GAMES OF JANUARY 11

VENEZUELAN LEAGUE

LA GUAIRA 4, ARAGUA 2 IN ARAGUA

Jose Castllo's RBI single in the ninth broke a 2-2 tie and a wild pitch brought home an insurance run.  Castillo was 3-for-4 with a walk.

That sets up the semi-final round, with La Guaira playing Lara and Zulia playing Anzoategui.  Both series are best-of-seven.

DOMINICAN LEAGUE

AGUILAS 6, LICEY 0 IN LICEY

Orlando Calixte's two-run triple capped a three-run first and the Aguilas led all the way.  Danny Santana was 2-for-4 with a triple for the Aguilas, scoring once and driving in two.  Chris O'Grady struck out six in five shutout innings for the Aguilas, giving up five hits and four walks.

ESCOGIDO 4, GIGANTES 2 AT GIGANTES

Escogido trailed 2-0 after four but scored one in the fifth, two in the sixth, and one in the seventh to win.  Jorge Polanco was 0-for-4 with a walk and scored once for Escogido.  Eury Perez hit a home run for Escogido.

STANDINGS

Aguilas, 10-2
Licey, 5-7
Escogido, 5-8
Gigantes, 4-7

PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE

CAGUAS 1, MAYAGUEZ 0 IN CAGUAS

The game's lone run was scored in the fourth on a hit batsman, a walk, a single, and another walk.  There were only seven hits in the game, four by Mayaguez and three by Caguas.  Eddie Rosario was 0-for-4 for Mayaguez.  Kennys Vargas was 0-for-3 with a walk for Mayaguez.  Benji Gonzalez was 1-for-3 for Mayaguez.  John Brownell pitched seven shutout innings for Caguas, giving up three hits and a walk.

Caguas wins the series 4-2.  That sets up the finals, which will be a best-of-nine series between Caguas and Santurce.

MEXICAN LEAGUE

LOS MOCHIS 5, CULIACAN 0 IN LOS MOCHIS

Los Mochis put together a single, a walk, and three more singles in the sixth, scoring three runs to take a 4-0 lead.  Manny Barreda struck out ten in eight shutout innings for Los Mochis, giving up two hits and two walks.  Leandro Castro was 3-for-3 with a home run for Los Mochis, scoring twice and driving in two.

Los Mochis leads the best-of-seven series 1-0.

MEXICALI 8, HERMOSILLO 7 IN MEXICALI

Hermosillo built a 7-2 lead through seven and a half, but Mexicali scored six runs in the eighth to win.  Luis Juarez hit a three-run homer in the inning and the go-ahead run scored on a Yuniesky Betancourt single.

Mexicali leads the best-of-seven series 1-0.

AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE*

MELBOURNE 11, CANBERRA 1 IN CANBERRA

Allan de San Miguel hit a two-run homer in a four-run first and Melbourne cruised to an easy win.  Mark Hamburger pitched a complete game for Melbourne, giving up one run on eight hits and a walk with seven strikeouts.  de San Miguel was 5-for-5 with a double in addition to his home run, scoring twice and driving in six.

ADELAIDE 5, PERTH 1 IN ADELAIDE

Adelaide hit three home runs in a four-run sixth, giving it a 4-1 lead.  Stefan Welch, Karl Hoschke, and Connor O'Gorman all had home runs in the inning.  Zach Cooper struck out seven in six innings for Adelaide, giving up one run on five hits and two walks.

BRISBANE 9, SYDNEY 4 IN BRISBANE

Brisbane turned six singles into a five-run sixth that gave it a 6-0 lead.  Aaron Whitefield was 2-for-5 and is batting ,345 for Brisbane.  Logan Wade was 1-for-5 with a run and is batting .309 for Brisbane.  Kramer Champlin pitched seven inning for Brisbane, giving up one run on three hits and no walks with six strikeouts.  David Sutherland was 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs for Brisbane.  Mitch Nilsson hit a home run for Brisbane.

*Games played January 12.  It's timey-wimey.

GAMES OF JANUARY 12

VENEZUELAN LEAGUE

ZULIA 3, ANZOATEGUI 2 IN ANZOATEGUI

Three walks and an error plated two runs for Zulia, breaking a 1-1 tie and putting Zuila ahead to stay.  Reynaldo Rodriguez was 0-for-3 with a walk for Zulia.  Wilfredo Boscan pitched four innings for Zulia, giving up one run on four hits and a walk with two strikeouts.  Anzoategui out-hit Zulia 10-2.  The first two Zulia batters got hits, and Zulia did not get another hit the rest of the game.

Zulia leads the best-of-seven series 1-0.

LA GUAIRA 7, LARA 6 IN LARA

La Guaira took a 5-0 lead in the first, but needed an RBI double by Heiker Meneses in the ninth to get the win.  Alcides Escobar hit two home runs for La Guaira.

