Caribbean Series 2016: Scores, Results, Standings and Schedule After Thursday
The Caribbean Series continued Thursday in the penultimate day of round-robin action before the tournament advances to the semifinals.
Defending champion Cuba and host the Dominican Republic are each on the brink of elimination after falling into an 0-3 hole following Thursday’s losses to Venezuela and Puerto Rico, respectively.
Here is a look at the latest standings and schedule for all the action through four days at the Estadio Quisqueya in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic:
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| Mexico | 3-0 |
| Venezuela | 3-1 |
| Puerto Rico | 2-1 |
| Dominican Republic | 0-3 |
| Cuba | 0-3 |
| Puerto Rico vs. Venezuela | VEN, 2-1 |
| Mexico vs. Dominican Republic | MEX, 3-2 |
| Cuba vs. Mexico | MEX, 9-3 |
| Venezuela vs. Dominican Republic | VEN, 8-7 |
| Venezuela vs. Mexico | MEX, 6-4 |
| Puerto Rico vs. Cuba | PUR, 12-1 |
| Venezuela vs. Cuba | VEN, 3-1 |
| Dominican Republic vs. Puerto Rico | PUR, 2-1 |
| Mexico vs. Puerto Rico | 2:30 p.m. |
| Cuba vs. Dominican Republic | 6:50 p.m. |
| Semifinal 1 | 2:30 p.m. |
| Semifinal 2 | 6:50 p.m. |
| Championship | 3 p.m. |
Venezuela 3, Cuba 1
Venezuela’s Tigres de Aragua overcame four errors and held on to a three-run lead built through the first three innings in Thursday’s 3-1 win over Cuba’s Ciego de Avila, which mustered just one extra-base hit in their third loss of the tournament.
Venezuela used seven pitchers over nine innings as manager and Atlanta Braves bullpen coach Eddie Perez spread out his pitchers to keep arms fresh.
The Tigres de Aragua broke the ice when Sandy Leon popped a sacrifice fly into center field that scored Jose Martinez to give Venezuela a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Martinez reached as the second batter of the inning on a throwing error by first baseman Ariel Borrero, who managed to get leadoff batter Dariel Alvarez out at the plate.
Venezuela added another run an inning later when Alex Romero laced a double to left, scoring Juniel Querecuto from first base. ESPN Beisbol shared a replay:
Romero scored later in the inning on a two-out RBI single to left by Martinez, which prompted a pitching change from Vladimir Banos in favor of Yoanni Yera.
Banos was credited with the loss and finished with three runs allowed (two earned) on five hits with two walks and no strikeouts. Hernan Perez hit a grounder to shortstop Yordan Manduley, who forced out Martinez at second to end the inning.
Cuba was limited to just two hits until the seventh, but Jose Adolis Garcia sparked some life back into the team by leading off the inning with a triple that positioned him to score two at-bats later on an RBI groundout.
Trailing by two runs in the bottom of the eighth, the Cubans looked to be on the brink of making it a ballgame with runners at first and second with one out. But pinch hitter Yorelvis Charles got pushy on a 2-0 pop out to right field, and Garcia grounded out on an 0-2 count to end the inning.
Cuba also had runners on first and third in the ninth with one out. But Venezuela closer Ronald Belisario struck out Yorbis Borroto on four pitches, and Yulieski Gourriel grounded into a fielder's choice to end the game.
ESPN Beisbol shared the routine play that secured Venezuela’s third win of the tournament:
Cuba, now at 0-3, will face the Dominican Republic Friday in what will amount to a play-in game among the lowest ranked teams in the current standings. The winner will advance to the semifinal and face the winner of Friday’s contest between Puerto Rico and Mexico, while the loser will head home.
Venezuela advances as the No. 2 seed and is in the enviable position of having Friday off, which will allow the team to rest before Saturday’s semifinals.
Puerto Rico 2, Dominican Republic 1
Puerto Rico punched its ticket to the Caribbean Series semifinal on a walk-off, solo home run by Netfali Soto to lead off the bottom of the 14th inning that secured a 2-1 win over the Dominican Republic, which remains winless this week.
Soto belted a 1-0 pitch over the left-center field wall off relief pitcher Wirfin Obispo, who had just entered the game. ESPN Beisbol captured Soto’s towering swing that left no doubt among the crowd on hand at Estadio Quisqueya:
Soto finished 3-for-6 and accounted for both RBI, also tallying a game-saving triple that brought home Juan Silva with two outs in the bottom of the ninth.
Both teams accounted for just five hits in the ensuing five frames of extra ball, as each defense kept pushing the game further. Here is a look at Puerto Rico shortstop Yadiel Rivera snow-coning a would-be base hit to left in the top of the 14th:
In a Caribbean Series that’s been marred by a slew of defensive errors, there were none registered by Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic in Thursday’s marathon.
The loss also erased a dominant outing by Dominican starting pitcher Cesar Valdez, who tossed seven scoreless innings with three hits allowed, no walks and six strikeouts before leaving after 76 pitches.
Puerto Rican reliever Fernando Cruz was credited the win, finishing with two innings of work and allowing one hit with a pair of strikeouts. Starter Mario Santiago tossed five innings with five hits and allowed the Dominicans’ one run on a one-out home run by Jimmy Paredes in the top of the fifth.
Puerto Rico can earn the tournament’s top seed heading into the semifinal with a win over undefeated Mexico. That winner will face the winner of Friday’s tilt between Cuba and the Dominican Republic, who both remain winless.
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