MAZATLAN

MAZATLAN 7, HERMOSILLO 6 IN MAZATLAN (GAME 4)

Ricardo Valenzuela hit a two-run homer in the fourth to give Mazatlan a 4-2 lead.  They built the lead to 7-3, then held on as Hermosillo scored three in the ninth and had the tying run on third when the game ended.  Irwin Delgado struck out six in six innings, giving up two runs (one earned) on four hits and one walk.  Hermosillo out-hit Mazatlan 10-6.

Record:  Mazatlan stayed alive, but still trails the best-of-seven series 1-3.

Next game:  Mazatlan again hosts Hermosillo tonight.

GIGANTES

ESTRELLAS 7, GIGANTES 6 AT ESTRELLAS (GAME 4)

Fernando Tatis had a two-run triple in a four-run seventh that put the Estrellas up 7-4.  The Gigantes scored two in the ninth and had the tying run on first when the game ended.  The Gigantes stranded 13 and went 2-for-15 with men in scoring position.  Oneil Cruz was 3-for-4 with a double, a walk, and three runs.  Jose Siri was 3-for-5 with two doubles and two RBIs.  Kelvin Gutierrez was 3-for-5.  Moises Sierra was 2-for-4 with a double.

Record:  The Gigantes missed a chance for a sweep, but they still lead the best-of-seven series 3-1.

Next game:  The Gigantes host the Estrellas tonight.

LARA, GAME 35

LARA 2, MARGARITA 0 IN LARA

Lara scored both their runs in the second inning.  Osman Marval was 2-for-3.  It was a bullpen game for Lara.  The starter, Leonel Aponte, pitched 2.2 innings, giving up three hits and two walks and striking out three.

Stats:  Ex-Twin Jermaine Palacios was 1-for-3 and is batting .600.  Cesar Puello was 1-for-4 and is batting .357.  Carlos Rivero was 0-for-4 and is batting .340.  Yordanys Linares was 1-for-4 and is batting .325.  Vicente Campos pitched a scoreless inning and has an ERA of 1.84.  Pedro Rodriguez pitched a scoreless inning and has an ERA of 2.57.

Record:  Lara is 22-13, in first place in the Venezuelan League West, two games ahead of Magallanes.

Next game:  Lara hosts Magallanes for a doubleheader Friday.

MAYAGUEZ

No game scheduled.  Mayaguez leads Manati in the best-of-seven series 1-0.  However, playing the rest of the series is uncertain due to COVID concerns.  If the series is not completed, Caguas, which had the best record during the regular season, will be declared the champion.

MELBOURNE

Melbourne did not play on January 6.  They are at Canberra on January 7.  They are in second place with a record of 5-3.

MAZATLAN

HERMOSILLO 1, MAZATLAN 0 (GAME 3)

The game's lone run came in the eighth, when Alex Robles singled, went to second on a ground out, and scored on a two-out single by Luis Alfonso Cruz.  Mazatlan had just four hits, all singles, but drew five walks.  They stranded nine and were 0-for-7 with men in scoring position.  Carlos Munoz was 1-for-2 with two walks.  Matt Gage pitched six shutout innings, giving up no hits and three walks and striking out two.  He threw 97 pitches.

Record:  Mazatlan is 0-3 in the best-of-seven series.

Next game:  Mazatlan hosts Hermosillo tonight.

GIGANTES

The Gigantes did not play.  They lead their best-of-seven series with the Estrellas 3-0.  They are at the Estrellas tonight.

LARA, GAME 34

LARA 6, MARGARITA 3 IN MARGARITA

Osman Marval's three-run homer in the seventh gave Lara a 3-1 lead.  They added two in the eighth and were not threatened.  Yordanys Linares was 3-for-5 with a double.  Ex-Twin Rene Reyes was 2-for-3.  Marval was 2-for-5 with a double in addition to the home run, which was his second.  Carlos Rivero was 2-for-5.  Raul Rivero struck out five in five innings, giving up one run on four hits and three walks.

Stats:  Cesar Puello was 1-for-5 and is batting .400.  Rivero is batting .352.  Linares is batting .327.  Gorkys Hernandez was 0-for-2 and is batting .324.  Ildemaro Vargas was 0-for-3 and is batting .320.  Jose Tabata was 1-for-3 and is batting .308.  Vicente Campos pitched 1.2 scoreless innings and has an ERA of 1.98.  Yapson Gomez pitched a third of an inning and did not give up a run, so his ERA is 1.47.  Pedro Rodriguez gave up a run in an inning and has an ERA of 2.77.

Record:  Lara is 21-13, in first place in the Venezuelan League West, 2.5 games ahead of Magallanes.

Next game:  Lara hosts Margarita tonight.

MAYAGUEZ

Their game with Manati last night was postponed.  In fact, the rest of the series is listed as "postponed".  This is apparently COVID-related.  I don't know what's going to happen with the rest of this best-of-seven series.  Mayaguez won the only game that's been played so far.

