Caribbean Series Championship Game: Yaquis de Obregon (Mexico) vs. Leones de Escogido (Dominican Republic)

It seemed all game like the Yaquis were the team of destiny in this game. But every time it looked like Obregon had pulled away, the Leones came back and showed everyone just how good they are. Escogido took the early lead in the 3rd inning when Abraham Almonte doubled, advanced to 3rd on an error by Obregon starter Rodrigo Lopez, and scored on a groundball. But 2 innings later, the Yaquis finally got to Leones starter Angel Castro, scoring a run in a similar fashion as Escogido when Barbaro Canizares doubled, was bunted to 3rd, and scored on a groundball and then taking the lead when Jordany Valdespin, an infielder out-of-position in right field, could not handle a line drive hit right at him, allowing Obregon to take a 2-1 lead. That would be all the starters would allow. Lopez went 7.2 innings allowing just an unearned run on 6 hits, striking out 2 and walking 2 as well but managing a 12-5 groundout to flyout ratio. Castro was nearly as good, going 7.2 innings giving up just 2 runs, 1 earned, on only 2 hits, striking out 7 while walking 3 and managing an 8-4 groundout to flyout ratio. After Jose Cobos for Obregon and Ramon Garcia for Escogido recorded the final outs of the 8th, the game headed to the 9th with the Yaquis up just a run.

Escogido pitchers had a rocky 9th, using three pitchers, but Fernando Rodney came in to get an inning-ending groundout and strand a couple of runners to keep the Leones down by only one run. Moments later, that would prove huge. Caribbean Series veteran Ricardo Nanita slammed a game-tying home run off Luis Ayala, and suddenly the game was going into extra innings. The game turned into a battle of the bullpen, and both teams’ relief corps were ready to live up to the task. Over the next 4 innings, Escogido got great pitching from Fernando Rodney, who struck out 4 while allowing just 2 hits in 2 innings, and then Tony Pena and Jailen Peguero behind him, while Obregon burned 7 pitchers but were able to keep the Leones off the board. But in the 14th, but it was another veteran player who came up huge when it mattered most as Karim Garcia took Peguero deep for a solo home run, and suddenly the Yaquis were 3 outs away from a championship once again. But Escogido refused to go down. With 2 outs and runners on the corners, yet another veteran, Miguel Tejada, delivered a game-tying RBI single and the game just kept going. Finally in the 18th inning, former major leaguer Doug Clark slammed a solo home run, and Marco Carrillo finished off his 4th shutout frame in the bottom of the inning to nail down the championship for Obregon as the Yaquis won the game 4-3.

The Leones were the better team in the round-robin, going 5-1 compared to Obregon’s 3-3 mark, and even in this game. In this contest, they held Obregon to just 6 hits in 18 innings, striking out an unbelievable 22 while walking 7. But it was Obregon who always stepped up with everything on the line, allowing 16 hits and managing just an 11-10 strikeout to walk ratio, but holding the Leones to just a 1-for-12 mark with runners in scoring position (the Tejada single was the only hit) and stranding 21 in the game. Anything can happen in one game- and by seizing every opportunity they got, the Yaquis found a way to come through with an improbable victory and deliver their home fans a championship and a story that will be remembered in Mexico for a very long time.

Leones de Escogido (Dominican Republic) 11, Yaquis de Obregon (Mexico) 6

The only word you could possibly use to describe the Leones’ performance was embarrassing. They had built up a 4-1 lead after 2 and a half innings, including a Miguel Tejada 2-run home run, and it looked like they were pulling away. Instead, they gave it all back and then some. They simply got sloppy. A Tejada error followed by a Alfredo Figaro balk placed a runner on second base before Doug Clark singled him in to make it a 4-2 game. Then another error by Jose Ramirez set up Barbaro Canizares‘ 2-run double, and suddenly the game was tied. Then in the 4th, there were 2 outs and a runner on second base when Figaro imploded, allowing a go-ahead triple to Alfredo Amezaga followed by another RBI single by Clark, and suddenly it was 6-4 in favor of Obregon. Willy Lebron followed the enigmatic Figaro with 3.1 shutout innings, but things looked bleak for Escogido after Dennys Reyes tossed 4.1 perfect relief frames for the Yaquis, striking out 7. But by the 8th inning, the Leones had finally had enough. After not managing a single baserunner from the 4th to the 7th, suddenly they became impossible to get out. There were 2 outs and a runner on 1st when Miguel Tejada singled. A pair of walks then allowed a run to cross, but in came big league reliever Luis Ayala to escape trouble- but Escogido wouldn’t let him. Abraham Almonte drilled a go-ahead 2-run single off Ayala. Then Julio Lugo added a run with an RBI single. And finally, Ramirez wiped his error and wiped away all of the Leones’ frustration with a 3-run home run, and suddenly a 2-run deficit had turned into a blowout going the other way. Fernando Rodney tossed a perfect inning to end it as Escogido won 11-6, clinching a berth in the Caribbean Series championship game. They had a horrific start to the game as Figaro lasted just 3.2 innings allowing 6 runs (only 3 earned) and their defense made four errors (three by Ramirez), but with the game on the line they destroyed Obregon pitching and proved without a doubt that they’re a force to be reckoned with in this year’s Caribbean Series.

Criollos de Caguas (Puerto Rico) 4, Navegantes de Magallanes (Venezuela) 1

After they started the Caribbean Series 0-3, it looked like Caguas would be heading for an early elimination. Instead, they have come up huge to win the last tow games and enter the final day of the Series with a chance to appear in the championship game as they breezed by Magallanes 4-1. Efrain Nieves gave the Criollos 5 strong innings, allowing just 1 run on 4 hits, striking out 3 while walking 2, and Derek Blacksher, Ricard Gomez, and Saul Rivera combined to allow just 1 hit in the final 4 innings while striking out 5 to hold the Navegantes to 1 run in the game. Their offense would do the rest, rebounding from a Mario Lisson solo homer in the 2nd inning that gave Magallanes a 2-0 lead with 4 unanswered runs including a Ramon Castro home run and 2 runs created by Jesus Feliciano, who went 3 for 5 with a stolen base, an RBI, and a run scored in the game. The Criollos beat the Dominicans on Monday and were able to continue their momentum, and if they can beat Mexico on Wednesday, they will clinch at least an opportunity one-game playoff to play in the championship game, something no one would have thought possible just a few days ago.