La Guaira leads the best-of-seven series 1-0.

DOMINICAN LEAGUE

LICEY 4, GIGANTES 1 IN LICEY

Jason Rogers had a two-run single in a three-run third that put Licey in the lead to stay.  Cesar Valdez struck out six in 5.2 innings for Licey, giving up one run on five hits and a walk.

STANDINGS

Aguilas, 10-2
Licey, 6-7
Escogido, 5-8
Gigantes, 4-8

PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE

No games scheduled.

MEXICAN LEAGUE

LOS MOCHIS 14, CULIACAN 2 IN LOS MOCHIS

Already leading 3-1, Los Mochis scored seven in the seventh to put the game out of reach.  They had four home runs in the inning, solo shots by Juan Carlos Gamboa, Eugenio Velez, and Yosmany Guerra, and a three-run homer by Saul Soto.  Leandro Castro was 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI for Los Mochis.  Luis Niebla pitched six shutout innings for Los Mochis, giving up five hits and two walks with three strikeouts.  Velez and Gamboa were each 3-for-4 and each scored twice.

Los Mochis leads the best-of-seven series 2-0.

MEXICALI 16, HERMOSILLO 6 IN MEXICALI

Leading 1-0, Mexicali had an eight-run inning in the third to take control early.  Yordanys Linares was 4-for-6 with a triple and a double for Mexicali, scoring three times and driving in two.  C. J. Retherford was 3-for-5 with a home run and a walk for Mexicali, scoring twice and driving in two.  Luis Juarez was 3-for-4 with a walk and two runs for Mexicali.  Xorge Carrillo was 3-for-4 with a double and a walk for Mexicali, scoring once and driving in four.

Mexicali leads the best-of-seven series 2-0.

AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE*

MELBOURNE 12, CANBERRA 6 IN CANBERRA

Melbourne lost leads of 3-0 and 6-3, but scored two runs in the fifth on three walks, a sacrifice fly, and a wild pitch to take the lead for good.  Brad Harman was 3-for-4 with a home run, a double, and a walk for Melbourne, scoring twice and driving in three.  Liam Bedford 3-for-3 with a walk for Melbourne, scoring twice.  Mike Walker hit a three-run homer for Melbourne.

SYDNEY 10, BRISBANE 9 IN BRISBANE

Sydney led 5-0 and 8-3, fell behind 9-8, and got a two-run single from Tucker Neuhaus in the eighth to go ahead 10-9.  Aaron Whitefield was 1-for-2 with a run and is batting .347 for Brisbane.  Logan Wade was 0-for-4 with a walk for Brisbane.  Todd Van Steensel struck out two in a perfect inning for Sydney.  Neuhaus was 4-for-5 with two doubles, scoring once and driving in seven for Sydney.

PERTH AT ADELAIDE

Rained out.

*Games played January 13.  it's timey-wimey.

VENEZUELAN LEAGUE

LARA 6, MARGARITA 2 IN LARA

With the score tied 2-2, Lara scored four runs in the eighth, getting an error, a walk, and three singles, to win the game.  Nestor Molina pitched 5.2 innings for Lara, giving up two runs on seven hits and two walks with four strikeouts.  Luis Valbuena was 3-for-4 with a walk for Lara, scoring once and driving in two.

Lara wins the best-of-seven series, 4-3.

DOMINICAN LEAGUE

GIGANTES 7, LICEY 0 IN LICEY

Garabez Rosa hit a three-run double in a four-run first that provided all the runs the Gigantes needed.  Nik Turley started for Licey and lasted two-thirds of an inning, allowing four runs on three hits and two walks.  Moises Sierra hit a home run for the Gigantes, who used seven pitchers to shut out Licey.

ESCOGIDO 5, AGUILAS 2 IN AT AGUILAS

Escogido scored three in the second and two in the third to take control of the game.  Jorge Polanco was 1-for-5 with a run for Escogido.  Danny Santana was 0-for-4 for the Aguilas.  Irwin Delgado pitched six innings for Escogido, giving up one  run on two hits and three walks with five strikeouts.  Chesny Young was 3-for-5 with a run and an RBI for Escogido.  Rafael Bautista was 3-for-5 for Escogido.

STANDINGS

Aguilas, 9-2
Licey, 5-6
Gigantes, 4-6
Escogido, 4-8

PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE

CAGUAS 2, MAYAGUEZ 1 IN MAYAGUEZ

Ruben Gotay's RBI single in the ninth broke a 1-1 tie and gave Caguas the win.  Eddie Rosario was 1-for-3 with a home run and a walk for Mayaguez.  Kennys Vargas was 2-for-4 for Mayaguez.  Benji Gonzalez was 1-for-3 for Mayaguez.  Dereck Rodriguez pitched two shutout innings for Mayaguez, giving up no hits and one walk with one strikeout.  Jose De La Torre struck out four in 4.1 innings, giving up one run on five hits and one walk.

