Games of January 28

DOMINICAN LEAGUE

LICEY 6, AGUILAS 2 AT AGUILAS

Leading 1-0, Licey scored five in the sixth to put the game out of reach.  Emilio Bonifacio had a three-run double in the inning.  Cesar Valdez struck out five in five shutout innings for Licey, giving up two hits and no walks.  Sergio Alcantara was 4-for-5 with a triple for Licey, scoring once and driving in two.

Licey wins the championship series 5-4.

MEXICAN LEAGUE

MEXICALI 13, LOS MOCHIS 1 IN LOS MOCHIS

Los Mochis scored one in the second, but Mexicali got two in the third, one in the fourth, three in the fifth, two in the sixth, four in the seventh, and one in the eighth.  Leandro Castro was 0-for-4 for Los Mochis.  Hector Velazquez pitched six innings for Mexicali, giving up one run on four hits and two walks with four strikeouts.  Yordanys Linares was 3-for-3 with a home run and a walk for Mexicali, driving in three.  Chris Roberson was 3-for-5 with a run for Mexciali.  Yuniesky Betancourt hit a grand slam in the seventh inning for Mexicali.

Mexicali wins the championship series 4-2.

The Caribbean series will begin Wednesday, February 1.

AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE*

ADELAIDE 4, SYNDEY 3 IN ADELAIDE

Connor O'Gorman's three-run homer in the second gave Adelaide a 3-1 lead.  Sydney cut it to 4-3 and had the tying run in scoring position in each of the last three innings.  The game ended with Aaron Sookee being thrown out at home plate trying to score from second on a Jacob Younis single.  Ky Hampton pitched five innings for Adelaide, giving up one run on three hits and no walks with three strikeouts.

BRISBANE 11, CANBERRA 2 IN CANBERRA

Brisbane scored three in the first, two on a David Rodriguez double, and never looked back as they led all the way.  Aaron Whitefield was 1-for-3 with a walk for Brisbane, scoring once and driving in one, and is batting .338.  Logan Wade was 1-for-5 with a run and two RBIs for Brisbane.

PERTH 8, MELBOURNE 2 IN PERTH

Joey Wong's two-run double in the third put Perth up 2-1 and a three-run fourth put them in control of the game.  Nick Veale pitched six innings for Perth, giving up two runs on four hits and a walk with four strikeouts.  John Riley hit a three-run homer for Perth.

That concludes the regular season.  The playoffs start Friday, with Adelaide taking on Brisbane in what is called the Preliminary Final Series.  It's a best-of-three.  The winner will play Melbourne in a best-of-five championship series.

*Games played January 29.  It's timey-wimey.

Games of January 27

DOMINICAN LEAGUE

AGUILAS 7, LICEY 3 IN LICEY

Orlando Calixte hit a three-run double in a four-run first.  Juan Perez added a three-run triple in the fourth.  Irwin Delgado pitched 6.1 innings for the Aguilas, giving up two runs on four hits and three walks with three strikeouts.

The best-of-nine series is tied 4-4.  The deciding game will be played tonight.

MEXICAN LEAGUE

No games scheduled.  Mexicali leads Los Mochis in the best-of-seven series 3-2.

AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE*

BRISBANE 5, CANBERRA 4 IN CANBERRA (11 INNINGS)

It was tied 4-4 after five and stayed there until the eleventh.  The Australian League has a rule that, from the eleventh inning on, you start the inning with men on first and second.  David Rodriguez took advantage of that for Brisbane, doubling home the go-ahead run.  Rodriguez was 3-for-5 with a home run in addition to the double.  Aaron Whitefield was 0-for-5 for Brisbane and is batting .338.  Logan Wade was 2-for-4 with a home run and two runs for Brisbane.

MELBOURNE 7, PERTH 1 IN PERTH (GAME 1--7 INNINGS)

Melbourne scored three in the third to go up 3-1 and added three more in the sixth to put the game out of reach.  Virgil Vasquez pitched six innings for Melbourne, giving up one run on six hits and two walks with three strikeouts.  Liam Bedford hit a home run for Melbourne.  Mark Hamburger was used as a pinch-hitter for Melbourne in the seventh inning and hit into a force out.

MELBOURNE 2, PERTH 1 IN PERTH (GAME 2)

Perth scored once in the fourth.  It held up until the eighth, when Brad Harman delivered a two-out two-run single to put Melbourne in front to stay.  Josh Tols pitched six innings for Melbourne, giving up an unearned run on two hits and a walk with five strikeouts.

ADELAIDE 15, SYDNEY 3 IN ADELAIDE

Sydney scored three in the second to take the lead, but Sydney got single runs in innings two through four to tie it, got five in the fifth (including a grand slam by Jordan McArdle) to take the lead, and added seven in the sixth to put the game out of reach.  Mitch Dening was 4-for-5 and scored twice for Adelaide.  Jordan Cowan was 3-for-5 with a double and a walk for Adelaide, scoring twice and driving in one.

*Games played January 28.  It's timey-wimey.

Games of January 26

DOMINICAN LEAGUE

AGUILAS 3, LICEY 2 AT AGUILAS (10 INNINGS)

Ronny Rodriguez hit a walkoff homer to keep the Aguilas alive.  Kennys Vargas was 0-for-4 for the Aguilas.  Jarret Leverett pitched five innings for the Aguilas, giving up one run on three hits and two walks with two strikeouts.  Samuel Deduno used his magical zoomball to retire the only man he faced and get the win.  Rodriguez hit two homers, one in the first inning and one in the last inning.

Licey leads the best-of-nine series 4-3.

MEXICAN LEAGUE

MEXICALI 5, LOS MOCHIS 2 IN MEXICALI

C. J. Retherford's two-run single in the fifth turned a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 Mexicali lead and they never trailed again.  It was the only hit Mexicali had in the inning, as they had loaded the bases on two walks and an error.  Leandro Castro was 0-for-4 for Los Mochis.  Miguel Pena pitched 5.1 innings for Mexicali, giving up two runs on six hits and a walk with one strikeout.

Mexicali leads the best-of-seven series 3-2.

AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE*

CANBERRA 4, BRISBANE 1 IN CANBERRA

Brisbane scored one in the first and it held up until the sixth, when RBI singles by Aaron Sayers and Aaron Sloane gave Canberra a lead it would not relinquish.  Aaron Whitefield was 1-for-4 for Brisbane and is batting .349.  Logan Wade was 0-for-4 for Brisbane.  Louis Cohen pitched seven innings for Canberra, giving up one run on five hits and a walk with four strikeouts.

ADELAIDE 5, SYDNEY 2 IN ADELAIDE

Karl Hoschke had a three-run double in a four-run second that put Adelaide in the lead to stay.  Sean Callegari struck out seven in seven innings for Adelaide, giving up one run on six hits and a walk.

PERTH 2, MELBOURNE 1 IN PERTH

Perth scored single runs in the first and third.  Melbourne got their lone run in the fourth.  Melbourne did not get a hit after the fourth inning and only had two hits in the game.  Lex Rutledge pitched four innings for Perth, giving up an unearned run on two hits and three walks with one strikeout.

*Games played January 27.  It's timey-wimey.

Games of January 25

VENEZUELAN LEAGUE

ZULIA 5, LARA 2 IN ZULIA

Jose Pirela hit a two-run homer in the first and Zulia led all the way.  Mitch Lively pitched seven innings for Zulia, giving up one run on two hits and two walks with five strikeouts.

Zulia wins the best-of-seven series 4-1 and wins the Venezuelan League Championship.

DOMINICAN LEAGUE

LICEY 5, AGUILAS 2 IN LICEY

Leading 1-0, Licey scored four in the eighth to put the game out of reach.  Yamaico Navarro hit a solo homer and Mel Rojas hit a two-run homer in the inning.  Danny Santana was 0-for-3 with a walk for the Aguilas.  Kennys Vargas was 0-for-4 for the Aguilas.  Evan MacLane pitched seven shutout innings for Licey, giving up four hits and no walks with two strikeouts.  Emilio Bonifacio was 3-for-4 for Licey.

Licey leads the best-of-nine series 4-2.

PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE

CAGUAS 6, SANTURCE 5 IN CAGUAS (12 INNINGS)

With two out and no one on in the twelfth, David Vidal reached on a two-base error and scored on Henry Ramos' single to win the game and the series.  Orlando Roman pitched 4.2 innings for Caguas, giving up one run on four hits and two walks with three strikeouts.  Ricardo Gomez retired all eleven men he faced for Caguas, striking out six.  Ramos was 3-for-5 with a double and a walk, scoring twice.

Caguas wins the best-of-nine series 5-3 and wins the Puerto Rican League Championship.

MEXICAN LEAGUE

MEXICALI 6, LOS MOCHIS 1 IN MEXICALI

Jason Bourgeois hit a two-run single in a three-run fifth that put Mexicali up 4-0 and left them in control of the game.  Javier Solano pitched 6.2 innings for Mexicali, giving up one run on five hits and two walks with one strikeout.  Bourgeois was 3-for-4 with a run and two RBIs.

The best-of-seven series is tied 2-2.

AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE*

BRISBANE 8, CANBERRA 5 IN CANBERRA

Trent Oeltjen hit a three-run homer in a four-run fifth that put Brisbane ahead 4-1.  They never led by less than three after that.  Aaron Whitefield was 2-for-5 with a run and two RBIs and is batting .352 for Brisbane.  Logan Wade was 1-for-4 with a walk and a run for Brisbane.  Rick Teasley pitched six innings for Brisbane, giving up two runs on six hits and no walks with two strikeouts.

SYDNEY 5, ADELAIDE 4 IN ADELAIDE

Sydney scored two in the fifth on a bases-loaded force out to take a 5-3 lead.  Adelaide got one back in the bottom of the fifth but only got one hit after that.  Todd Van Steensel struck out two in a scoreless inning for Sydney, giving up a hit and a walk.  Jacob Younis was 3-for-5 with a run and an RBI.

*Games played January 26.  It's timey-wimey.

Games of January 24

VENEZUELAN LEAGUE

ZULIA 8, LARA 7 IN ZULIA (10 INNINGS--COMPLETION OF SUSPENDED GAME)

Well, that didn't take long.  When we left this game yesterday, it was 7-7 and Zulia had men on first and third with two out in the bottom of the tenth.  The first batter once the game was resumed, Ali Castillo, singled to bring home the winning run.  Carlos Hernandez struck out seven in 6.2 innings for Zulia, giving up three runs (two earned) on five hits and no walks.  Mario Lisson and Ronny Cedeno each homered for Zulia.

Zulia leads the best-of-seven series 3-0.

LARA 3, ZULIA 1 IN ZULIA (SCHEDULED GAME--11 INNINGS)

Ildemaro Vargas delivered a two-out two-run single in the eleventh to keep Lara alive.  Omar Bencomo pitched five innings for Lara, giving up one run on four hits and no walks with three strikeouts.  Denis Phipps was 4-for-5 with a double and a run for Lara.  Carlos Rivero hit a home run for Lara.

Zulia leads the best-of-seven series 3-1.

DOMINICAN LEAGUE

LICEY 7, AGUILAS 0 AT AGUILAS

Juan Francisco homered to start a three-run Licey second and that was all they needed.  Kennys Vargas was 2-for-3 for the Aguilas.  Danny Santana was 0-for-4 for the Aguilas.  Cesar Valdez pitched 6.1 scoreless innings for Licey, giving up three hits and two walks with four strikeouts.  Donovan Solano was 3-for-5 with a double and a run for Licey.  Francisco was 3-for-5 and also had a double, driving in three.

Licey leads the best-of-nine series 3-2.

PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE

No games scheduled.  Caguas leads the best-of-nine series over Santurce 4-3.

MEXICAN LEAGUE

LOS MOCHIS 6, MEXICALI 5 IN MEXICALI (11 INNINGS)

Los Mochis scored four in the seventh to take a 4-1 lead, but Mexicali got three in the eighth to tie it 4-4.  Saul Soto's two-run single in the eleventh put Los Mochis up 6-4.  Mexicali got one in the bottom of the eleventh and had the tying run on base with none out, but could not advance him past second.  Leandro Castro was 2-for-5 with a double and a walk for Los Mochis, scoring once and driving in one.  Roy Merritt pitched seven innings for Los Mochis, giving up one run on four hits and a walk with five strikeouts.

Los Mochis leads the best-of-seven series 2-1.

AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE

No games scheduled.

