The Dominican and Puerto Rican Leagues have the day off on Thursday, but the Venezuelans were busy, and the Australians had some early games going:
VENEZUELAN LEAGUE
Aguilas de Zulia 7, Tiburones de La Guaira 1
New Pirate Shairon Martis lost his second game of the season, but it was not entirely his fault. Los Tiburones scored 4 unearned runs in the 2nd inning, then added 3 runs in the 8th for more insurance. Martis had retired Los Aguilas in order in the 1st inning. Then, with two on and two out in the 2nd, a fielding error at third base loaded the bases. Two more singles, plus a throwing error by Martis himself, brought in four runs. Martis went on to pitch three more innings, allowing a double and a single.
Leones del Caracas 3, Caribes de Anzoategui 2
It took Los Leones 11 innings to win this game. They broke a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the 11th with a single, a sacrifice bunt, an intentional walk to Ramon Cabrera, and a walk-off RBI single. Cabrera had entered the game in the 10th, taking over behind the plate for Los Leones. Los Caribes scored the first run of the game on a pair of doubles in the 1st. Two singles and a fielding error gave Los Leones an unearned run in the 5th. Jose Ascanio came on in relief for Los Leones in the 6th, and escaped without allowing a run (despite allowing a single and a double) when his center fielder and second baseman combined on a throw in to the plate, cutting down the runner at the plate. A missed catch error in the 7th put runners on the corners for Los Caribes. When CF Gorkys Hernandez bounced into a double play, the runner on third scored an unearned run charged to Ascanio. Los Caracas tied the score again in the 8th, with a single and a triple. Hernandez was 0-for-4 in the game.
Tigres de Aragua 11, Navegantes del Magallanes 6
Los Tigres roared out 19 hits for 11 runs, with all but one member of their starting line-up collecting at least one hit. SS Ronny Cedeno, 1B Hector Gimenez, and LF Lastings Milledge had 2 hits each, while CF Jonel Pacheco had one hit and scored twice. Milledge also contributed a solo homer in the 2nd. Los Tigres capped their evening with a 5-run top of the 9th. Pacheco’s single was one of three in that inning, which also included two doubles, a walk, and an error.
AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE
Adelaide Bite 9, Melbourne Aces 6
This early game was the completion of a game that was suspended. The Bite’s CF Denny Almonte (Mariners) went 3-for-5, with a grand slam, a 3-run homer, and a single, for a total of 8 RBI. It was the second day in a row in which Almonte smacked three hits. The grand slam came in the 4th inning, the RBI single came in the 7th, when the Bite scored 2 runs. The game was tied at 6-6 going into the bottom of the 9th, when a single and a hit batter set up Almonte for his game-winning walk-off 3-run blast. 1B Calvin Anderson went 0-for-4 for the Bite. Reliever Rinku Singh pitched a 1-2-3 inning for the Bite in the 7th, with one strikeout. Singh was relieved by Ryan Beckman, who was touched for an unearned run. A hit batter and a throwing error put two runners into scoring position, and the run scored on a ground out. Another single had a runner racing for home, but he was out at the plate on a throw in from left field.
Aces 3, Bite 2
Paul Mildren suffered the loss for the Bite, despite sailing through the first four innings of the game. He retired the first 9 batters he faced in order, before giving up a single to begin the 4th inning. Then Mildren promptly picked that runner off first base. The Aces got to Mildren in the 5th, though, with a double, a single, and a 3-run homer. The Melbourne pitching staff figured out how to keep CF Denny Almonte quiet, holding him hitless in this game. The Bite scored on a solo homer in the 2nd inning, and picked up another run on two walks, a bunt, and a sacrifice fly in the 7th. 1B Calvin Anderson singled in the 6th inning but did not score.
Canberra Cavalry 7, Perth Heat 0
The Heat could not capitalize on several innings of scoring opportunities, nor on 4 errors by the Cavalry. They left the bases loaded in two innings, and left two runners on base in three more innings, for a total of 11 LOB. 1B Aaron Baker singled for the Heat in the 2nd inning. The Cavalry scored in four of the first five innings. C Travis Scott doubled in the second of two runs in the 1st inning. Canberra scored one run in the 2nd, and two more on a 2-run homer in the 3rd. Scott also led off the 8th inning with a double, and scored the final Cavalry run on a single and a throwing error.