Caguas leads the best-of-seven series 3-2.

SANTURCE 2, CAROLINA 1 IN SANTURCE

Ivan De Jesus, Jr. hit a two-run homer in the fourth and Santurce made it stand up.  Santurce used six pitchers to hold Carolina to one run.

Santurce wins the best-of-seven series 4-1.

MEXICAN LEAGUE

No games scheduled.  In the semi-final round, Culiacan will play Los Mochis and Hermosillo will play Mexicali.  Even though Culiacan lost in the first round, they won more games than any other losing team, so they advance anyway.

AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE

No games scheduled.

VENEZUELAN LEAGUE

LARA 3, MARGARITA 0 IN LARA

It was scoreless until the seventh, when Carlos Rivero hit a two-run homer.  Lara added an insurance run in the eighth.  Jorge Martinez pitched 6.1 scoreless innings for Lara, giving up ten hits but no walks while striking out five.  Margarita out-hit Lara 10-4.

The best-of-seven series is tied 3-3.

ANZOATEGUI 18, LA GUAIRA 4 IN ANZOATEGUI

Trailing 2-0, Anzoategui scored six runs in the third to take control of the game.  They got a three-run homer from Denis Phipps and a solo homer by Luis Jimenez in the inning.  Jhoulys Chacin struck out six in five innings for Anzoategui, giving up two runs on five hits and four walks.  Phipps was 3-for-4 with two homers, a double, and two walks, scoring four times and driving in four.  Rene Reyes was 3-for-4 with a double and two walks for Anzoategui, scoring four times and driving in one.  Tomas Telis was 3-for-4 with a double and a walk for Anzoategui, scoring once and driving in four.

Anzoategui wins the series 4-2.

DOMINICAN LEAGUE

LICEY 6, ESCOGIDO 2 IN ESCOGIDO

Logan Moore hit a two-run homer in the second and another in the sixth to lead Licey to victory.  Jorge Polanco was 0-for-4 for Escogido.  Evan MacLane pitched seven innings for Licey, giving up two runs on seven hits and no walks with three strikeouts.  Moore was 3-for-4 and drove in five runs.  Sergio Alcantara was 3-for-4 for Licey.  Hanley Ramirez hit a home run for Licey.

GIGANTES AT AGUILAS

Rained out.

STANDINGS

Aguilas, 9-1
Licey, 5-5
Gigantes, 3-6
Escogido, 3-8

PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE

No games scheduled.

MEXICAN LEAGUE

HERMOSILLO 6, CULIACAN 3 IN CULIACAN

O'Koyea Dickson's two-run double in the first put Hermosillo in the lead to stay.  Fernando Perez added a two-run homer in the seventh to give Hermosillo a 5-1 lead.  Juan Pablo Oramas pitched four innings for Hermosillo, giving up one run on two hits and one walk with two strikeouts.  Perez was 3-for-5 with three RBIs.  Jason Bourgeois was 3-for-4 with a double and a walk for Hermosillo, scoring twice.

Hermosillo wins the series 4-3.

AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE

No games scheduled.

GAMES OF JANUARY 7

VENEZUELAN LEAGUE

ANZOATEGUI 13, LA GUAIRA 2 IN LA GUAIRA

Leading 3-2, Anzoategui scored six in the fifth to put the game out of reach.  Oswaldo Arcia was 2-for-3 with two doubles and a walk for Anzoategui, scoring twice and driving in four.

Anzoategui leads the best-of-seven series 3-2.

MARGARITA 2, LARA 1 IN MARGARITA (16 INNINGS)

Lara scored in the third, Margarita scored in the fifth, and that was it until the sixteenth, when Jesus Aguilar's two-out single brought home Junior Sosa with the winning run.  Omar Bencomo pitched seven innings for Margarita, giving up one run on three hits and two walks with two strikeouts.  Jose Osuna was 5-for-6 with two walks for Margarita.  Aguilar was 4-for-8.  Sosa was 3-for-5 with three walks and an RBI.  Lara used thirteen pitchers and Margarita used nine.

Margarita leads the best-of-seven series 3-2.

DOMINICAN LEAGUE

GIGANTES 7, ESCOGIDO 6 AT GIGANTES

Pedro Lopez doubled home a run in the top of the eighth to put Escogido up 6-5, but RBI singles by Nelson Cruz and Maikel Franco gave the victory to the Gigantes.  Jorge Polanco was 1-for-4 with a walk and a run for Escogido.  Franco was 3-for-4 with a walk for the Gigantes, scoring twice and driving in two.