Games of January 23

VENEZUELAN LEAGUE

LARA 7, ZULIA 7 (10 INNINGS--SUSPENDED)

Zulia led 4-0 after two, but needed a homer by Mario Lisson in the eighth to tie it 5-5.  Lara got two in the top of the tenth, but Zulia got two in the bottom of the tenth to re-tie the score.  When the game was suspended, Zulia was still batting in the bottom of the tenth with two out and runners on first and third.  Ali Castillo is the next scheduled batter for Zulia.  The pitcher is Hassan Pena, although Lara could obviously make a change.

The game will be completed prior to tonight's regularly scheduled game.  Zulia leads the best-of-seven series 2-0, so the series could possibly end tonight.

DOMINICAN LEAGUE

No games scheduled.  Licey and the Aguilas are tied 2-2 in the best-of-nine series.

PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE

No games scheduled.  Caguas leads the best-of-nine series 4-3 over Santurce.

MEXICAN LEAGUE

No games scheduled.  Los Mochis and Mexicali are tied 1-1 in the best-of-seven series.

AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE

No games scheduled.

Games of January 21-22

GAMES OF JANUARY 21

VENEZUELAN LEAGUE

ZULIA 11, LARA 1 IN LARA

Zulia scored three in the fifth to take a 5-0 lead and it was not close after that.  Wil Ledezma pitched six innings for Zulia, giving up one run on four hits and two walks with four strikeouts.

Zulia leads the best of seven series, 2-0.

DOMINICAN LEAGUE

AGUILAS 11, LICEY 4 AT AGUILAS

The Aguilas led 3-2 half-way through, but scored three in the fifth and five in the sixth to turn it into a blowout.  Kennys Vargas was 2-for-3 with a three-run homer and a walk for the Aguilas.  Danny Santana was 3-for-4 with a double and two runs for the Aguilas.

The Aguilas lead the best-of-nine series 2-1.

PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE

CAGUAS 12, SANTURCE 1 IN CAGUAS

Caguas got two in the second, four in the fifth, and six in the eighth.  Andrew Barbosa pitched five shutout innings for Caguas, giving up two hits and a walk with three strikeouts.  David Vidal was 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI for Caguas.  Rusney Castillo hit a two-run homer for Caguas.

The best-of-nine series is tied 3-3.

MEXICAN LEAGUE

LOS MOCHIS 3, MEXICALI 1 IN LOS MOCHIS

J. C. Linares hit a two-run homer in the first and that was all Los Mochis needed.  Leandro Castro was 0-for-3 for Los Mochis.  Julian Arballo struck out six in six shutout innings for Los Mochis, giving up six hits and no walks.  Lew Ford hit a home run for Los Mochis.

Los Mochis leads the best-of-seven series 1-0.

AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE*

ADELAIDE 5, MELBOURNE 1 IN MELBOURNE

Josh Altmann hit a two-run homer in a three-run fourth that put Adelaide up 3-1.  LaDarious Clark added a two-run homer in the fifth.  Zach Cooper pitched six innings for Adelaide, giving up one run on five hits and one walk with four strikeouts for Adelaide.

BRISBANE 9, PERTH 8 IN BRISBANE

Perth led 6-1 and 8-6, but Brisbane tied it on David Rodriguez' two-run homer in the eighth and won with Kevin Padlo's leadoff walkoff in the ninth.  Aaron Whitefield was 1-for-5 for Brisbane and is batting .350.  Logan Wade was 0-for-3 with a walk for Brisbane, scoring once and driving in one.  Padlo was 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs.

SYDNEY 7, CANBERRA 6 IN SYDNEY

Sydney led 4-0 after four, trailed 6-4 after eight, but scored three in the ninth (aided by two errors) to win the game.  Canberra made four errors in the game, leading to three unearned runs.

*Games played January 22.  It's timey-wimey.

GAMES OF JANUARY 22

VENEZUELAN LEAGUE

No games scheduled.

DOMINICAN LEAGUE

LICEY 9, AGUILAS 6 IN LICEY

Trailing 5-4, Licey scored four runs in the seventh to go into the lead for good.  A two-run double by Sergio Alcantara brought home the go-ahead runs.  Danny Santana was 1-for-4 with a two-run homer for the Aguilas.  Kennys Vargas was 0-for-3 with a walk for the Aguilas.  Arturo Lopez pitched five innings for Licey, giving up two runs on four hits and two walks with three strikeouts.  Donovan Solano was 3-for-5 for Licey, scoring once and driving in one.

The best-of-nine series is tied 2-2.

PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE

CAGUAS 4, SANTURCE 1 IN SANTURCE

Caguas scored two in each of the first two innings and that's all they needed.  Jorge Padilla was 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI for Caguas.  Rey Navarro was 3-for-4 with a run for Caguas.

Caguas leads the best-of-nine series 4-3.

MEXICAN LEAGUE

MEXICALI 7, LOS MOCHIS 2 IN LOS MOCHIS

Mexicali scored three in the third, two on a home run by C. J. Retherford, and never trailed.  Los Mochis cut the lead to 4-2 in the eighth on a two-run homer by Isaac Rodriguez Salazar, but Mexciali got three in the ninth to put the game out of reach.  Leandro Castro was 0-for-3 with a walk for Los Mochis.  Hector Velazquez struck out ten in 7.1 scoreless innings for Mexicali, giving up four hits and no walks.

AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE

No games scheduled.

Games of January 20

VENEZUELAN LEAGUE

ZULIA 12, LARA 2 IN LARA

Leading 3-2, Zulia put together an eight-run inning in the sixth to put the game out of reach.  There were two errors and two hit batsmen in the inning.  Mitch Lively pitched seven innings for Zulia, giving up two runs on six hits and a walk with four strikeouts.  Freddy Galvis was 4-for-6 with two runs and an RBI for Zulia.  Jose Pirela was 3-for-5 with a triple and a double for Zulia, scoring once and driving in two.  Endy Chavez hit a two-run homer for Zulia.

Zulia leads the best-of-seven series 1-0.

DOMINICAN LEAGUE

LICEY 4, AGUILAS 2 IN LICEY

Yamaico Navarro tripled and scored in a two-run eighth that broke a 2-2 tie.  Kennys Vargas was 0-for-3 with a walk for the Aguilas.  Danny Santana was 1-for-2 for the Aguilas.  Evan MacLane pitched 5.2 innings for Licey, giving up two runs (one earned) on six hits and no walks with two strikeouts.