MELBOURNE

They did not play yesterday.  They are scheduled to play Canberra this afternoon.  They are 5-3, in third place behind Adelaide and Perth, but are in fact a half game ahead of them, as those teams have played just three games and are 2-1.

 

MAZATLAN

Did not play.  They host Hermosillo tonight.  They trail their best-of-seven playoff series 0-2.

GIGANTES

GIGANTES 3, ESTRELLAS 2 AT GIGANTES (GAME 3--10 INNINGS)

Jose Siri homered in the eighth to tie it 2-2.  In the tenth, Abiatal Avelino walked, stole second, and scored on a Siri single to win it for the Gigantes.  Siri was 3-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs.  Oneil Cruz also homered for the Gigantes.  Cesar Valdez pitched five shutout innings, giving up four hits and a walk and striking out three.  Ex-Twin Ervin Santana started for the Estrellas, striking out six in five innings and giving up one run on four hits and two walks.

Record:  The Gigantes lead the best-of-seven series 3-0.

Next game:  The Gigantes are at the Estrellas Wednesday night.

LARA, GAME 33

LARA 22, CARACAS 10 IN LARA

Lara scored five in the first, six in the second, two in the third, and five in the fourth to build an 18-0 lead.  Caracas never got closer than eleven runs.  It's quite a deal to score ten runs and not even be in the game.  Yordanys Linares was 4-for-5 with a double and four runs.  Carlos Rivero was 3-for-4 with three runs and five RBIs.  Cesar Puello was 3-for-5 with a walk and four RBIs.  Jose Tabata was 2-for-3 with a double, two walks, two runs, and three RBIs.  Jecksson Flores was 2-for-5 with two walks and three runs.  Osman Marval was 2-for-5 with three runs.  Ex-Twin Jermaine Palacios was 1-for-1 with a three-run homer.  Ex-Twin Williams Perez started and pitched 4.2 innings, allowing six runs (two earned) on ten hits and a walk and striking out three.

Stats:  Palacios is batting 1.000.  Puello is batting .600.  Brhayan Campos is batting .500.  Rivero is batting .349.  Ildemaro Vargas was 2-for-4 and is batting .330.  Gorkys Hernandez was 0-for-1 and is batting .330.  Linares is batting .315.  Josmar Cordero was 0-for-1 and is batting .313.  Tabata is batting .306.

Record:  Lara is 20-13, in first place in the Venezuelan League West, 1.5 games ahead of Magallanes.

Next game:  Lara is at Margarita tonight.

MAYAGUEZ

Did not play.  They host Manati tonight.  They lead their best-of-seven series 1-0.

MELBOURNE

Did not play.  Their next game is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon at Canberra.  They are in second place in the Australian League, but are actually a half game ahead of first-place Adelaide.  As we've said before COVID concerns have played havoc with the league schedule.  Melbourne is 5-3, while Adelaide is 1-0.

MAZATLAN

We are in the first round of the playoffs.  Mazatlan plays Hermosillo.  It appears to be a best-of-seven series.

Saturday

HERMOSILLO 2, MAZATLAN 1 IN HERMOSILLO (GAME 1--12 INNINGS)

Hermosillo scored in the fifth on a walk, an error, and a Norberto Obeso single.  Anthony Giansanti homered in the seventh to tie it 1-1.  It stayed 1-1 until the twelfth (no "start with a man on second" rule here).  Alex Robles singled, stole second, and scored on a Yadiel Hernandez single for the deciding run.  For Mazatlan, Isaac Paredes was 2-for-4.  Edgar Torres pitched six innings, giving up an unearned run on five hits and three walks and striking out three.

Sunday

HERMOSILLO 3, MAZATLAN 1 IN HERMOSILLO (GAME 2)

Hermosillo scored single runs in the first, second, and eighth.  The lone Mazatlan run came in the first.  Mazatlan had just four hits.  Francisco Rios pitched 6.1 innings, giving up two runs (one earned) on five hits and two walks and striking out four.  One run per game in the playoffs is not likely to get it done.

Record:  Mazatlan is 0-2 in the best-of-seven series.

Next game:  Mazatlan comes home for game three tomorrow night.

GIGANTES

The Gigantes are also in the playoffs.  They are playing the Estrellas.  This appears to be a best-of-seven series.

Saturday

GIGANTES 1, ESTRELLAS 0 AT GIGANTES (GAME 1)

The game's lone run scored in the seventh.  Abiatal Avelino walked, went to third on a Jose Siri double, and scored on a foul sacrifice fly.  Moises Sierra was 2-for-3 and had the RBI.  Richelson Pena pitched 5.1 scoreless innings, giving up four hits and two walks and striking out three.

Sunday

GIGANTES 4, ESTRELLAS 3 AT ESTRELLAS (GAME 2)

Jose Siri homered in the seventh to break a 2-2 tie and a sacrifice fly  brought in an insurance run.  The Gigantes needed it, because the Estrellas scored in the ninth and had the tying run on third when the game ended.  Ronald Guzman was 2-for-3 with a triple, a double, and a walk.  Moises Sierra was 2-for-4 with a double.  Siri was 2-for-5 with two home runs.  Chris Ellis pitched 4.1 innings, giving up two runs on five hits and three walks and striking out four.

