Saturday, January 16, 2021

Winter League Playoffs 2020-2021: LMP, LIDOM & LVBP Series Updates

From the desk: FANÁTICO DEL BÉISBOL DE INVIERNO


LMP SEMIFINALS

GAME THREE
(2-1) Naranjeros de Hermosillo    3
(1-2) Sultanes de Monterrey         5
FINAL

BOXSCORE 1/15/2021 - Three games into the series, and the home team still holds sway.  After dropping two straight at Hermosillo, Los Sultanes won their first game back on home grounds.  Second baseman Alberto Carreon in the third inning singles in Monterrey's first run of the game.  Right fielder Paolo Orlando's two-run double in the fifth stakes Los Sultanes to a 3-0 lead.  But with one swing of the bat in the top of the sixth, Hermosillo center fielder Jose Cardona's three-run home run to left field ties the game at three.  Batting with one out and one on in the bottom half of the frame, left fielder Courtney Hawkins puts Monterrey right back on top with a two-run home run.  The bullpen shuts out Los Naranjeros over the final three innings to secure a 5-3 victory.


GAME THREE
(1-2) Yaquis de Obregon        6
(2-1) Tomateros de Culiacan  1
FINAL

BOXSCORE 1/15/2021 - Los Yaquis de Obregon, after two innings, jump out to an early 4-0 lead.  First baseman Victor Mendoza highlights a big three-run first inning with a two-run home run against Culiacan starter JC Ramirez who would later surrender a second home run in the fifth to left fielder Leandro Castro.  Los Tomateros finally get on the board in the bottom of the fifth courtesy of doubles from center fielder Yoelkis Guibert and second baseman Ramiro Pena.  But Los Yaquis again extend their lead on left fielder Leandro Castro's home run in the fifth, giving Obregon a 5-1 advantage.  Obregon scores one more time in the sixth en route to a 5-2 final and their first victory of the series.







LIDOM CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
GAME FOUR
(3-1) Gigantes del Cibao   5
(1-3) Aguilas Cibeañas      0
FINAL

BOXSCORE 1/15/2021 - Cibao batters post five runs, and their pitching takes care of the rest.  Gigantes' starter Richelson Pena yields just three hits and two walks with three strikeouts through seven scoreless innings pitched for the victory.  Righty Jose Cisnero pitches a scoreless eighth, and Jumbo Diaz tosses a scoreless ninth to complete the shutout.  The trio of pitchers joins together in limiting Cibaeñas to just three hits and three walks.  Designated hitter Juan Francisco and left fielder Peter O'Brien each hit home runs, and catcher Carlos Paulino doubles home a run staking Los Gigantes to s 3-0 lead.  Center fielder Jose Siri then homers leading off the fifth, and a Peter O'Brien sac-fly plates Cibao's fifth and final run.  Los Gigantes del Cibao, founded in 1996, is now just one win away from clinching their fifth LIDOM championship.






LVBP SEMIFINALS

GAME THREE
(1-2) Caribes de Anzoategui          1
(2-1) Navegantes de Magallanes   4
FINAL
 
BOXSCORE 1/15/2021  After dropping the opener, Los Navegantes are winners of two straight.  Seven Magallanes pitchers join in limiting Los Caribes to just one run on eight hits and three walks with five strikeouts.  Right-hander Anthony Vizcaya earns the victory in relief of starter Yohander Mendéz, and Jorge Rondon earns the save.  Right fielder Danry Vasquez goes 3 for 4 with a double, home run, and two runs batted in.  Third baseman Leonardo Reginatto and designated hitter Renato Núñes also homer for Los Navegantes.  Second baseman Ali Castillo drives in Anzoategui's lone run of the game.  Southpaw Liarvis Breto takes the loss.


GAME THREE
(2-1) Cardenales de Lara  19
(1-2) Tigres de Aragua      10
FINAL

BOXSCORE 1/15/2021  Lara scores early and often, but Aragua storms back and pulls away midway through a clearly escalating affair at Estadio Jose Perez Colmenares.  Sure enough, by the seventh, Aragua's bullpen begins to implode.  Los Cardenales score single runs in the seventh and eighth innings, then erupt for eleven runs in the ninth for an abrupt 18-10 lead and ultimate victory.  In this modern world of analytics, it's refreshing when nuance injects itself back into the game every so often.  Nineteen total pitchers saw action while batters grossed 84 official at-bats.  There were 31 hits and 29 runs scored, yet, not a single home run and just eight extra-base hits, with only sixteen total strikeouts ... how about that!  John "Juan" McGraw would have been proud. 


3 comments:

  1. Thanks for these reports. Do you know if the Puerto Rican playoffs will resume?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for stopping by! I'll be posting another update shortly, but yes, Manati vs. Mayaguez resumes Sunday. All tests returned negative. The teams are once again cleared to play. Los Criollos await the winner; they've been playing intramural games in the meantime.

      Delete
  2. Thank you very much for the update and the coverage.

    ReplyDelete

Say what you feel. The worse comment you can make is the one you do not make.