The best-of-nine series is tied 1-1.

PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE

No games scheduled.

MEXICAN LEAGUE

No games scheduled.

AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE*

SYDNEY 5, CANBERRA IN SYDNEY (GAME 1--7 INNINGS)

Shane Kelleher hit a two-run double in a three-run sixth that put Sydney up 5-1.  Luke Wilkins pitched a complete game for Sydney, giving up an unearned run on three hits and a walk with five strikeouts.

CANBERRA 2, SYDNEY 1 IN SYDNEY (GAME 2)

Canberra scored single runs in the second and sixth.  Sydney got its lone run in the sixth and had the tying run in scoring position then and in the eighth.  Louis Cohen struck out ten in seven innings for Canberra, giving up an unearned run on four hits and no walks.  Jason Sloan was 3-for-3 with a double and a walk for Canberra, scoring once.  Todd Van Steensel pitched a perfect inning with one strikeout for Sydney.

ADELAIDE 6, MELBOURNE 2 IN MELBOURNE

Josh Altmann hit a three-run homer in a four-run second that gave Adelaide all the runs they needed.  Christopher Horne pitched five innings for Adelaide, giving up two runs on five hits and three walks with four strikeouts.  Angus Roeger was 3-for-4 with a home run, a double, and a walk for Adelaide, driving in two.

BRISBANE 8, PERTH 7 IN BRISBANE

Brisbane scored four in the third and four more in the fourth to take an 8-2 lead, then held on to win.  Perth scored three in the ninth to cut the margin to 8-7, but did not get the tying run on base.  Aaron Whitefield was 2-for-4 with a walk and a run for Brisbane and is batting .356.  Logan Wade was 2-for-4 with a walk for Brisbane.  Mitch Nilsson hit two two-run homers for Brisbane.

*Games played January 21.  It's timey-wimey.

Games of January 19

VENEZUELAN LEAGUE

No games scheduled.

DOMINICAN LEAGUE

AGUILAS 4, LICEY 3 AT AGUILAS

Licey led 3-1 after five, but Zoilo Almonte hit a two-run homer in the sixth to tie it and Francisco Pena delivered an RBI single in the seventh to give Aguilas the lead.  Danny Santana was used as a pinch-hitter by the Aguilas and was 0-for-1.  Almonte was 3-for-4.

The Aguilas lead the best-of-nine series 1-0.

PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE

SANTURCE 3, CAGUAS 1 IN SANTRUCE

All the runs were scored in the fourth inning.  Ruben Gotay doubled home a run in the top of the inning and Christian Vazquez delivered a two-run single in a three-run bottom of the inning.  Adalberto Flores struck out five in five innings for Santurce, giving up one run on seven hits and no walks.

Santurce leads the best-of- nine series 3-2.

MEXICAN LEAGUE

LOS MOCHIS 3, CULIACAN 1 IN LOS MOCHIS

Culiacan took a 1-0 lead in the sixth, but Sebastian Valle came through with a two-run double in the seventh and later scored on Eugenio Velez' RBI triple.  Leandro Castro was 2-for-4 with a run for Los Mochis.  Roy Merritt pitched 5.1 innings, giving up one run on six hits and a walk with two strikeouts.

Los Mochis wins the best-of-seven series 4-3.

MEXICALI 4, HERMOSILLO 3 IN MEXICALI (16 INNINGS)

Each team scored two in the first.  O'Koyea Dickson homered in the fifth to put Hermosillo ahead 3-2, but Yordanys Linares' RBI single in the seventh tied it 3-3.  There was no more scoring until the sixteenth, when Luis Juarez singled home Chris Roberson with the game-winning and series-winning run.  Jake Sanchez struck out eleven in 7.1 scoreless innings of relief for Mexicali, giving up two hits and two walks.  Juarez was 4-for-7 with a double and two RBIs.  Yuniesky Betancourt was 4-for-8 with a double for Mexicali, scoring once and driving in one.  Roberson was 3-for-6 with a double and a walk, scoring twice.

Mexicali wins the best-of-seven series 4-3.

AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE*

ADELAIDE 4, MELBOURNE 3 IN MELBOURNE

Mitch Dening doubled in Max Brown with the go-ahead run in the eighth.  Greg Mosel struck out four in three shutout innings of relief, giving up no hits and one walk.

CANBERRA 5, SYDNEY 3 IN SYDNEY

An RBI single by Robbie Perkins in the eighth broke a 3-3 tie and Canberra got an insurance run later in the inning.  Brian Grening pitched six innings, giving up three runs on seven hits and no walks with five strikeouts for Canberra, and Tim Atherton struck out four in three perfect innings of relief for Canberra.  Perkins was 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI for Canberra.  River Stevens hit a two-run homer for Canberra.

BRISBANE 8, PERTH 6 IN BRISBANE

John Riley hit a three-run homer in the top of the fourth to put Perth ahead 4-3, but Wade Dutton hit a two-run homer in a three-run bottom of the fourth that put Brisbane in the lead to stay.  Aaron Whitefield was 2-for-4 with a double and a walk for Brisbane, scoring three times and raising his average to .351.  Logan Wade was 0-for-4 for Brisbane.  Mitch Nilsson hit a home run for Brisbane.

*Games played January 20.  It's timey-wimey.

Games of January 18

VENEZUELAN LEAGUE

No games scheduled.

DOMINICAN LEAGUE

Okay, I was wrong.  The top two teams from the round-robin playoffs meet in a best-of-nine championship series.  That will start tomorrow.

PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE

SANTURCE 4, CAGUAS 1 IN CAGUAS

Santurce scored two in the seventh to break a 1-1 tie.  Christian Vazquez was 3-for-4 with a triple and a double for Santurce, scoring twice and driving in one.  Jose Lozada was 3-for-3 with three RBIs for Santurce.

The best-of-nine series is tied 2-2.

MEXICAN LEAGUE

CULIACAN 9, LOS MOCHIS 2 IN LOS MOCHIS

Culiacan took a 3-1 lead in the fifth and put the game out of reach with a six-run sixth.  Leandro Castro was 1-for-4 with a run for Los Mochis.  Daniel Rodriguez struck out nine in six innings for Culiacan, giving up one run on five hits and two walks.  Ronnier Mustelier was 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI for Culiacan.  Ramiro Pena hit a three-run homer for Culiacan.

