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02/05/2006 Archived Entry: "VIVA BEISBOL: Caribbean Series Day 4"
SUNDAY, February 5
MAZATLAN LOSE THRILLER WITH CARACAS, 4-3
Venados force extra innings with two-run ninth
MARACAIBO, VENEZUELA – The Mazatlan Venados were officially eliminated from contention for a second consecutive Caribbean Series title Sunday, but they didn’t go quietly. The Deer came back from a 3-1 deficit to score twice in the top of the ninth to knot the score before falling 4-3 in extra innings to the undefeated host Caracas Leones, who are now 4-0 in the CS as Mazatlan drops to 0-4 with two games left.
The Venados’ Edgar Gonzalez, who set a record with his eighth consecutive hit Saturday, scorched a solo homer in the second to put the Mexican Pacific League champs up 1-0, but Caracas came back with single runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth frames to pull ahead by two runs. With Trenidad Hubbard on base in the ninth, MexPac batting king Juan Carlos Canizalez drilled a two-run homer to even the score at 3-3. After the Lions failed to score in the bottom of the ninth, the two teams went into overtime.
Mazatlan went scoreless in the tenth and was one Caracas out away from going into the eleventh when closer Marty McLeary gave up a single to Luis Rodriguez and walked both Marco Scutaro and Rafael Alvarez to load the bases. Venados manager then replaced McLeary with Ignacio Flores, who gave up a single to Alex Cabrera that plated Rodriguez with the winning run.
In the first game, the Licey Tigres scored twice in the second inning and pulled away to top the Carolina Gigantes 9-2. Napolean Calzado had three hits for the victorious Dominicans, including a two-run double in Licey’s six-run seventh inning in which the Tigres batted around. The Puerto Ricans scored their lone two runs in the top of the sixth on RBI doubles from Ruben Gotay and Jose Valentin. Licey starter Danny Tamoya allowed both runs on five hits over six innings as the Tigres raised their record to 3-1 in CS play. The Giants dropped to 1-3.
In Monday’s action, Mazatlan and Licey open the day with a game in Maracaibo, while Caracas and Carolina will square off in Valencia in the nightcap. The series wraps up on Tuesday.
Carolina (PR) Gigantes 2-6-2, Licey (DR) Tigres 9-9-1
WP-Danny Tamoya, LP-Josue Matos.
Caracas (VZ) Leones 4-9-0, Mazatlan (MX) Venados 3-6-0 (10)
WP-Mauro Zarate, LP-Marty McLeary.