Record:  The Gigantes are 2-0 in the best-of-seven series.

Next game:  The Gigantes host the Estrellas this evening.

LARA, GAMES 31 AND 32

Saturday

LARA 6, MARGARITA 4 IN LARA

Lara led 5-0 through five, then held on.  Gorkys Hernandez was 2-for-4 with a double and two runs.  Nestor Molina pitched 5.2 innings, giving up two runs on three hits and no walks and striking out four.

Sunday

LARA 5, CARACAS 3 IN CARACAS

Yojhan Quevedo's pinch-hit three-run homer in the eighth turned a 3-2 deficit into a 5-3 victory.  Carlos Rivero was 2-for-4 with a walk and two runs.  Gorkys Hernandez was 2-for-5 with a double.  Ex-Twin Logan Darnell pitched six innings, giving up two runs on six his and a walk and striking out one.

Stats:  Hernandez is batting .333.  Rivero is batting .329.  Ildemaro Vargas was 1-for-5 and is batting .323.  Josmar Cordero was 0-for-2 and is batting .318.  Pedro Rodriguez pitched a perfect inning and has an ERA of 2.25.

Record:  Lara is 19-13, in first place in the Venezuelan League West, one game ahead of Magallanes.

Next game:  Lara hosts Caracas this evening.

MAYAGUEZ

All four Puerto Rican League teams are in the playoffs.  Mayaguez is playing Manati.  It appears to be a best-of-seven series.

Saturday

MAYAGUEZ 12, MANATI 2 IN MAYAGUEZ (GAME 1)

Mayaguez led 5-0 after two and 10-2 after five.  Emmanuel Rivera was 2-for-3 with a walk.  Christian Colon was 2-for-4 with two doubles, two runs, and three RBIs.  Jeremy Rivera was 2-for-4 with a double.  Luis Medina pitched five innings, giving up two runs on two hits and three walks and striking out four.

Sunday

Sunday's game was postponed.  It does not appear that it will be made up today.  The next game is scheduled for Tuesday evening in Mayaguez.  Mayaguez leads the series 1-0.

MELBOURNE, GAMES 6, 7, AND 8

Saturday

MELBOURNE 5, CANBERRA 3 IN MELBOURNE (GAME 1--7 INNINGS)

Ex-Twin Delmon Young's two-run double in the fifth gave Melbourne a 4-3 lead.  A sacrifice fly provided an insurance run.  Darryl George was 3-for-3 with a home run and two runs.  Brian Flynn pitched four innings, giving up three unearned runs on two hits and two walks and striking out three.

CANBERRA 7, MELBOURNE 0 IN MELBOURNE (GAME 2--7 INNINGS)

Canberra scored two in the first and led all the way.  Blake Gailen was 2-for-3 for Melbourne.  Tyler Beardsley pitched four innings, allowing five runs (four earned) on four hits and two walks and striking out four.

Sunday

MELBOURNE 11, CANBERRA 4 IN MELBOURNE (7 1/2 INNINGS--RAIN)

Melbourne scored four in the first and three in the third to build a 7-0 lead.  Damek Tomscha was 3-for-4 with two runs and three RBIs.  Ex-Twin Delmon Young was 2-for-2 with a walk and three runs.  Kyle Perkins was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs.  Darryl George was 2-for-5 with a double.  Gunnar Kines struck out seven in five innings, giving up three runs on five hits and a walk.

Stats:  Young is batting .440.  George is batting .406.  Gailen is batting .321.  Tomscha is batting .321.  Perkins is batting .304.  Mitch Ellis and Scott Mitchinson each have an ERA of zero.  Cameron Gibbens has an ERA of 2.70.

Record:  Melbourne is 5-3, in first place in the Australian League, one game ahead of Sydney, Adelaide, and Brisbane.  COVID concerns have played havoc with the Australian League schedule.  Melbourne has played the most games, with eight.  Canberra is second with five.  Sydney has played two games, Perth one, and Adelaide and Brisbane have not played at all.

Next game:  Melbourne is scheduled to play at Canberra Wednesday afternoon.

MAZATLAN

MAZATLAN 3, LOS MOCHIS 1 IN LOS MOCHIS

Mazatlan scored all three runs in the first inning, and it was enough.  Edson Garcia led off with a home run, a run scored on an error, and a third scored on a bases-loaded walk.  Garcia was 2-for-5 and the home run was his second.  Francisco Hernandez was 2-for-2 with a double and two walks.  Brayan Quintero was 2-for-4.  Marco Antonio Duarte pitched five shutout innings, giving up two hits and a walk and striking out four.

Stats:  Isaac Paredes was 1-for-2 and is batting .379.  Marco Antonio Rivas gave up an unearned run in one inning and has an ERA of 1.88.  Roberto Espinosa pitched a scoreless inning and has an ERA of 1.67.  Jesus Pirela pitched a perfect inning and has an ERA of 1.85.

