Dominican Team Loses on Final Day of Caribbean Series, Mexico Takes Title

Cuban Raul Valdes pitched 7.2 innings of scoreless ball and the Toros de la Romana defeated the Puerto Rican host team Criollos de Caguas in the final game of the 2011 Caribbean Series.  Julio Manon earned his third save of the tournament in finishing out the shutout for the Dominican team.

Alejandro de Aza (White Sox) had a two RBI triple to open the scoring for the Toros in the 4th inning.  De Aza later scored an insurance run off an Esteban German (Rangers) infield single to finish off the scoring.

Puerto Rico had a chance to tie Mexico for the series lead and force a one game playoff, but they ended up in a tie for second with the Dominican Republic.  Both teams had a 3-3 record.

Mexico won their earlier game over Venezuela to finish the tournament 4-2 and take the title. This is the sixth time a Mexican team has won the title and first since 2005 when the Venados de Mazatlan took the title.  It is also the first Caribbean Series title for the Yaquis de Obregon.

Mexico Celebrates the 2011 Caribbean Series Title

Next year's tournament will be in the Dominican Republic with La Romana and Santo Domingo both vying to host the event.

Caribbean Series Final Standings:

Mexico: 4-2

Puerto Rico: 3-3

Dominican Republic: 3-3

Venezuela: 3-3

Dominican Republic wins 4-3 on third day of Caribbean Series

The Dominican team came back with two outs in the ninth inning and down 3-1 to defeat the Puerto Rican squad in day three of the Caribbean Series.  Esteban German scored the game winning run after knocking in two runs on a triple to tie the game in the ninth.  German is a non-roster invitee to Rangers spring training camp in a few weeks.

Fernando Abad pitched 4.2 innings and allowed 1 run for the Dominican team represented by the Toros de la Romana.  Abad is a roster invitee to the Astros camp.  Julio Manon got his second save of the tourney.

Major League veteran Alex Cora had a strong game for the host Puerto Ricans, going 3-3 with two walks.

Alex Cora, By Keith Allison on Flickr 

Mexico beat Venezuela 7-3 in the other game on the day.

Caribbean Series standings:
Dominican Republic: 2-1
Mexico: 2-1
Venezuela: 1-2
Puerto Rico: 1-2

Dominican Republic Beats Venezuela 6-5 in Day Two of Caribbean Series

Kevin Barker hit a home run and had three RBI in leading the Toros de la Romana to a victory on day two of the Caribbean Series.  Venezuelan first basemen Luis Jimenez hit two homers in a losing effort.  Venezuela is represented by the Caribes de Anzoategui.

Kevin Barker continues solid play in winter league action

The starters from both teams had sub-par outings.  Venezuelan starter Amaury Sanit gave up three runs on three innings and Dominican starter Aneury Rodriguez allowed 3 runs in 4.1 innings.  Julio Manon got the save after blowing a save in the first game.

Jackson Melian had a two run homer in the ninth to bring Venezuela within one run, before Manon closed the game.  Wellington Castillo, Jose Constanza, and Michael Martinez each had one RBI for the Dominicans.

Puerto Rico beat Mexico 7-3 in the second game on the day.

Caribbean Series Standings:
Mexico: 1-1
Venezuela: 1-1
Dominican Republic: 1-1
Puerto Rico: 1-1

Dominican Team Loses First Game of Caribbean Series in 15 Inning Affair

The Yaquis de Ciudad Obregon (Mexico) defeated the Toros de la Romana (Dominican Republic) in a 15 inning contest in game one of the Caribbean Series.  Iker Franco drove in the winning run for the Mexican side with two outs and two on in the 15th inning.

The Mexican team tied the game in the bottom of the ninth off  a Barbaro Canizares RBI with two outs off releiver Julio Manon.  The Yaquis had the opportunity to win the game in the bottom of the ninth, but Ricardo Nanita made a sensational catch at the wall to send the contest into extra innings.

Jose Contanza scored the opening run off Mexican pitcher Alberto Castillo in the third inning after he singled to open the inning.  Brock Peterson reached on an error in the sixth inning and was driven in by Rudy Yan.  Alberto Rosario then batted in Rudy Yan and that would be the last runs the Dominican team would score.

