GUADALAJARA, Mexico -- The stage is set for the two semifinal matchups at the Caribbean Series on Friday at Guadalajara’s Estadio Panamericano de Béisbol.
The first contest, at 3 p.m. ET, will be a rematch of Thursday night’s game -- the last one of the round-robin stage of the tournament -- between the Tomateros de Culiacán (Mexico Green) and the Leones del Escogido (Dominican Republic). In that tilt, the Tomateros roared back from a three-run deficit in the bottom of the 8th with a six-run rally -- capped by an Estevan Florial home run -- to defeat the Leones, 10-7. With that result, Culiacán completed the first round with a 2-2 record, while Escogido finished 3-1.
All Caribbean Series games will air live on MLB Network and stream on MLBN Direct-To-Consumer and MLB.TV. View the full Caribbean Series schedule here.
Although the contest had no impact on the semifinal matchups, which had already been set by game time, the offensive explosion was a welcome one for Tomateros club that had scored nine runs in its first three games of the tournament.
“We know we didn’t play like we can, especially on the hitting side,” said Tomateros manager Lorenzo Bundy, referring to the club’s first three contests. “Today, the guys showed what they can do. I have faith, I have confidence in these guys and that we can do it.”
For Friday’s first semifinal, Bundy will turn to right-hander David Reyes to start. Reyes gave up five hits and two runs in 4 1/3 innings in his first start of the tournament, a no-decision, last Sunday vs. Cangrejeros de Santurce (Puerto Rico) on the first day of the series.
Escogido manager Ramón Santiago announced Oscar de la Cruz as his starter for Friday. The righty gave up three runs in 4 2/3 frames, also last Sunday, against the Charros de Jalisco (Mexico Red), in an eventual 5-4 win for the Dominican club.
Friday’s second semifinal will feature Puerto Rico’s Cangrejeros de Santurce vs. the host club of the tournament in Guadalajara, the Charros de Jalisco. In the teams’ first matchup in the series on Tuesday, the Charros shut out the Cangrejeros, 3-0, with six innings of two-hit ball from starter Luis Fernando Miranda.
Jalisco manager Benji Gil will go with former Major League left-hander Manny Bañuelos on the mound. Bañuelos will look to bounce back after giving up six hits and five runs vs. Escogido on Sunday.
Although the Charros hit just .235 as a team in the round-robin stage -- last in the tournament -- they did have the best individual hitter in second baseman Michael Wielansky, who went 10-for-16 with two doubles, four RBIs and four runs scored while helping the team to a 3-1 record.
Santurce manager Omar López, whose club finished 2-2 in round-robin play, did not announce a starter for Friday after eliminating the Federales de Chiquirí (Panama) on Thursday with an 8-3 win. The Panamanian club, managed by José Mayorga, bowed out of the tournament after going winless in its four round-robin games.