The best-of-seven series is tied 3-3.

HERMOSILLO 7, MEXICALI 2 IN MEXICALI

O'Koyea Dickson hit a two-run homer in the fifth to break a 2-2 tie and put Hermosillo in the lead to stay.  Jose Samayoa pitched four shutout innings of relief for Hermosillo, giving up three hits and two walks with two strikeouts.  Dickson was 3-for-4 with two home runs and a walk, driving in four.

The best-of-seven series is tied 3-3.

AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE*

ADELAIDE 4, MELBOURNE 1 IN MELBOURNE (11 INNINGS)

In the eleventh, Jordan Cowan had an RBI double and Jordan McArdle hit a two-run double, putting Adelaide in control.  Max McNabb pitched seven innings for Adelaide, giving up one run on five hits and no walks with five strikeouts.  Mitch Dening was 3-for-4 with a walk for Adelaide.

BRISBANE 3, PERTH 2 IN BRISBANE

It was 1-1 after eight.  Luke Hughes homered in the top of the ninth to put Perth up 2-1, but Logan Wade hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to give Brisbane the win.  Wade was 1-for-4.  Aaron Whitefield was also 1-for-4 for Brisbane and is batting .346.  Kramer Champlin struck out eight in six shutout innings for Brisbane, giving up one hit and no walks.

*Games played January 19.  It's timey-wimey.

Games of January 17

VENEZUELAN LEAGUE

ZULIA 1, ANZOATEGUI 0 IN ZULIA

Jose Pirela led off the second with a double and scored on a Jordany Valdespin single for the game's only run.  Carlos Hernandez pitched seven shutout innings for Zulia, giving up four hits and two walks with four strikeouts.  Reynaldo Rodriguez was 0-for-4 for Zulia.

Zulia wins the best-of-seven series 4-1.

LARA 2, LA GUAIRA 1 IN LA GUAIRA

Carlos Rivero's RBI single in the sixth broke a 1-1 tie.  La Guaira got the tying run to second in the sixth but never did so again.  Omar Bencomo pitched 4.2 innings, giving up one run on eight hits and no walks with two strikeouts.

Lara wins the best-of seven series 4-1.

DOMINICAN LEAGUE

AGUILAS 4, GIGANTES 3 AT GIGANTES

Kennys Vargas had an RBI double and Hector Luna had a two-run double to give the Aguilas a 4-1 lead in the seventh.  The Gigantes got two back in the bottom of the seventh and got the tying run to third with two out in the inning, but did not get a hit the rest of the game.  Vargas was 2-for-4, scoring once and driving in two.

LICEY 3, ESCOGIDO 1 IN ESCOGIDO

Juan Francisco's homer in the fourth put Licey ahead 2-0 and that was all they needed.  Jorge Polanco was 2-for-4 for Escogido.  Cesar Valdez pitched 5.2 innings for Licey, giving up one run on seven hits and no walks with three strikeouts.

FINAL STANDINGS

Aguilas, 14-4
Licey, 9-9
Gigantes, 8-10
Escogido, 5-13

There does not appear to be another round of playoffs scheduled, so it looks like the Aguilas are the champions of the Dominican League.

PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE

CAGUAS 4, SANTURCE 2 IN SANTURCE

An error, a double, and another error produced two first-inning runs for Caguas and they led all the way.  Jose De La Torre pitched 5.2 innings for Caguas, giving up two unearned runs on five hits and three walks with two strikeouts.  David Vidal hit a home run for Caguas.

Caguas leads the best-of-nine series 2-1.

MEXICAN LEAGUE

MEXICALI 6, HERMOSILLO 1 IN HERMOSILLO

RBI singles by Luis Juarez and Agustin Murillo gave Mexicali a 2-0 lead in the first and they led all the way.  Miguel Pena pitched 6.1 innings for Mexicali, giving up one run on five hits and no walks with four strikeouts.  Yuniesky Betancourt was 3-for-5 for Mexicali.  C. J. Retherford hit a home run for Mexicali.

Mexicali leads the best-of-seven series 3-2.

AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE

No games scheduled.

Games of January 16

VENEZUELAN LEAGUE

LARA 5, LA GUAIRA 3 IN LA GUAIRA

Lara led 3-0 after four, but it was tied 3-3 going to the ninth.  A two-out two-run double by Paulo Orlando put Lara ahead to stay.  Gustavo Molina hit a home run for Lara.

Lara leads the best-of-seven series 3-1.

ZULIA 5, ANZOATEGUI 2 IN ZULIA

Zulia scored three in the first and it was all they needed.  Anzoategui cut the lead to 3-2 in the fifth, but Zulia added single runs in the fifth and eighth.  Reynaldo Rodriguez was 0-for-4 for Zulia.  Alex Romero was 3-for-4 with an RBI for Zulia.  Jose Pirela hit a home run for Zulia.

Zulia leads the best-of-seven series 3-1.

DOMINICAN LEAGUE

LICEY 10, GIGANTES 1 IN LICEY

Licey scored three in the fourth to go ahead 5-0 and got five more in the eighth to seal the deal.  Arturo Lopez pitched 5.1 innings for Licey, giving up one run on two hits and two walks with three strikeouts.

AGUILAS 4, ESCOGIDO 0 AT AGUILAS

The Aguilas scored two in the third and got a two-run homer from Zoilo Almonte in the fifth.  Six Aguilas pitchers combined on a three-hit shutout.  Kennys Vargas was 0-for-1 with a walk and an RBI for the Aguilas.  Angel Franco was 3-for-4 with three doubles for the Aguilas.

STANDINGS

Aguilas, 13-4
Gigantes, 8-9
Licey, 8-9
Escogido, 5-12

PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE

No games scheduled.

MEXICAN LEAGUE

HERMOSILLO 4, MEXICALI 1 IN HERMOSILLO

Carlos Alberto Gastelum's two-run double in the fourth opened the scoring and put Hermosillo ahead to stay.  Mexicali got one back in the fifth, but Hermosillo got single runs in the sixth and seventh to stretch their lead.  Jeremy Kehrt pitched 6.2 innings for Hermosillo, giving up an unearned run on four hits and three walks with two strikeouts.  Jose Amador was 3-for-4 with a home run and two doubles for Hermosillo.