STANDINGS

Aguilas, 8-1
Gigantes, 3-5
Licey, 3-5
Escogido, 3-6

PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE

SANTURCE 11, CAROLINA 0 IN SANTURCE

Leading 2-0, Santurce had an eight-run inning to take control of the game.  Darin Downs pitched four shutout innings for Santurce, giving up two hits and no walks with three strikeouts.

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

CAGUAS 5, MAYAGUEZ 4 IN MAYAGUEZ

Randy Ruiz hit a three-run homer in the fifth to take a 5-1 lead and held on from there.  Mayaguez had the tying run in scoring position in the seventh and ninth but could not bring him home.  Eddie Rosario was 2-for-4 with a double for Mayaguez, scoring twice and driving in one.  Benji Gonzalez was 1-for-3 for Mayaguez.  Kennys Vargas was 1-for-4 for Mayaguez.  Dereck Rodriguez pitched a scoreless inning for Mayaguez, giving up two walks with one strikeout.  John Brownell pitched 5.2 innings for Caguas, giving up two runs on four hits and two walks with three strikeouts.

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

MEXICAN LEAGUE

LOS MOCHIS 4, MAZATLAN 3 IN MAZATLAN

With the score tied 3-3 in the seventh, Sebastian Valle doubled, went to third on a bunt, and scored on a sacrifice fly to give Los Mochis a lead they held the rest of the way.  Leandro Castro was 0-for-4 for Los Mochis.  Mazatlan out-hit Los Mochis 15-5 but stranded thirteen men.

Los Mochis wins the best-of-seven series 4-1.

CULIACAN 6, HERMOSILLO 2 IN HERMOSILLO

Culiacan scored one in the first and then got a single run in each of innings five through nine to win the game.  Daniel Rodriguez struck out seven in six innings for Culiacan, giving up two runs on three hits and a walk.

Culiacan leads the best-of-seven series 3-2.

NAVOJOA 8, MEXICALI 6 IN MEXICALI

Quincy Latimore hit a three-run homer to cap a six-run fourth that put Navojoa in the lead to stay.  Mexicali closed to 8-6 in the seventh and had the tying run on base in the seventh and the eighth.  Jesus Castillo was 3-for-4 with a double and a walk for Navojoa, scoring once and driving in three.  Niko Vasquez also homered for Navojoa.

Mexicali leads the best-of-seven series 3-2.

GAMES OF JANUARY 8

VENEZUELAN LEAGUE

No games scheduled.

DOMINICAN LEAGUE

AGUILAS 6, ESCOGIDO 2 IN ESCOGIDO

The Aguilas scored one in each of the first three innings and got three in the ninth to put the game out of reach.  Danny Santana was 2-for-4 with a triple and an RBI for the Aguilas.  Jorge Polanco was 2-for-4 for Escogido.  Jose Urena pitched five innings for the Aguilas, giving up two runs on seven hits and a walk with one strikeout.  Samuel Deduno used his magical zoomball to pitch two perfect innings for the Aguilas, striking out two.

LICEY 2, GIGANTES 1 AT GIGANTES (12 INNINGS)

It was 1-1 after four and stayed there until the twelfth, when Yamaico Navarro drew a two-out walk, stole second, and scored on a Hanley Ramirez single.  The Gigantes used ten pitchers and Licey used nine.  Jason Rogers was 3-for-5 with a double for Licey.

STANDINGS

Aguilas, 9-1
Licey, 4-5
Gigantes, 3-6
Escogido, 3-7

PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE

CAGUAS 2, MAYAGUEZ 1 IN CAGUAS (12 INNINGS)

A bases-loaded walk to Rey Navarro with two out in the twelfth produced the literal "walk"off win.  Eddie Rosario was 1-for-5 for Mayaguez.  Kennys Vargas was 0-for-5 for Mayaguez.  Benji Gonzalez was 0-for-4 for Mayaguez.  Orlando Roman pitched six hitless innings for Caguas, allowing just one walk and two strikeouts.  Randy Ruiz was 3-for-5 with an RBI for Caguas.

The best-of-seven series is tied 2-2.

SANTURCE 2, CAROLINA 0 IN CAROLINA

Santurce scored single runs in the second and sixth.  J. J. Fernandez was 0-for-3 for Carolina.  Adalberto Flores pitched five shutout innings for Santurce, giving up four hits and a walk with three strikeouts.  Abiatal Avelino was 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI for Santurce.

Santurce leads the best-of-seven series 3-1.

MEXICAN LEAGUE

MEXICALI 6, NAVOJOA 4 IN NAVAOJOA (10 INNINGS)

Navojoa led 3-0 after three, but it was tied 4-4 after five and Mexicali got two in the tenth to take the game.  Jon Del Campo was 4-for-5 with two runs and an RBI for Mexicali.  C. J. Retherford hit a home run for Mexicali.

Mexicali wins the best-of-seven series 4-2.