Record:  Mazatlan is 28-30, in eighth place in the Mexican League, nine games behind Obregon.  They are one game behind seventh-place Culiacan.

Next game:  It appears that the regular season is over, and that the playoffs will start January 2.

GIGANTES

The regular season is over.  The Gigantes host the Estrellas in the first game of the Dominican League playoff semi-finals on January 2.

LARA

CARIBES 4, LARA 3 AT CARIBES

Osman Marval's RBI single for Lara in the eighth tied it 3-3, but a bases-loaded walkoff walk won it for Caribes.  For Lara, Carlos Rivero was 2-for-4 and Ildemaro Vargas was 2-for-5.  Raul Rivero pitched five innings, giving up two runs (one earned) on six hits and no walks and struck out two.

Stats:  Vargas is batting .345.  Josmar Cordero was 0-for-1 and is batting .328.  Gorkys Hernandez was 1-for-3 is batting .323.  Carlos Rivero is batting .316.  Yapson Gomez gave up a run in one inning and has an ERA of 1.53.  Ricardo Gomez gave up a run in a third of an inning and has an ERA of 1.74.

Record:  Lara is 17-13, in third place in the Venezuelan League West, a half-game behind first-place Margarita.

Next game:  Lara does not play today or tomorrow.  They will host Margarita on January 2.

MAYAGUEZ

MAYAGUEZ 6, CAGUAS 3 IN CAGUAS

Mayaguez scored two in the third and led the rest of the way.  They had three singles and a sacrifice fly in the inning.  Jesmuel Valentin and Vicente Conde were each 2-for-4 with a double and two runs.  Xavier Fernandez was also 2-for-4 and Ivan De Jesus was 2-for-5.  Hector Hernandez struck out three in three shutout innings, giving up one hit and three walks.  Mayaguez used six relief pitchers for an inning each.  Caguas used ten pitchers, with only one, Luis Cruz, pitching more than one inning (he pitched 1.1).

Stats:  Brian Navarreto was 0-for-1 and is batting .412.  Fernandez is batting .317.  Hernandez has an ERA of 1.29.

Record:  Mayaguez is 13-5, in second place in the Puerto Rican League, one game behind Caguas.  It looks like that ends the regular season, and that the playoffs will start January 2.

MELBOURNE

MELBOURNE 1, PERTH 0 IN MELBOURNE

Melbourne scored the game's lone run in the eighth.  They scored it with classic small ball:  a walk, a stolen base, a sacrifice bunt, and a sacrifice fly.  Melbourne had only three hits, all singles, while Perth had five hits, two of them doubles.  Daniel McGrath struck out six in five shutout innings, giving up two hits and a walk.  Jon Kennedy and Drew Anderson each pitched two shutout innings.

Stats:  Ex-Twin Delmon Young was 0-for-3 and is batting .389.  Daryl George was 0-for-3 and is batting .318.  Blake Gailen was 0-for-3 and is batting .316.  Kennedy has an ERA of 1.80 and Anderson has an ERA of zero.

Record:  Melbourne is 3-2, in first place in the Australian League, a half game ahead of Canberra and Sydney.

Next game:  Melbourne is scheduled to host Perth again this afternoon.

MAZATLAN

LOS MOCHIS 7, MAZATLAN 2 IN LOS MOCHIS

Rodolfo Amador hit a two-run homer in the fourth to give Los Mochis a 2-1 lead.  They led the rest of the way, going up 7-1 before Mazatlan got one in the ninth.  Mazatlan had just four hits.  Jose Augusto Figueroa had one of them, going 1-for-3 with a home run, his second.  Matt Gage struck out six in five innings, giving up two runs on four hits and no walks.

Stats:  Isaac Paredes was 0-for-2 and is batting .378.  Figueroa is batting .301.  Fernando Burgueno retired all four men he faced to lower his ERA to 1.26,

Record:  Mazatlan is 27-30, in eighth place in the Mexican League, ten games behind Obregon.  They are one game behind seventh-place Culiacan.

Next game:  Mazatlan is again at Los Mochis tonight.  It appears that this will be the last game of the regular season.

GIGANTES

The regular season is over.  The Gigantes will play the Estrellas in the semi-finals of the Dominican League playoffs beginning on January 2.

LARA

Lara's home game with Magallanes was rained out.  They are at Caribes this evening.  Lara is 17-12, in first place in the Venezuelan League West, a half game ahead of Magallanes.

MAYAGUEZ

CAGUAS 5, MAYAGUEZ 3 IN CAGUAS

Edwin Diaz hit a walkoff three-run homer to turn a 3-2 lead for Mayaguez into a 5-3 loss.  Emmanuel Rivera was 2-for-4 with a double and two runs.  Ex-Twin Danny Ortiz and Xavier Fernandez were each 2-for-4.  Kenny Hernandez started and struck out four in 3.1 innings, giving up an unearned run on two hits and a walk.