The best-of-seven series is tied 2-2.

LOS MOCHIS 3, CULIACAN 2 IN LOS MOCHIS

Los Mochis scored two in the fifth to take a 3-1 lead.  Culiacan got one back in the bottom of the fifth and had the tying run in scoring position in the fifth, sixth, and seventh.  Leandro Castro was 0-for-3 with a walk for Los Mochis.  Manny Barreda struck out five in 5.2 innings for Los Mochis, giving up two runs on five hits and five walks.  Lew Ford was 3-for-4 with an RBI for Los Mochis.  Eugenio Velez hit a home run for Los Mochis.

Los Mochis leads the best-of-seven series 3-2.

AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE

No games scheduled.

Games of January 14-15

GAMES OF JANUARY 14

VENEZUELAN LEAGUE

No games scheduled.

DOMINICAN LEAGUE

GIGANTES 8, AGUILAS 3 AT AGUILAS (GAME 1)

Garabez Rosa hit a two-run homer in a three-run sixth that put the Gigantes up 5-3.  The Gigantes added three more in the eighth to put the game out of reach.  Danny Santana was 0-for-4 for the Aguilas.  Kennys Vargas was 2-for-3 with a home run and two walks for the Aguilas.  Rosa was 4-for-5 and had two doubles in addition to his home run, scoring twice and driving in three.  Ketel Marte was 3-for-6 with a triple for the Gigantes, scoring once and driving in two.  Cam Perkins was 3-for-5 for the Gigantes.

GIGANTES 8, AGUILAS 2 AT AGUILAS

The Gigantes scored at least once in each of innings two through six, building a 6-2 lead.  It was a bullpen game for the Gigantes, as they used seven pitchers.

LICEY 11, ESCOGIDO 1 IN LICEY

Emilio Bonifacio's RBI double in the fourth put Licey up 2-1.  They then scored two in the fifth, three in the sixth, and four in the eighth.  Jorge Polanco was 0-for-3 with a walk for Escogido.  Evan MacLane struck out six in six innings for Licey, giving up one run on four hits and a walk.  Engel Beltre was 3-for-4 with a run and two RBIs for Licey.

STANDINGS

Aguilas, 11-4
Gigantes, 7-8
Licey, 7-8
Escogido, 5-10

PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE

CAGUAS 1, SANTURCE 0 IN SANTURCE

Randy Ruiz singled Jorge Padilla home in the first inning and Caguas made the run stand up.  Orlando Roman struck out four in 4.2 scoreless innings, giving up three hits and a walk.

Caguas leads the best-of-nine series 1-0.

MEXICAN LEAGUE

CULIACAN 7, LOS MOCHIS 3

Jose Guadalupe Chavez hit a three-run homer in a four-run sixth that put Culiacan ahead 7-3.  Leandro Castro was 1-for-3 for Los Mochis.  Daniel Rodriguez pitched seven innings for Culiacan, giving up three runs on six hits and no walks with three strikeouts.

Los Mochis leads the best-of-seven series 2-1.

AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE*

MELBOURNE 6, CANBERRA 5 IN CANBERRA

Trailing 5-4, Melbourne scored twice in the seventh to take the lead to stay.  The go-ahead run scored from third when Canberra had to throw to first to record a strikeout.

ADELAIDE 2, PERTH 1 IN ADELAIDE

Stefan Welch's two-run double in the first provided all the runs Adelaide would need.  Steven Chambers struck out six in 4.1 scoreless innings for Adelaide, giving up three hits and four walks.

SYDNEY AT BRISBANE

Rained out.

*Games played January 15.  It's timey-wimey.

GAMES OF JANUARY 15

VENEZUELAN LEAGUE

LARA 9, LA GUAIRA 3 IN LA GUAIRA

Lara scored two in the first and never looked back, building an 8-0 lead after six.  Jorge Martinez pitched five shutout innings for Lara, giving up four hits and a walk with two strikeouts.  Ildemaro Vargas was 3-for-4 with a double and two walks for Lara, scoring twice and driving in one.  Juniel Querecuto was 3-for-5 with a triple for Lara, scoring twice and driving in three.

Lara leads the best-of-seven series 2-1.

ZULIA 3, ANZOATEGUI 2 IN ZULIA

Zulia scored two in the second and never trailed.  Anzoategui cut the lead to 3-2, left the bases loaded in the sixth, and stranded two more in the seventh.  Reynaldo Rodriguez was 0-for-4 with a run for Zulia.  Rolando Valdez pitched five innings for Zulia, giving up one run on three hits and three walks with four strikeouts.

Zulia leads the best-of-seven series 2-1.

DOMINICAN LEAGUE

AGUILAS 8, ESCOGIDO 0 IN ESCOGIDO

Angel Franco hit a grand slam to cap a five-run second that gave the Aguilas all the runs they needed.  Danny Santana was 0-for-4 with a walk for the Aguilas.  Kennys Vargas was 0-for-2 with two walks for the Aguilas, scoring once and driving in one.  Alfredo Marte hit a two-run homer for the Aguilas and Jonathan Villar hit a solo homer for the Aguilas.

GIGANTES 10, LICEY 6 AT GIGANTES

The Gigantes trailed 6-4 after seven but scored six runs in the eighth to win.  Melvin Mercedes was 3-for-4 with two RBIs for the Gigantes.  Leury Garcia was 3-for-5 with two runs for the Gigantes.

STANDINGS

Aguilas, 12-4
Gigantes, 8-8
Licey, 7-9
Escogido, 5-11

PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE

SANTURCE 6, CAGUAS 3 IN CAGUAS

Santurce trailed 2-0 after six but scored five in the seventh to win.  Drew Ferguson had a three-run double to break a 2-2 tie.

The best-of-nine series is tied 1-1.

MEXICAN LEAGUE

HERMOSILLO 2, MEXICALI 1 IN MEXICALI

Hermosillo got RBI singles by O'Koyea Dickson and Jose Amador in the eighth to overcome a 1-0 deficit.  Barry Enright pitched eight innings, giving up an unearned run on six hits and two walks with five strikeouts.

Mexicali leads the best-of-seven series 2-1.