HERMOSILLO 5, CULIACAN 4 IN CULIACAN

Culiacan took a 4-0 lead in the fourth, but Hermosillo got three in the fifth and scored two unearned runs in the seventh to win.  Barry Enright pitched seven innings for Hermosillo, allowing four unearned runs on four hits and a walk with two strikeouts.

The best-of-seven series is tied 3-3.

AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE

CANBERRA 6, ADELAIDE 1 IN ADELAIDE

Already leading 2-1, Canberra got two-run doubles from Robbie Perkins and River Stevens in the sixth inning to put the game out of reach.  Scott Cone pitched 4.1 innings for Canberra, giving up one run on four hits and a walk with one strikeout.

MELBOURNE 5, BRISBANE 1 IN MELBOURNE

James Beresford's two-run single in the fifth broke a scoreless tie and Melbourne led the rest of the way.  Sam Gibbons pitched two shutout innings of relief for Melbourne, giving up three hits and no walks with no strikeouts.  Aaron Whitefield was 2-for-4 with a double for Brisbane and is batting .342.  Logan Wade was 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI for Brisbane and is batting .314.

PERTH 7, SYDNEY 6 IN PERTH (11 INNINGS)

Perth had leads of 2-0, 4-2, and 6-4, but Sydney came back to tie it each time.  They apparently have a rule in the Australian League that, after ten innings, each team starts its inning with men on first and second.  Sydney failed to score even with that advantage, but two errors produced the winning run for Perth.  Tim Kennelly was 3-for-5 with a double for Perth, scoring once and driving in one.

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.

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.

GAMES OF JANUARY 3

VENEZUELAN LEAGUE

LARA 8, MARGARITA 1 IN LARA

It was 1-1 after three, but Lara scored six in the fourth to take control of the game.  Jorge Martinez pitched six innings for Lara, giving up one run on three hits and no walks with three strikeouts.  Juniel Querecuto was 3-for-5 with a double, scoring once and driving in two.

The best-of-seven series was tied 1-1.

LA GUAIRA 13, ANZOATEGUI 6 IN ANZOATEGUI

Again a six-run inning made the difference, as La Guaira got that number in the sixth to turn a 3-2 deficit into an 8-3 lead.  Hector Sanchez was 4-for-4 with a home run and a walk for La Guaira, scoring three times and driving in four.  Danry Vasquez was 4-for-5 with a home run and four RBIs.

La Guaira led the best-of-seven series 2-0.

ZULIA 6, ARAGUA 5 IN ZULIA

It was tied going to the bottom of the ninth.  The first two batters went out, but a single was followed by two walks, loading the bases.  A wild pitch then brought home the winning run.  Reynaldo Rodriguez was 1-for-4 with a double and a walk for Zulia, scoring once.  Eduardo Escobar was 1-for-4 for Aragua.  Alex Romero was 3-for-4 with two doubles for Zulia, scoring twice and driving in one.

Zulia led the best-of-seven series 2-0.

DOMINICAN LEAGUE

AGUILAS 7, GIGANTES 5 AT GIGANTES

The Aguilas scored three in the first and built a 7-0 lead through four.  The Gigantes got back into it with one in the sixth and four in the seventh but did not get the tying run on base.  Jose Urena pitched five shutout innings for the Aguilas, giving up one hit and no walks with four strikeouts.  Ronny Rodriguez was 3-for-5 with two doubles for the Aguilas, scoring once and driving in two.  Alfredo Marte was 3-for-4 with a double for the Aguilas, scoring twice and driving in one.

ESCOGIDO 2, LICEY 0 IN ESCOGIDO

It was scoreless through eight.  The first two Escogido batters went out in the ninth, but an error was followed by Ronny Paulino's two-run walkoff homer.  Jorge Polanco was 0-for-4 for Escogido.  Kelvin Marte pitched six shutout innings for Escogido, giving up four hits and a walk with three strikeouts.

STANDINGS

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

PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE

SANTURCE 2, CAROLINA 1 IN SANTURCE (11 INNINGS)

Ivan De Jesus, Jr.'s RBI single in the bottom of the eleventh won it for Santurce.  J. J. Fernandez was 1-for-4 for Carolina.  Adalberto Flores pitched 6.1 scoreless innings for Santurce, giving up one hit and one walk with two strikeouts.

Santurce leads the best-of-seven series 1-0.

MAYAGUEZ 4, CAGUAS 3 IN MAYAGUEZ (14 INNINGS)

Caguas got three in the ninth to tie it 3-3.  In the fourteenth, however, Yadiel Rivera delivered a two-out RBI single to win it for Mayaguez.  Eddie Rosario was 3-for-6 for Mayaguez.  Kennys Vargas was 1-for-5 with a double and a walk for Mayaguez, scoring once and driving in one.  Benji Gonzalez was 1-for-4 with a run for Mayaguez.  Dereck Rodriguez pitched two-thirds of an inning for Mayaguez, giving up no runs on two hits.  Jorge Lopez struck out six in five innings for Mayaguez, giving up one run on one hit.  Henry Ramos was 3-for-6 with a run for Mayaguez.