Stats:  Ortiz is batting .339.  Henry Ramos was 1-for-4 and is batting .322.  T. J. Rivera was 0-for-5 and is batting .302.  Hernandez has an ERA of 2.70.  Nick Travieso retired both men he faced and has an ERA of zero.  Yacksel Rios pitched a scoreless inning and has an ERA of zero.  Jacob Condra-Bogan pitched a perfect inning and has an ERA of zero.  Robby Rowland gave up a run in one inning and has an ERA of 0.90.

Record:  Mayaguez is 12-5, in second place in the Puerto Rican League, two games behind Caguas.

Next game:  Mayaguez is at Caguas again tonight.

MELBOURNE

Melbourne had no game scheduled.  They are scheduled to host Perth today.  COVID concerns have resulted in numerous cancellations of games in the Australian League.  A revised schedule is to be released tomorrow.  Melbourne is 2-2, tied for first in the Australian League with Canberra and Sydney.

MAZATLAN

LOS MOCHIS 7, MAZATLAN 5 IN LOS MOCHIS

A five-run seventh gave Los Mochis a 7-3 lead.  Juan Uriarte hit a three-run homer in the inning.  For Mazatlan, Carlos Munoz was 2-for-4 with a home run, his sixth.  Jose Luna also hit a two-run homer.

Stats:  Isaac Paredes was 0-for-3 and is batting .383.  Jose Augusto Figueroa was 0-for-5 and is batting .300.  Alejandro Soto pitched two shutout innings and has an ERA of 2.89.

Record:  Mazatlan is 27-29, tied for seventh with Culiacan in the Mexican League, nine games behind Obregon.  They are 1.5 games behind sixth-place Jalisco.

Next game:  Mazatlan is again at Los Mochis tonight.

GIGANTES

The Gigantes will play Estrellas is the playoff semi-finals.  That series will start January 2.

LARA

LARA 4, MAGALLANES 0 IN MAGALLANES (GAME 1--7 INNINGS)

Lara led 2-0 when Yonathan Mendoza's two-run homer put it out of reach.  It was Mendoza's second homer.  Yordanys Linares also homered, his fourth, and Osman Marval was 2-for-3.  Nestor Molina pitched five shutout innings, giving up two hits and two walks and striking out two.  His ERA is 2.45.

MAGALLANES 3, LARA 2 IN MAGALLANES (GAME 2--7 INNINGS)

Osman Marval's two-run homer in the sixth cut the Magallanes led to 3-2, but Lara could do no more.  It was Marval's first homer.  Lara went with a bullpen game, using four pitchers for less than two innings each.

Stats:  Ildemaro Vargas was 1-for-2 and is batting .341.  Gorkys Hernandez was 0-for-3 and is batting .323.  Carlos Rivero was 0-for-2 and is batting .306.  Vicente Campos pitched a scoreless inning and has an ERA of 1.64.

Record:  Lara is 17-12, in first place in the Venezuelan League West, a half game ahead of Magallanes.

Next game:  Lara hosts Magallanes tonight.

MAYAGUEZ

Did not play.  Mayaguez remains 12-4, in second place in the Puerto Rican League, one game behind Caguas.  They are at Caguas tonight.

MELBOURNE

Did not play.  Melbourne is 2-2, tied for first in the Australian League with Canberra and Sydney.  Their next game is tomorrow, when they host Perth.

AP-style recaps, as we try to get caught up.

MAZATLAN

Wednesday

MAZATLAN 8, OBREGON 2 IN OBREGON (10 INNINGS)

Mazatlan broke open a 2-2 tie with a six-run tenth.  They scored the runs on four singles, a walk, a hit batsman, and an error.  Matt Gage pitched seven innings, giving up two runs on five hits and a walk and striking out three.  Jose Augusto Figueroa was 2-for-3 with a triple and a double.

Thursday

No game.

Friday

MEXICALI 6, MAZATLAN 2 IN MAZATLAN

Mexicali scored two in the third to take a 2-1 lead and led the rest of the way.  Maxwell Leon was 2-for-2 with a double and two walks and Isaac Paredes was 2-for-2 with two walks.  Ricardo Valenzuela hit a home run, his sixth.

Saturday

MEXICALI 2, MAZATLAN 1 IN MAZATLAN

Xorge Carrillo's two-run single in the ninth gave Mexicali the victory.  Irwin Delgado pitched 5.1 scoreless innings, giving up four hits and two walks and striking out three.  Isaac Paredes and Ricky Alvarez were each 2-for-4.

Sunday

MAZATLAN 10, MEXICALI 9 IN MAZATLAN

Mazatlan led 6-1, trailed 7-6, and led 9-7, but it was tied 9-9 going to the bottom of the ninth.  Maxwell Leon singled home the deciding run with two out.  Ramon Rios was 3-for-5.  Jose Augusto Figueroa was 2-for-5 with two doubles and Carlos Munoz was 2-for-4 with a double and three RBIs.

Record:  Mazatlan is 27-28, tied for seventh place with Culiacan in the Mexican League, nine games behind Obregon.  They are a half game behind sixth-place Jalisco.

Next game:  Mazatlan is at Los Mochis tonight.