CULIACAN 4, LOS MOCHIS 1 IN CULIACAN

Ramiro Pena's RBI single in the seventh broke a 1-1 tie and Culiacan added a pair of insurance runs in the eighth.  Leandro Castro was 1-for-3 for Los Mochis.

The best-of-seven series is tied 2-2.

AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE

No games scheduled.

Games of January 13

VENEZUELAN LEAGUE

ANZOATEGUI 7, ZULIA 1 IN ANZOATEGUI

Anzoategui scored four in the third, three of them on a home run by Denis Phipps, to take a 4-1 lead.  Reynaldo Rodriguez was 0-for-3 with a walk for Zulia.  Yohan Pino pitched 4.2 innings for Anzoategui, giving up one run on six hits and a walk with three strikeouts.  Phipps was 3-for-4 and drove in four runs.

The best-of-seven series is tied 1-1.

LARA 9, LA GUAIRA 5 IN LARA

Lara trailed 3-0 going to the bottom of the sixth, when they scored five times to go ahead to stay.  Rangel Ravelo had a two-run double and Carlos Rivero had a three-run double in the inning.  Lara added four more in the seventh to take control of the game.

The best-of-seven series is tied 1-1.

DOMINICAN LEAGUE

GIGANTES 5, ESCOGIDO 3 IN ESCOGIDO

The Gigantes scored two in the fourth and two in the eighth to take a 4-1 lead.  Jorge Polanco was 2-for-4 with a run for Escogido.  Ernesto Zaragoza pitched 5.2 innings for the Gigantes, giving up one run on five hits and no walks with four strikeouts.  Ketel Marte was 3-for-5 with a triple and an RBI.  Moises Sierra hit a home run for the Gigantes.

AGUILAS 6, LICEY 0 AT AGUILAS

The Aguilas scored two in the third, two in the sixth, and two in the eighth.  Danny Santana was 1-for-3 with two RBIs for the Aguilas.  Jose Urena struck out five in five shutout innings for the Aguilas, giving up five hits and a walk.  Juan Perez was 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI for the Aguilas.  Zoilo Almonte hit a two-run homer for the Aguilas.

STANDINGS

Agulias, 11-2
Licey, 6-8
Gigantes, 5-8
Escogido, 5-9

PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE

No games scheduled.

MEXICAN LEAGUE

No games scheduled.

AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE

ADELAIDE 4, PERTH 3 IN ADELAIDE (GAME 1--7 INNINGS)

Adelaide built a 4-1 lead in the first two innings and held on.  Perth advanced the tying run in to scoring position in both the sixth and seventh.  Jordan Cowan hit a two-run homer in the first inning and Angus Roeger and Jordan McArdle each hit a solo homer in the second.

PERTH 5, ADELAIDE 3 IN ADELAIDE

Perth trailed 3-2 after seven but rallied for three in the eighth to win.  Michael Lee pitched seven innings, giving up three runs on nine hits and a walk with two strikeouts.

CANBERRA 8, MELBOURNE 1 IN CANBERRA

Already leading 4-0, Canberra scored four in the eighth to put the game out of reach.  Sean Guinard walked seven in 7.1 innings, but only gave up one run because he only gave up two hits and struck out six.  David Kandilas was 3-for-4 with a walk and two runs for Canberra.  River Stevens was 3-for-5 with a double and two runs for Canberra.  Josh Almonte hit a home run for Canberra and drove in five runs (not all on the home run--that would be a record).

BRISBANE 7, SYDNEY 6 IN BRISBANE

Trailing 4-1, Brisbane scored five in the third to take the lead, getting home runs by Trent Oeltjen and Mitch Nilsson in the inning.  Aaron Whitefield was 2-for-5 with a double and two runs for Brisbane and is now batting .350.  Logan Wade was 1-for-4 with a double and a run for Brisbane.  David Sutherland was 4-for-4 with two RBIs for Brisbane.

Games of January 11-12

GAMES OF JANUARY 11

VENEZUELAN LEAGUE

LA GUAIRA 4, ARAGUA 2 IN ARAGUA

Jose Castllo's RBI single in the ninth broke a 2-2 tie and a wild pitch brought home an insurance run.  Castillo was 3-for-4 with a walk.

That sets up the semi-final round, with La Guaira playing Lara and Zulia playing Anzoategui.  Both series are best-of-seven.

DOMINICAN LEAGUE

AGUILAS 6, LICEY 0 IN LICEY

Orlando Calixte's two-run triple capped a three-run first and the Aguilas led all the way.  Danny Santana was 2-for-4 with a triple for the Aguilas, scoring once and driving in two.  Chris O'Grady struck out six in five shutout innings for the Aguilas, giving up five hits and four walks.

ESCOGIDO 4, GIGANTES 2 AT GIGANTES

Escogido trailed 2-0 after four but scored one in the fifth, two in the sixth, and one in the seventh to win.  Jorge Polanco was 0-for-4 with a walk and scored once for Escogido.  Eury Perez hit a home run for Escogido.

STANDINGS

Aguilas, 10-2
Licey, 5-7
Escogido, 5-8
Gigantes, 4-7

PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE

CAGUAS 1, MAYAGUEZ 0 IN CAGUAS

The game's lone run was scored in the fourth on a hit batsman, a walk, a single, and another walk.  There were only seven hits in the game, four by Mayaguez and three by Caguas.  Eddie Rosario was 0-for-4 for Mayaguez.  Kennys Vargas was 0-for-3 with a walk for Mayaguez.  Benji Gonzalez was 1-for-3 for Mayaguez.  John Brownell pitched seven shutout innings for Caguas, giving up three hits and a walk.

Caguas wins the series 4-2.  That sets up the finals, which will be a best-of-nine series between Caguas and Santurce.

MEXICAN LEAGUE

LOS MOCHIS 5, CULIACAN 0 IN LOS MOCHIS

Los Mochis put together a single, a walk, and three more singles in the sixth, scoring three runs to take a 4-0 lead.  Manny Barreda struck out ten in eight shutout innings for Los Mochis, giving up two hits and two walks.  Leandro Castro was 3-for-3 with a home run for Los Mochis, scoring twice and driving in two.

Los Mochis leads the best-of-seven series 1-0.

MEXICALI 8, HERMOSILLO 7 IN MEXICALI

Hermosillo built a 7-2 lead through seven and a half, but Mexicali scored six runs in the eighth to win.  Luis Juarez hit a three-run homer in the inning and the go-ahead run scored on a Yuniesky Betancourt single.

