Tag: Alejandro De Aza

The Caribbean Series wrapped up on Monday, as Mexico (Los Yaquis de Obregon) won the championship with a 4-2 record.  Venezuela (Caribes de Anzoategui) finished last, with a 2-4 record.  Both the Dominican team (Toros del Este) and the Puerto Rican team (Criollos de Caguas) finished tied for second place with 3-3 records.

Mexico  3,  Venezuela  2  --  Very compact scoring in this game.  Venezuela scored first, with a 2-run homer in the 4th.  They rallied again in the 5th, and tried to score on a passed ball, but the runner from third was tagged out in a run-down.  Mexico had only 2 hits over the first 5 innings, but came through in the 6th with a double and a single.  One run scored on a ground out, and a 2-run homer gave them all the runs they needed.  Mexico loaded the bases in the 7th with a walk and two singles, but a ground out ended the inning without further runs scoring.  

Dominican Republic  3,  Puerto Rico  0  --  Dean Treanor's Dominican team finished the series with a win.  They scored 2 runs in the 4th inning.  With two outs, a single and a fielding error by Puerto Rican SS Luis Figueroa put two Dominican runners on base.  A triple by LF Alejandro De Aza drove both runners in.   De Aza began another rally in the 7th with a single up the middle.  A bunt moved him to second, and he advanced to third on a ground out, then scored on an RBI single.  The Dominicans posted just 6 hits in the game, and they also collected 3 walks.  Two Dominican pitchers held Puerto Rico to just 4 hits.  Starter Raul Valdes pitched 7.2 scoreless innings, allowing 4 hits and one walk, with 6 strikeouts.  He retired 13 straight batters over the middle innings.  Reliever Julio Manon earned a save, retiring all 4 batters he faced.  Puerto Rico's best chance came in the 8th, when Valdes gave up a single, had Figueroa reach on a throwing error, and then hit a batter to load the bases.  The bases were left loaded though, thanks to Manon.