GIGANTES

Wednesday

GIGANTES 4, TOROS 2 AT TOROS

A three-run second carried the Gigantes to victory.  Two of the runs scored on wild pitches.  Richelson Pena pitched four shutout innings, giving up four hits and four walks and striking out three.  Kelvin Gutierrez was 2-for-4.

Thursday--Sunday

Did not play.

Next game:  The Dominican League playoffs have started.  It's a five-team playoff with a play-in round to drop it to four.  The Gigantes are the number-one seed in the playoffs, and so have a bye past the play-in round.  They will play the winner of Estrellas/Escogido.  It appears that series will start on January 2 and is a best-of-seven series.

LARA

Wednesday

CARIBES 4, LARA 1 AT LARA

Caribes scored two in the fourth and two in the eighth, while Lara's lone run came in the fifth.  Nestor Molina pitched five innings, giving up two runs (one earned) on two hits and two walks and striking out two.  Gorkys Hernandez was 1-for-4 with a double and drove in the lone run.

Thursday

No game.

Friday

No game

Saturday

ZULIA 4, LARA 3 IN ZULIA

Zulia scored two in the seventh to take a 4-3 lead.  Ex-Twin Alex Romero doubled home the tying run and the deciding run scored on an error.  Lara put men on second and third with one out in the eighth but could not tie it up.  Carlos Rivero was 3-for-4 with a walk and all three RBIs.  Jecksson Flores was 3-for-3.

Sunday

LARA 5, CARIBES 4 IN LARA

Trailing 4-2, Lara scored three in the ninth to win it.  Yordanys Linares had a two-run double to tie it and Gorkys Hernandez singled home the deciding run.

Record:  Lara is 16-11, in first place in the Venezuelan League West, a half game ahead of Magallanes.

Next game:  Lara is at Magallanes for a doubleheader this evening.

MAYAGUEZ

Wednesday

RA12 1, MAYAGUEZ 0 AT RA12

The game's lone run scored in the third inning on a sacrifice fly.  This was RA12's first win of the season.  Kenny Hernandez pitched five innings, giving up one run on two hits and a walk and striking out four.

Thursday and Friday

No games.

Saturday

MAYAGUEZ 10, RA12 1 AT MAYAGUEZ

Mayaguez scored three in the fifth, aided by four walks, to take a 3-1 lead.  They then put it away with two in the seventh and five in the eighth.  Eric Stout struck out eight in five innings, giving up one run on four hits and two walks.  Xavier Fernandez was 3-for-5 with a home run (his second), a triple, and five RBIs.

Sunday

MAYAGUEZ 8, CAGUAS 1 AT MAYAGUEZ

Emmanuel Rivera and ex-Twin Danny Ortiz hit back-to-back homers in the first to give Mayaguez a 3-0 lead.  It was Rivera's third and Ortiz' second.  Ivan De Jesus also homered.  Ortiz was 3-for-3.  Luis Medina struck out seven in five innings, giving up one run on three hits and two walks.

Record:  Mayaguez is 12-4, in second place in the Puerto Rican League, one game behind Caguas.

Next game:  Mayaguez is at Caguas on Tuesday

MELBOURNE

Wednesday through Friday

No games.

Saturday

CANBERRA 8, MELBOURNE 4 IN CANBERRA

Trailing 4-3, Canberra scored five runs in the eighth.  They had just two hits in the inning, both singles, but got the benefit of three walks and a throwing error.  Gunnar Kines pitched five innings, giving up two runs on three hits and four walks and striking out one.  Blake Gailen hit a three-run homer, his first.

Sunday

MELBOURNE 8, CANBERRA 2 IN CANBERRA

Damek Tomscha homered in the sixth to break a 2-2 tie.  Melbourne then scored five in the seventh to put the game out of reach.  Ex-Twin Delmon Young was 2-for-4 with a double.  Brian Flynn pitched three shutout innings of relief, giving up a hit and a walk and striking out two.

Record:  Melbourne is 2-2, tied for first in the Australian League with Canberra and Sydney.  COVID concerns are playing havoc with the early season schedule.  The three teams listed above are the only teams that have played games.  Canberra and Sydney are each 1-1.

Next game:  Melbourne is scheduled to host Perth on Wednesday afternoon.

MAZATLAN, GAME 51

OBREGON 9, MAZATLAN 2 AT OBREGON

Batting star:  Edson Garcia was 2-for-3 with two runs.

Pitching stars:  Ignacio Marrujo pitched four shutout innings of relief, giving up four hits and a walk.  Fernando Burgueno pitched a scoreless inning, giving up one hit.

Opposition stars:  Martin Carrasco pitched six innings, giving up one run on three hits and a walk and striking out one.  Carlos Sepulveda was 4-for-4 with a walk and two runs.  Sebastian Valle was 3-for-5 with two doubles and three RBIs.  Jesus Valdez was 3-for-4.  Alejandro Gonzalez was 2-for-3 with a walk.  Marco Guzman was 2-for-4 with a home run (his third) and two runs.  Issmael Salas was 2-for-5 with a double, two runs, and four RBIs.

The game:  It got late early, as Obregon scored seven runs in the first two innings to take a 7-0 lead.

