The Criollas de Caguas (Puerto Rico) defeated the Caribes de Anzoátegui (Venezuela) 12-7 with an offensive explosion in a Caribbean Series game at Estadio de los Charros de Jalisco in Guadalajara, Mexico.
The barrage began in the top of the first inning, with DH Johnny Monell hitting an RBI single, followed by a three-run home run by 3B David Vidal. CF Rusney Castillo added a two-run home run in the second inning, Monell hit an RBI double, and Vidal hit an RBI single. SS Jesmuel Valentin hit an sacrifice fly in the third, and the Criollas led 9-0 after 2 1/2 innings. However, the Caribes ended the shutout in the bottom of the third with RBI singles by RF Rene Reyes and 1B Balbino Fuenmayor. They added another run in the fourth on an RBI single by CF Rafael Ortega, and this chased Criollas starter David Richardson.
Caribes starter Carlos Teller was replaced by Yelper Castillo in the second inning, and he was effective at preventing further damage. He went 3 1/3 innings, allowed five hits, and the only run he allowed was Valentin's sacrifice fly. Meanwhile, Richardson's replacement, Fernando Cruz, pitched 2 2/3 hitless innings. Nelvin Fuentes pitched the seventh inning for the Criollas, allowed one hit. Yender Caramo relieved Castillo, allowed one hit in two innings. The score was 9-3 after seven innings.
In the top of the eighth, Caribes reliever Jean Carlos Toledo was greeted with back-to-back home runs by Valentin and RF Anthony Garcia. However, the Criollas answered with an an RBI double by LF Luis Domoromo and an RBI single by Ortega; the latter was set up by a balk by Nelvin Fuentes that sent Domoromo to third base.
So, it was 11-5 going into the ninth. The Criollas got one more run on an RBI double by C Jonathan Morales. In the bottom of the ninth, the Caribes got baserunners when Fuenmayor hit a single, and DH Luis Jimenez got a double on a ground ball that took a freak bounce, and went over the first baseman's head. Fuenmayor scored on a ground out by C Tomas Telis, and Jimenez scored on a single by 2B Alexi Amarista. That made the final score 12-7.
Despite all the scoring, there were a lot of good defensive plays. In the bottom of the first, Garcia made an excellent sliding catch. Richardson knocked down a ball hit to the mound, picked it up, and made a throw to first in time. Richardson made a good grab of a line drive in the second inning. In the bottom of the third, Valentin made a great grab of a line drive, saving a run. This was followed by a strange play; Reyes was injured running into Ruben Gotay at first base. The Criollos thought that the ball was dead, but the Caribes and the umpires thought otherwise. Domoromo went home, and collided with the catcher Morales. Ortega went to third, then scored on the next play.
In the top of the fifth, a fly ball to center field by 2B Irving Falu became a hit when the ball hit the ground because an "I got it, you take it" play. In the bottom of the seventh, Falu made a good grab of a line drive to second.
Cruz got the win, and Teller got the loss. Morales finished 3-for-5 with a double and the late RBI. Garcia finished 3-for-4 with a home run, a double, and three runs scored. Domoromo went 3-for-5 with two doubles and three runs scored.
It took three hours and 50 minutes to play this game, one and one-half hours to play the first three innings.
The Criollas are now 2-1 in the tournament, and the Caribes are 2-2.