Rays Winter Ball Recap: Wes Bankston Steps Up As Navojoa Survives

Nobody wants to be the team that blew a 2-0 lead in a playoff series. Wes Bankston did his best on Monday to make sure that would not be the case.

Dominican Winter League Postseason: Aguilas Cibaenas 5, Gigantes del Cibao 4

The Aguilas are running out of time to make a move in the DWL postseason round-robin. But after this game, they sit just one game back of the second place spot they need to advance. Joey Terdoslavich is hitting .412 in the Aguilas’ 9 games and hit as good as ever in this game, going 4 for 5, while Hector Luna went 1 for 5 with a double and an RBI. Mayo Acosta went 0 for 2 in the loss for Cibao.

Mexican Pacific League Division Series: Mayos de Navojoa 7, Caneros de los Mochis 6

The Mayos let a 2-0 lead slip away as the Caneros tied the series at 2 games apiece and they had to find a way to survive. With Wes Bankston’s help, they did just that. Navojoa was down 4-1 in the 4th inning when Bankston singled to begin the frame to start a 4-run rally. Then in the 8th, it was Bankston’s RBI single that gave the Mayos a 7-4 lead, and that run proved to make the difference in the game. Bankston went 2 for 5 with an RBI and a run scored overall while Jon Weber went 1 for 4 with a run scored. Jason Bourgeois has been playing great for the Caneros and delivered his second straight 2-hit game in this one, but it was not enough this time as Navojoa moved within one game of clinching a series victory.

Venezuelan Winter League Postseason:  Navegantes del Magallanes 12, Leones del Caracas 6

Strong games by Bobby Abreu and Henry Wrigley were not enough as the Leones dropped to just 1-3 so far in the VWL round-robin. Abreu went 2 for 5 with a 3-run homer and 2 runs scored as he has flashed back to his glory days in this postseasion to the tune of a .438 average. Wrigley, meanwhile, went 2 for 5 to raise his average to .333. But the Leones’ pitching never gave them a chance and they have to found a way to turn themselves around.