivero was 2-for-4 with a double and a walk.  Ildemaro Vargas was 2-for-4 with a walk and two runs.  Cesar Hernandez was 2-for-5 with a double and two RBIs.  Jecksson Flores was 2-for-5 with a double.  Henry Centeno started for Lara.  He pitched 4.2 innings, allowing four runs (one earned) on four hits and two walks and striking out two.

Record:  Lara trails the best-of-seven series 0-3.

Next game:  Lara is at Anzoategui on Tuesday.

MAYAGUEZ

Saturday

CAGUAS 7, MAYAGUEZ 3 AT CAGUAS

Caguas scored two in the seventh to break a 2-2 tie and Jarren Duran hit a three-run homer in the eighth to put the game out of reach.  Henry Ramos was 2-for-3 with a walk for Mayaguez.  Jack Lopez was 2-for-5.  Luis Medina struck out six in 5.1 innings, giving up two runs on five hits and a walk.

Sunday

CAGUAS 7, MAYAGUEZ 6 AT MAYAGUEZ

Mayaguez scored four in the seventh to take a 6-5 lead, but Caguas scored two in the ninth to win it.  Two hit batsmen were followed by RBI singles by Victor Caratini and Vimael Machin for the tying and lead runs.  Jeremy Rivera was 3-for-4 with a double and two runs to lead Mayaguez.  Nick Travieso started and pitched 4.1 innings, allowing five runs on five hits and four walks and striking out three.

Record:  Mayaguez loses the best-of-seven series to Puerto Rican League Champion Caguas, 0-4.

MELBOURNE

Saturday

BRISBANE 6, MELBOURNE 5 AT MELBOURNE

It was 4-4 through four.  Brisbane scored single runs in the fifth and eighth to go up 6-4.  Melbourne got one in the ninth but did not get the tying run on base.  Blake Gailen was 3-for-5 with a home run (his third) and a double.  Chris Burke was 1-for-5 with a home run, his second.  Ex-Twin Sam Gibbons pitched 4.2 innings of relief, giving up two runs (one earned) on five hits and two walks and striking out three.  Ex-Twin Delmon Young pitched the ninth, giving up two walks but not allowing a run.

Sunday

MELBOURNE 4, BRISBANE 1 AT MELBOURNE

It was 1-1 through five.  Melbourne scored single runs in the sixth, seventh, and eighth to win it.  Jarryd Dale was 2-for-2 with a walk.  Kyle Perkins was 2-for-3 with two doubles.  Jack Enciondo started and pitched 2.2 innings, giving up one run on two hits and four walks and striking out four.

Stats:  Delmon Young was 1-for-3 and is batting .412.  Damek Tomscha was 1-for-4 and is batting .324.  Darryl George was 0-for-4 and is batting .301.  Josh Tols retired all four men he faced and has an ERA of 2.53.  Jon Kennedy pitched two shutout innings and has an ERA of 2.03.  Drew Anderson pitched two shutout innings and has an ERA of zero.

Record:  Melbourne is 13-7, in first place in the Australian League, one game ahead of Perth.

Next game:  Melbourne's next scheduled game is Wednesday afternoon at Brisbane.