WP:  Carrasco (1-1).  LP:  Francisco Rios (6-3).  S:  None.

Stats:  Isaac Paredes was 0-for-3 and is batting .379.  Burgueno's ERA is 1.64.

Record:  Mazatlan is 25-26, in eighth place in the Mexican League, nine games behind Obregon.  They are a half game behind seventh-place Mexicali.

Next game:  Mazatlan is again at Obregon tonight.

GIGANTES, GAMES 18 AND 19

GIGANTES 9, ESTRELLAS 8 AT GIGANTES (GAME 1--7 INNINGS)

Batting stars:  Kelvin Gutierrez was 3-for-3 with a home run (his second), a double, a walk, two runs, and three RBIs.  Ronald Guzman was 2-for-3 with a home run (his fifth), a walk, and two runs.  Jose Siri was 2-for-4 with a home run (his third), a double, and a walk.  Abiatal Avelino was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs.

Pitching stars:  Jesus Reyes struck out two in 1.1 scoreless innings, giving up one hit.  Chris Smith and Ryan Kussmaul each pitched a perfect inning and each struck out one.

Opposition stars:  Ex-Twin Lewin Diaz was 2-for-4 with a triple and three RBIs.  Eric Filia was 2-for-4 with a walk.  Jeremy Pena was 2-for-5 with two runs.

The game:  Estrellas had leads of 3-0, 7-3, and 8-5.  The Gigantes scored two in the fifth to make it 8-7 and won it with two in the seventh.  Gutierrez' homer tied it 8-8 and Oniel Cruz scored from first on Siri's double to win it.

WP:  Kussmaul (3-2).  LP:  Matt Pobereyko (0-1).  S:  None.

ESTRELLAS 5, GIGANTES 4 AT GIGANTES (GAME 2--7 INNINGS)

Batting stars:  Logan Moore was 2-for-3 with a home run (his second), a double, and two RBIs.  Kelvin Gutierrez was 2-for-3.  Ronald Guzman was 2-for-4.

Pitching stars:  Miguel Del Poza retired all four men he faced, striking out one.  Jose Cisnero and ex-Twin Fernando Romero each pitched a scoreless inning.

Opposition stars:  Jeremy Pena was 4-for-4 with a triple, two runs, and two RBIs.  Radhames Liz pitched four shutout innings, giving up three hits and a walk and striking out three.  Ramon Santos struck out four in two shutout innings, giving up two walks.

The game:  Estrellas scored three in the sixth to break a 2-2 tie.  Pena had a two-run single in the inning.  The Gigantes scored two in the bottom of the sixth and had the bases loaded with one out, but a double play ended the inning.  They went down in order in the seventh.

WP:  Franco Terrero (1-0).  LP:  Domingo Tapia (0-1).  S:  Santos (1).

Stats:  Gutierrez is batting .388.  Guzman is batting .361.  Moore is batting .333.  Del Pozo, Tapia, and Romero each has an ERA of zero.  Tapia gave up the three runs in the sixth, but all were unearned.

Record:  The Gigantes are 15-14, tied for third in the Dominican League with Estrellas, one game behind Este.

Next game:  The Gigantes are at Este tonight.

LARA, GAME 24

LARA 8, CARIBES 6 AT CARIBES (10 INNINGS)

Batting stars:  Gorkys Hernandez was 4-for-5 with two home runs (his third and fourth), three runs, and four RBIs.  Osman Marval was 2-for-5 with a double.  Yonathan Mendoza was 2-for-5 with two runs.

Pitching stars:  Yapson Gomez retired all four men he faced.  Vicente Campos and Pedro Rodriguez each pitched a scoreless inning.

Opposition stars:  Andruw Monastario was 2-for-4 with a home run, his second.  Niuman Romero was 2-for-5 with a home run (his second) and two runs.  Minnesota Twin Willians Astudillo was 2-for-5.  Luis Sardinas was 2-for-5.  Andres Machado pitched five innings, giving up one run on four hits and three walks and striking out two.

The game:  Lara scored two in the ninth to tie it 5-5.  They then scored three in the tenth, with Hernandez hitting a two-run homer in the inning.  Caribes loaded the bases with none out in the bottom of the tenth, but a double play took them out of the inning.

WP:  Rodriguez (1-1).  LP:  Henry Martinez (1-1).  S:  Ricardo Gomez (2).

Stats:  Monasterio is batting .375.  Astudillo is batting .347.  Sardinas is batting .346.  Romero is batting .333.  Tomas Telis was 0-for-3 and is batting .309.  Rafael Ortega was 1-for-5 and is batting .300.  Gomez has an ERA of zero.  Campos' ERA is 1.13.  Gomez gave up an unearned run in one inning and has an ERA of 1.00.

Record:  Lara is 15-9, in first place in the Venezuelan League West, 1.5 games ahead of Margarita.

MAYAGUEZ, GAME 13

MAYAGUEZ 2, RA12 0 AT RA12

Batting stars:  None.  Mayaguez had just two hits.