Raul Valdes allowed two runs and three hits in six plus innings starting for the Toros.  The Mexican squad scored  two runs in the seventh off sloppy play from the Dominican defense, and that led to Valdes being yanked.  See the box score here.

Both teams see action tomorrow in the double round robin format.  The 2011 version of the Caribbean Series is dedicated to Roberto Alomar, who was recently inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.  Roberto was also inducted into the Caribbean Series Hall of Fame this year and threw out the first pitch in Puerto Rico's opening game (see story here).

Alomar throws out the first pitch in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico

Venezuela beat Puerto Rico 5-3 in the other game on day one of the series.

Caribbean Series Standings:

Mexico: 1-0

Venezuela: 1-0

Puerto Rico: 0-1

Dominican Republic: 0-1

Toros de la Romana Sweep Estrellas, Win LIDOM Championship

The Toros de la Romana defeated the Estrellas from San Pedro de Macoris to win the Dominican Winter Baseball League (LIDOM) championship for the 2010-11 season.  This is the Toros first championship since 1994-95.

The Toros won the 5th game of the 9 game series with an explosion of four runs in the seventh inning.  Martin Maldanado (Brewers), Esteban German (Rangers), Ricardo Nanita, and Eduardo Nunez (Yankees) each had RBI for the Toros in this frame.  The victory went to reliever Jairo Asencio (Braves) and Julio Manon got the save.

For the Estrellas, Eugelio de la Cruz got the loss, even though he gave up no earned runs in six innings.  Andres Rodriguez and Argenis Reyes had RBI in a losing cause for the Estrellas.

The Toros won the title on their home field, and the atmosphere was second to none.  The crowd was standing for most of the contest and it was extremely loud throughout.  The great home fans even rushed the field at the end of the contest, something the Dominican Baseball Guy has never seen at a baseball game.  See the official video from ligadom.com or some youtube clips like this one:


The Toros go on to the Caribbean Series to face the champions of the winter leagues in Mexico, Venezuela, and Puerto Rico.  It takes place from February 2-7 in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico.

Congratulations La Romana and Toros

Toros de La Romana win 2-1, Gain 3-0 Lead in LIDOM Final Series

Fernando Abad (Astros) pitched 6 innings of no-hit ball and the Toros pitched a combined 1 hitter to take a three games to none lead over the Estrellas in the Dominican Winter Baseball League (LIDOM) finals.  The Toros won 2-1.

Fernando Abad pitches for the Toros

Julio Manon got the save, although he did give up one hit and one run in the ninth, after the Toros shutout the Estrellas through 8 innings.  The Toros first run came on a Ricardo Nanita single in the 3rd inning and American journeyman Kevin Barker added the second run on an RBI single in the 7th.

For the Estrellas, Cuban Alberto Castillo pitched 6 innings and allowed only one run, but that got him the loss.  Michael Martinez (Nationals) had the lone RBI for the Estrellas, when he doubled off Manon in the 9th inning.

Game 4 is Saturday at the Tetelo Vargas Stadium in San Pedro de Macoris.

Toros de La Romana Win Game 2 Over Estrellas, Lead Final Series 2-0

The Toros beat the Estrellas at the Estrellas' home Tetelo Vargas stadium in San Pedro de Macoris.  The final score was Toros 3 and Estrellas 1.  Ricardo Nanita had a 2 RBI single in the 8th inning to put the Toros up for good.  Carlos Perez got the win in relief and Julio Manon took the save for the Toros.

Ricardo Nanita had a 30 game hit streak in the Pioneer Rookie League, he is from Santo Domingo

The Toros scored the first run in the second inning on a Danny Richar sacrifice fly.  The Estrellas then equalized in the seventh on an Edwin Bellorin RBI.  The Estrellas had other chances in the fifth and seventh innings that were squandered by base running blunders.

Game three is Friday in La Romana.  The Toros are threatening to run away with the 9 game series, and a victory would be there first Dominican Winter Baseball League (LIDOM) championship since 1996.  The Estrellas have not won the domestic crown since 1968.