Mayaguez leads the best-of-seven series 1-0.

MEXICAN LEAGUE

MEXICALI 7, NAVOJOA 6 IN NAVOJOA

Navojoa led 6-4 after four, but Mexicali got single runs in the fifth, sixth, and seventh, the last on a C. J. Retherford homer, to take the lead.  Yuniesky Betancourt was 3-for-5 with an RBI for Mexicali.

The best-of-seven series is tied 1-1.

HERMOSILLO 6, CULIACAN 4 IN CULIACAN

Hermosillo got three in the third and three in the sixth to gain the victory.  Barry Enright pitched 5.1 innings for Hermosillo, giving up one run on four hits and a walk with three strikeouts.  Jorge Flores was 3-for-4 for Hermosillo.  Tim Torres hit a two-run homer for Hermosillo.

The best-of-seven series is tied 1-1.

LOS MOCHIS 6, MAZATLAN 4 IN LOS MOCHIS

Eugenio Velez hit a two-run homer in the seventh to turn a 4-3 deficit into a 5-4 Los Mochis lead.  Saul Soto homered in the eighth for an insurance run.  J. C. Linares and Leandro Castro also homered for Los Mochis.

AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE

No games scheduled.

GAMES OF JANUARY 4

VENEZUELAN LEAGUE

No games scheduled.

DOMINICAN LEAGUE

ESCOGIDO 5, LICEY 0 IN LICEY

Erik Gonzalez hit a two-run double in a three-run third and Escogido never trailed.  Jorge Polanco was 1-for-5 for Escogido.  Bryan Evans pitched 4.2 scoreless innings for Escogido, giving up five hits and a walk with three strikeouts.

AGUILAS 5, GIGANTES 3 AT AGUILAS

Already leading 3-2, the Aguilas scored two runs in the fifth and the Gigantes were never able to get the tying run on base after that.  Danny Santana was 0-for-1 for the Aguilas in a reserve role.  Angel Castro pitched five innings for the Aguilas, giving two runs on four hits and no walks with one strikeout.  Jonathan Villar was 3-for-5 with a double for the Aguilas, scoring once and driving in one.

STANDINGS

Aguilas, 6-1
Escogido, 3-3
Licey, 2-4
Gigantes, 1-4

PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE

CAROLINA 6, SANTURCE 3 IN CAROLINA

Luke Tendler hit a three-run homer in the fifth to break a 3-3 tie.  J. J. Fernandez was 1-for-3 for Carolina.

The best-of-seven series is tied 1-1.

MAYAGUEZ 5, CAGUAS 1 IN MAYAGUEZ

Mayaguez took a 2-0 lead in the first and put the game out of reach with a three-run sixth.  Eddie Rosario was 1-for-5 with a run and two RBIs for Mayaguez.  Kennys Vargas was 2-for-5 with an RBI for Mayaguez.  Benji Gonzalez was 1-for-3 with a walk for Mayaguez.  Hiram Burgos pitched six innings for Mayaguez, giving up one run on five hits and no walks with three strikeouts.  Henry Ramos was 3-for-5 with a run for Mayaguez.

Mayaguez leads the best-of-seven series 2-0.

MEXICAN LEAGUE

No games scheduled.

AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE*

MELBOURNE 4, BRISBANE 3 IN MELBOURNE

Melbourne scored two in the sixth to tie it 3-3.  In the ninth, Mike Walker delivered an RBI single to win it for Melbourne.  Aaron Whitefield was 3-for-5 with a run for Brisbane and is batting .344.  Logan Wade was 2-for-5 with a run for Brisbane and is batting .317.  Mark Hamburger struck out thirteen in eight innings for Melbourne, giving up three runs on ten hits and a walk.

SYDNEY 3, PERTH 0 IN PERTH

Sydney scored one in the first and two in the second and the pitchers took it from there.  Trevor Foss struck out seven in six shutout innings for Sydney, giving up five hits and a walk.  Todd Van Steensel pitched a perfect inning for Sydney, striking out one.

*Games played January 5.  It's timey-wimey.

VENEZUELAN LEAGUE

MARGARITA 6, LARA 4 IN LARA

Lara scored one in the second, but Margarita came back with four in the third to take control of the game.  Margarita led 6-1 before a three-run eighth got Lara back into the game, but they could not get the tying run on base.  Omar Bencomo pitched six innings for Margarita, giving up one run on four hits and a walk with three strikeouts.  Cesar Puello was 3-for-5 with a two-run homer for Margarita.

Margarita leads the best-of-seven series 1-0.

