The 67th Caribbean Series kicked off on Friday at Estadio Nido de las Águilas in Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico, with the Dominican Republic’s Leones del Escogido, managed by Albert Pujols, defeating Venezuela’s Cardenales de Lara, 2-0.
Friday’s second game in the tournament of winter league champions, between the host country’s Charros de Jalisco and Puerto Rico’s Indios de Mayagüez, ended in an 8-1 win for Mexico.
Runs were at a premium in what turned out to be a collective pitching duel in Friday’s first game, with starter Brooks Hall (five innings, three hits, three strikeouts, no walks), Ulises Joaquín, Alex Colomé, Joe Corbett and Fernando Abad giving up just five hits total in a combined shutout for the Dominican squad. Colomé was the winning pitcher with a scoreless seventh inning, while Abad notched the save with a 1-2-3 ninth.
On the Venezuelan side, starter Máximo Castillo handcuffed a Dominican Republic lineup that included Robinson Canó, Francisco Mejía and Christian Adames with six shutout innings of three-hit ball.
The only runs in the game came in the bottom of the seventh, when former MLB catcher Mejía drove in José Marmolejos with an RBI triple off Cardenales reliever Alex Scherff. Later in the inning, Mejía would score on a wild pitch by Scherff, who took the loss in one inning of work.
Now with a 1-0 record in the elimination stage of the tournament, the Leones will face Japan Breeze on Saturday, which will mark the debut for Japan in the history of the Caribbean Series. At 0-1, the Cardenales, with former MLB catcher Henry Blanco at the helm, will face the Charros in Saturday’s second game.
MEXICO 8, PUERTO RICO 1
In Friday’s second game, the host country’s Charros de Jalisco defeated Puerto Rico’s Indios de Mayagüez.
After the tournament’s opening ceremony, the Mexico club, managed by former Major League infielder Benji Gil, wasted no time jumping out in front of the Puerto Rican squad, skippered by fellow ex MLB infielder Wil Cordero.
In the bottom of the first, Jack Mayfield drove in the first run of the game with an infield RBI single off Puerto Rico starter Ronny Williams. In the fourth, Japhet Amador extended the Charros’ lead to 3-0 with a two-run double. After taking a 4-1 lead to the eighth inning, Mexico blew it open with four runs in the bottom of the frame.
Former Major League outfielder Billy Hamilton stole two bases and scored two runs for the Charros, part of a 1-for-3 night with two walks and an RBI.
Puerto Rico’s only run came in the fifth, on a sacrifice fly by Onix Vega.
Mexico’s David Reyes hurled seven innings of four-hit, one-run ball for the win. For Puerto Rico, Williams took the loss with three runs allowed in four innings.
LOOKING AHEAD TO SATURDAY
Saturday’s action at the 67th Caribbean Series in Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico will make history. For the first time, a club from Japan will be playing in the event, with Japan Breeze scheduled to face the Leones del Escogido (Dominican Republic) in the day’s first game at 3:50 p.m. ET in Nido de las Águilas Stadium.
The second game will once again feature Mexico’s host team Charros de Jalisco, this time facing the Cardenales.