Pitching stars:  Luis Medina struck out ten in 4.2 innings, giving up two hits and a walk.  Nick Travieso pitched 1.1 scoreless innings, walking one and striking out one.  Nefi Ogando, Jacob Condra-Bogan, and Nicholas Padilla each pitched a scoreless inning.

Opposition stars:  Juan Aponte pitched six innings, giving up two runs (one earned) on one hit and three walks and striking out three.  Henry Nunez pitched two shutout innings, giving up a hit and two walks.

The game:  Mayaguez scored in the fourth on a walk, a wild pitch, and an error.  They scored in the fifth on a walk, a wild pitch, a ground out, and a sacrifice fly.  RA12 had just one hit, a one-out single by Roby Enriquez in the second inning.

WP:  Travieso (3-0).  LP:  Aponte (0-1).  S:  Padilla (3).

Stats:  Henry Ramos was 0-for-3 and is batting .364.  Ex-Twin Danny Oritz was 0-for-3 and is batting .304.  Medina, Travieso, Condra-Bogan, and Padilla each has an ERA of zero.  Ogando's ERA is 1.50.

Record:  Mayaguez is 10-3, in second place in the Puerto Rican League, two games behind Caguas.

Next game:  Mayaguez is at RA12 again tonight.

MELBOURNE

Melbourne did not play.  They remain 1-1, tied for second place in the Australian League, a half game behind Perth.  Their next game is at Canberra on Friday.

MAZATLAN, GAME 50

OBREGON 9, MAZATLAN 8 IN OBREGON

Batting stars:  Anthony Giansanti was 2-for-4 with a double.  Hector Mora was 2-for-4 with a double.  Carlos Munoz was 2-for-4.  Maxwell Leon was 1-for-5 with a two-run homer, his fourth.

Pitching stars:  Irwin Delgado struck out three in two innings, giving up an unearned run on no hits and two walks.  Ivan Zavala pitched a perfect inning and struck out one.

Opposition stars:  Carlos Sepulveda was 2-for-4 with a double and two runs.  Victor Mendoza was 2-for-4.  Sebastian Valle was 2-for-5 with a double.  Hector Velazquez pitched three shutout innings, giving up no hits and one walk and striking out two.

The game:  Obregon scored six in the third to take a 6-0 lead, but Mazatlan came back with eight in the fourth to go up 8-6.  That was as good as it got, though.  Obregon got one in the fifth, tied it on Sepulveda's RBI double in the eighth, and won it in the ninth on Jonathan Aranda's run-scoring double.

WP:  Mario Meza (3-2).  LP:  Gabino Avalos (1-1).  S:  None.

Stats:  Isaac Paredes was 1-for-3 and is batting .388.  Jose Augusto Figueroa was 1-for-4 and is batting .304.  Marco Antonio Rivas did not allow a run in two-thirds of an inning and has an ERA of 1.44.  Roberto Espinosa allowed a run in an inning and has an ERA of 1.86.  Avalos allowed a run without retiring anyone and has an ERA of 1.80.

Record:  Mazatlan is 25-25, in sixth place in the Mexican League, eight games behind Obregon.  They are a half game behind fifth-place Culiacan.

Next game:  Mazatlan is again at Obregon today.

GIGANTES, GAME 27

GIGANTES 6, TOROS 2 AT GIGANTES

Batting stars:  Kelvin Gutierrez was 2-for-3 with a double and a walk.  Ronald Guzman was 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs.  Moises Sierra was 2-for-4 with a home run (his third), a double, and four RBIs.  Oneil Cruz was 2-for-4.  Jose Siri was 2-for-5.

Pitching stars:  Scott Harkin struck out four in three shutout innings, giving up two hits and two walks.  Marcos Molina struck out five in three innings, giving up a run on no hits and two walks.  Yerry De Los Santos and Wily Peralta each pitched a scoreless inning.

Opposition star:  Peter O'Brien was 1-for-4 with a home run, his fourth.

The game:  The Gigantes scored two in the second and three in the fifth to take a 5-0 lead.  Sierra hit a three-run homer in the fifth inning.

Stats:  Guzman is batting .347.  Gutierrez is batting .326.  Alfredo Marte was 0-for-4 and is batting .300.  Molina has an ERA of 2.61.  De Los Santos and Peralta each has an ERA of zero.

Record:  The Gigantes are 14-13, tied for third place in the Dominican League with Estrellas.  They are a game and a half behind the Toros and Aguilas, which are tied for first.

Next game:  The Gigantes host Estrellas for a doubleheader today.

LARA

Lara did not play yesterday.  They remain 14-9, in first place in the Dominican League West, a half game ahead of Margarita.  Their next game is at Caribes tonight.

MAYAGUEZ

Mayaguez did not play yesterday.  They remain 9-3, in second place in the Puerto Rican League, two games behind Caguas.  Their next game is at RA12 tonight.

MELBOURNE

Melbourne did not play yesterday.  They remain 1-1, tied for second place in the Australian League with Sydney, a half game behind Perth.  Their next game is at Canberra Friday afternoon.