LA GUAIRA 5, ANZOATEGUI 2 IN ANZOATEGUI

Leading 1-0, La Guaira scored four in the third and never trailed.  Kelvin De La Cruz pitched 5.1 innings for La Guaira, giving up one run on four hits and a walk with three strikeouts.  Jose Castillo was 3-for-4 with two strikeouts for La Guaira.

La Guaira leads the best-of-seven series 1-0.

ZULIA 6, ARAGUA 3 IN ZULIA

Jesus' Flores RBI triple in the sixth broke a 2-2 tie for Zulia.  He scored an insurance run later in the inning and Zulia added two in the eighth.  Aragua scored once in the ninth and had the tying run up to bat before falling.  Eduardo Escobar was 2-for-4 with a home run for Aragua.  Reynaldo Rodriguez was 1-for-4 with a run and an RBI for Zulia.  Wilfredo Boscan pitched five innings for Zulia, giving up two runs on five hits and a walk with three strikeouts.

Zulia leads the best-of-seven series 1-0.

DOMINICAN LEAGUE

GIGANTES 4, ESCOGIDO 3 IN ESCOGIDO

The Gigantes led 4-0 after three and held on.  Escogido scored three in the seventh and had the tying run on third base in the seventh, eighth, and ninth.  Jorge Polanco was 1-for-4 with a walk for Escogido.  Cory Riordan pitched five shutout innings for the Gigantes, giving up three hits and no walks with one strikeout.  Leury Garcia hit a home run for the Gigantes.

AGUILAS 2, LICEY 1 AT AGUILAS

Rafael Ynoa's RBI single in the eighth broke a 1-1 tie.  Danny Santana was 1-for-1 with a double for the Aguilas.  Roenis Elias struck out seven in five innings, giving up one run on four hits and four walks for the Aguilas.  Juan Perez was 3-for-4 for the Aguilas.  Johan Camargo hit a home run for the Aguilas.

STANDINGS

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

PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE

No games scheduled.

MEXICAN LEAGUE

NAVOJOA 4, MEXICALI 2 IN NAVOJOA

Jesus Castillo's three-run double in the third gave Navojoa a lead it would not relinquish.  Mexicali closed to 3-2 in the fourth but got no closer, and Navojoa scored an insurance run in the sixth.  Hector Velazquez struck out seven in 7.1 innings, giving up two runs on three hits and a walk for Navojoa.

Navojoa leads the best-of-seven series 1-0.

CULIACAN 6, HERMOSILLO 3 IN CULIACAN

Leading 2-1, Culiacan rallied for four in the eighth, capped by a two-run double by Ramiro Pena, to put the game out of reach.  Daniel Rodriguez pitched six innings for Culiacan, giving up one run on three hits and four walks with five strikeouts.  Maxwell Leon was 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI for Culiacan.

Culiacan leads the best-of-seven series 1-0.

LOS MOCHIS 2, MAZATLAN 1 IN LOS MOCHIS (11 INNINGS)

Sebastian Valle hit a walkoff home run in the bottom of the eleventh.  Roy Merritt struck out nine in 6.2 innings for Los Mochis, giving up an unearned run on six hits and no walks.

Los Mochis leads the best-of-seven series 1-0.

AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE

No games scheduled.

GAMES OF DECEMBER 30

VENEZUELAN LEAGUE

No games scheduled.

DOMINICAN LEAGUE

Playoffs--Day 4

AGUILAS 6, LICEY 1 IN LICEY

The Aguilas scored three in the third and led all the way.  It was a bullpen game for the Aguilas, as they used eight pitchers, including our old friend, magical zoomball specialist Samuel Deduno.  Danny Santana was 1-for-3 with a walk and a run for the Aguilas.  Jonathan Villar was 3-for-4 with a walk for the Aguilas, scoring twice and driving in one.  Ronny Rodriguez was 3-for-5 with a run and two RBIs for the Aguilas.

ESCOGIDO 12, GIGANTES 2 AT GIGANTES

A nine-run seventh settled this one for Escogido.  Jorge Polanco was 2-for-4 with a walk for Escogido, scoring once and driving in three.  Bryan Evans pitched 5.2 innings for Escogido, giving up one run on four hits and no walks with three strikeouts.  Eury Perez was 3-for-5 with two runs for Escogido.  Taylor Davis hit a two-run homer for Escogido.

STANDINGS

Aguilas, 3-1
Licey, 2-1
Escogido, 1-2
Gigantes, 0-2

PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE

CAGUAS 4, SANTURCE 1 IN SANTURCE

Angel Ortega's two-run single with two out in the sixth broke a 1-1 tie.  John Brownell pitched four innings for Caguas, giving up one run on four hits and a walk with one strikeout.  Geraldo Valentin hit a home run for Caguas, his second.

