VENEZUELAN LEAGUE
ZULIA 5, ARAGUA 1 IN ARAGUA
Two errors and two singles produced two Zulia runs in the third and they led the rest of the way. Reynaldo Rodriguez was 1-for-4 for Zulia. Eduardo Escobar was 1-for-4 with a triple and an RBI for Aragua. Rolando Valdez pitched 4.1 innings for Zulia, giving up one run on six hits and one walk with one strikeout. Jose Tabata was 3-for-4 with a double and a walk for Zulia, driving in three. Ali Castillo was 3-for-4 with two runs for Zulia.
Zulia wins the series 4-0.
LARA 9, MARGARITA 2 IN MARGARITA
Lara led 4-2 after seven and then scored five in the eighth to put the game out of reach. Jesus Montero hit a home run for Lara, as did Paulo Orlando.
The best-of-seven series is tied 2-2.
ANZOATEGUI 16, LA GUAIRA 2 IN LA GUAIRA
Anzoategui scored five in the first and were never threatened. Emerson Martinez, pitched four shutout innings for Anzoategui, giving up four hits and a walk with two strikeouts. Denis Phipps was 3-for-4 with a home run, a double, and two walks for Anzoategui, scoring three times and driving in five. Mario Lisson had two home runs for Anzoategui, driving in five.
The best-of-seven series is tied 2-2.
DOMINICAN LEAGUE
AGUILAS 2, GIGANTES 1 AT GIGANTES
The Aguilas got RBI singles from Juan Perez and Zoilo Almonte in the third inning and that was all they needed. Danny Santana was 1-for-4 with a run for the Aguilas. Chris O'Grady pitched five innings for the Aguilas, giving up one run on two hits and no walks with three strikeouts.
LICEY 7, ESCOGIDO 4 IN LICEY
Trailing 4-1, Licey scored six in the seventh to go into the lead to stay. Anderson Hernandez capped the inning with a three-run triple. Jorge Polanco was 1-for-5 with a double and a run for Escogido. Diory Hernandez was 3-for-5 for Licey, scoring once and driving in one.
STANDINGS
Aguilas, 8-1
Escogido, 3-5
Licey, 3-5
Gigantes, 2-5
PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE
No games scheduled.
MEXICAN LEAGUE
HERMOSILLO 8, CULIACAN 4 IN HERMOSILLO
Hermosillo went into the lead to stay in the third inning, when they scored twice to break a 2-2 tie. Okay, only one of the runs actually broke the tie, but you know what I mean. Anyway, Jason Bourgeois hit a home run for Hermosillo. Culiacan starter Salvador Valdez apparently injured his leg warming up to pitch the first inning, and so is officially the starting pitcher even though he did not face a batter.
The best-of-seven series is tied 2-2.
MAZATLAN 7, LOS MOCHIS 6 IN MAZATLAN
Los Mochis led 6-2 half-way through, but Mazatlan tied it 6-6 in the seventh and Drew Maggi's RBI single in the ninth ended it in Mazatlan's favor. Leandro Castro was 1-for-4 with a double and a walk for Los Mochis, scoring twice. Los Mochis out-hit Mazatlan 9-5.
Los Mochis leads the best-of-seven series 3-1.
MEXICALI 14, NAVOJOA 1 IN MEXICALI
Yuniesky Betancourt's three-run double highlighted a five-run second that put Mexicali in control of the game. Miguel Pena pitched seven innings for Mexicali, giving up one run on three hits and no walks with three strikeouts. Jon Del Campo was 4-for-4 with a three-run homer and a walk for Mexicali, scoring four times. Ramon Rios was 4-for-5 with a home run and a double for Mexicali, scoring three times and driving in three. Xorge Carrillo was 3-for-5 with a home run and a double for Mexicali, scoring twice and driving in two.
Mexicali leads the best-of-seven 3-1.
AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE*
CANBERRA 5, ADELAIDE 2 IN ADELAIDE (GAME 1--7 INNINGS)
Canberra trailed 2-1 after five but scored two in the sixth and two in the seventh for the win. Sean Guinard pitched five innings for Canberra, giving up two runs on five hits and two walks with four strikeouts.
CANBERRA 5, ADELAIDE 3, IN ADELAIDE (GAME 2)
A two-run fifth broke a 3-3 tie and put Canberra ahead to stay. David Kandilas was 3-for-5 with two runs and an RBI for Canberra.
BRISBANE 19, MELBOURNE 4 IN MELBOURNE
Leading 4-1, Brisbane scored eleven runs in the sixth. Brisbane hit two homers in the inning, a solo shot by Trent Oeltjen to lead off the inning and a grand slam by Logan Wade. Aaron Whitefield was 1-for-6 with two runs for Brisbane and is batting .336. Wade was 2-for-6 with a double and two runs and is batting .304. Ryan Rowland-Smith pitched four shutout innings for Brisbane, giving up one hit and three walks with three strikeouts. Connor MacDonald was 5-for-6 with a double for Brisbane, scoring twice and driving in two. David Rodriguez was 3-for-5 with two home runs for Brisbane. Wade Dutton was 3-for-4 with two runs and three RBIs for Brisbane.
*Games played January 7. It's timey-wimey.