MAYAGUEZ 5, AGUADILLA 0 IN AGUADILLA

Jesmuel Valentin hit a two-run homer in the first and that was all Mayaguez needed.  Eddie Rosario was 1-for-3 with a double and a walk for Mayaguez.  Pete Parise pitched five shutout innings for Mayaguez, giving up six hits and a walk with one strikeout.

MEXICAN LEAGUE

JALISCO 4, CULIACAN 2 IN CULIACAN

Jose Manuel Rodriguez hit a two-run single in the sixth to break a 2-2 tie.  Jesus Cruz pitched five innings for Jalisco, giving up one run on three hits and two walks with four strikeoiuts.  Rodriguez was 4-for-4 with two doubles, scoring once and driving in two.  Carlos Figueroa was 3-for-5 with a double and an RBI for Jalisco.

LOS MOCHIS 4, NAVOJOA 3 IN LOS MOCHIS (16 INNINGS)

Saul Soto singled in a run for Los Mochis to tie it 2-2 after eight.  Each team scored once in the twelfth.  With two out and none on in the sixteenth, Isaac Rodriguez walked and scored from first on a Leandro Castro double to win the game.  Luis Niebla pitched five innings for Los Mochis, giving up two runs (one earned) on three hits and three walks with two strikeouts.  Castro was 3-for-6 with a double, scoring once and driving in one.

MAZATLAN 3, OBREGON 2 IN MAZATLAN

Yancarlo Angulo led off the sixth with a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly to break a 2-2 tie.  Walter Silva struck out five in five innings, giving up two runs (one earned) on four hits and a walk.

MEXICALI 2, HERMOSILLO 1 IN HERMOSILLO

Luis Alfonso Garcia homered for Hermosillo in the top of the eighth, the only Hermosillo hit of the game, to tie it 1-1, but Chris Roberson's RBI double in the bottom of the eighth gave Mexicali the lead to keep.  Efren Delgado struck out eight in eight innings, giving up one run on one hit and no walks.  Roberson was 3-for-5 with a home run (his fifth) to go along with the double.

GAMES OF DECEMBER 31

The only games played were in the Australian League.

CANBERRA 7, PERTH 0 IN PERTH (GAME 1--7 INNINGS)

Already leading 2-0, Canberra put the game out of reach with a five-run sixth capped by a three-run homer by Josh Almonte.  Sean Guinard struck out six in five shutout innings for Canberra, giving up three  hits and four walks.  Robbie Perkins hit a home run for Canberra, his third.

PERTH 7, CANBERRA 4 IN PERTH (GAME 2)

Perth scored three in the second and two in the fourth to take a 5-2 lead.  Tim Kennelly was 3-for-4 with a double and a walk for Perth, driving in three.  Brandon Dale was 3-for-5 with a run and an RBI for Perth.  Matt Kennelly was 3-for-5 with a run for Perth.

BRISBANE 13, ADELAIDE 10 IN BRISBANE (GAME 1--7 INNINGS)

Brisbane had leads of 3-0, 6-2, and 7-3, but it was tied 7-7 before they got one in the fifth and five in the sixth to finally take control of the game.  Aaron Whitefield was 2-for-4 with two home runs (his second and third) and a walk for Brisbane and is now batting .302.  Logan Wade was 2-for-4 with a double and two runs and is batting .309.  Donald Lutz was 2-for-2 with a two-run homer (his second) and three runs for Brisbane.  David Sutherland was 3-for-4 with a home run (his second) and a double, driving in three for Brisbane.  Connor MacDonald also hit a home run for Brisbane, his second.

BRISBANE 13, ADELAIDE 5 IN BRISBANE (GAME 2)

Brisbane scored five in the first, saw Adelaide catch up 5-5, but scored three in the third and never trailed after that.  Aaron Whitefield was 4-for-4 with a home run (his fourth) and a double  for Brisbane, scoring three and driving in three.  He is batting .330.  Logan Wade was 2-for-5 with a double for Brisbane, scoring one and driving in one.  He is batting .313.  Connor MacDonald was 3-for-4 for Brisbane, scoring one and driving in two.  Thomas Milone hit a home run for Brisbane, his second.

MELBOURNE 6, SYDNEY 4 IN SYDNEY

Melbourne lost a 3-1 lead, but came back to score three in the ninth to take a 6-4 win.  Dushan Ruzic pitched 5.2 innings for Melbourne, giving up two runs on five hits and a walk with three strikeouts.  Cody Jones was 3-for-4 with a walk for Melbourne, scoring twice.

GAMES OF JANUARY 1

There was only one game played.  Again, it was in the Australian League.

MELBOURNE 4, SYDNEY 1 IN SYDNEY

Melbourne scored three in the fifth to take a 3-1 lead.  Jon Kennedy struck out five in five innings for Melbourne, giving up one run on two hits and no walks.