Mexicali leads the best-of-seven series 1-0.

AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE*

MELBOURNE 11, CANBERRA 1 IN CANBERRA

Allan de San Miguel hit a two-run homer in a four-run first and Melbourne cruised to an easy win.  Mark Hamburger pitched a complete game for Melbourne, giving up one run on eight hits and a walk with seven strikeouts.  de San Miguel was 5-for-5 with a double in addition to his home run, scoring twice and driving in six.

ADELAIDE 5, PERTH 1 IN ADELAIDE

Adelaide hit three home runs in a four-run sixth, giving it a 4-1 lead.  Stefan Welch, Karl Hoschke, and Connor O'Gorman all had home runs in the inning.  Zach Cooper struck out seven in six innings for Adelaide, giving up one run on five hits and two walks.

BRISBANE 9, SYDNEY 4 IN BRISBANE

Brisbane turned six singles into a five-run sixth that gave it a 6-0 lead.  Aaron Whitefield was 2-for-5 and is batting ,345 for Brisbane.  Logan Wade was 1-for-5 with a run and is batting .309 for Brisbane.  Kramer Champlin pitched seven inning for Brisbane, giving up one run on three hits and no walks with six strikeouts.  David Sutherland was 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs for Brisbane.  Mitch Nilsson hit a home run for Brisbane.

*Games played January 12.  It's timey-wimey.

GAMES OF JANUARY 12

VENEZUELAN LEAGUE

ZULIA 3, ANZOATEGUI 2 IN ANZOATEGUI

Three walks and an error plated two runs for Zulia, breaking a 1-1 tie and putting Zuila ahead to stay.  Reynaldo Rodriguez was 0-for-3 with a walk for Zulia.  Wilfredo Boscan pitched four innings for Zulia, giving up one run on four hits and a walk with two strikeouts.  Anzoategui out-hit Zulia 10-2.  The first two Zulia batters got hits, and Zulia did not get another hit the rest of the game.

Zulia leads the best-of-seven series 1-0.

LA GUAIRA 7, LARA 6 IN LARA

La Guaira took a 5-0 lead in the first, but needed an RBI double by Heiker Meneses in the ninth to get the win.  Alcides Escobar hit two home runs for La Guaira.

La Guaira leads the best-of-seven series 1-0.

DOMINICAN LEAGUE

LICEY 4, GIGANTES 1 IN LICEY

Jason Rogers had a two-run single in a three-run third that put Licey in the lead to stay.  Cesar Valdez struck out six in 5.2 innings for Licey, giving up one run on five hits and a walk.

STANDINGS

Aguilas, 10-2
Licey, 6-7
Escogido, 5-8
Gigantes, 4-8

PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE

No games scheduled.

MEXICAN LEAGUE

LOS MOCHIS 14, CULIACAN 2 IN LOS MOCHIS

Already leading 3-1, Los Mochis scored seven in the seventh to put the game out of reach.  They had four home runs in the inning, solo shots by Juan Carlos Gamboa, Eugenio Velez, and Yosmany Guerra, and a three-run homer by Saul Soto.  Leandro Castro was 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI for Los Mochis.  Luis Niebla pitched six shutout innings for Los Mochis, giving up five hits and two walks with three strikeouts.  Velez and Gamboa were each 3-for-4 and each scored twice.

Los Mochis leads the best-of-seven series 2-0.

MEXICALI 16, HERMOSILLO 6 IN MEXICALI

Leading 1-0, Mexicali had an eight-run inning in the third to take control early.  Yordanys Linares was 4-for-6 with a triple and a double for Mexicali, scoring three times and driving in two.  C. J. Retherford was 3-for-5 with a home run and a walk for Mexicali, scoring twice and driving in two.  Luis Juarez was 3-for-4 with a walk and two runs for Mexicali.  Xorge Carrillo was 3-for-4 with a double and a walk for Mexicali, scoring once and driving in four.

Mexicali leads the best-of-seven series 2-0.

AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE*

MELBOURNE 12, CANBERRA 6 IN CANBERRA

Melbourne lost leads of 3-0 and 6-3, but scored two runs in the fifth on three walks, a sacrifice fly, and a wild pitch to take the lead for good.  Brad Harman was 3-for-4 with a home run, a double, and a walk for Melbourne, scoring twice and driving in three.  Liam Bedford 3-for-3 with a walk for Melbourne, scoring twice.  Mike Walker hit a three-run homer for Melbourne.

SYDNEY 10, BRISBANE 9 IN BRISBANE

Sydney led 5-0 and 8-3, fell behind 9-8, and got a two-run single from Tucker Neuhaus in the eighth to go ahead 10-9.  Aaron Whitefield was 1-for-2 with a run and is batting .347 for Brisbane.  Logan Wade was 0-for-4 with a walk for Brisbane.  Todd Van Steensel struck out two in a perfect inning for Sydney.  Neuhaus was 4-for-5 with two doubles, scoring once and driving in seven for Sydney.

PERTH AT ADELAIDE

Rained out.

*Games played January 13.  it's timey-wimey.

Games of January 9

VENEZUELAN LEAGUE

LARA 3, MARGARITA 0 IN LARA

It was scoreless until the seventh, when Carlos Rivero hit a two-run homer.  Lara added an insurance run in the eighth.  Jorge Martinez pitched 6.1 scoreless innings for Lara, giving up ten hits but no walks while striking out five.  Margarita out-hit Lara 10-4.

The best-of-seven series is tied 3-3.

ANZOATEGUI 18, LA GUAIRA 4 IN ANZOATEGUI

Trailing 2-0, Anzoategui scored six runs in the third to take control of the game.  They got a three-run homer from Denis Phipps and a solo homer by Luis Jimenez in the inning.  Jhoulys Chacin struck out six in five innings for Anzoategui, giving up two runs on five hits and four walks.  Phipps was 3-for-4 with two homers, a double, and two walks, scoring four times and driving in four.  Rene Reyes was 3-for-4 with a double and two walks for Anzoategui, scoring four times and driving in one.  Tomas Telis was 3-for-4 with a double and a walk for Anzoategui, scoring once and driving in four.

Anzoategui wins the series 4-2.

DOMINICAN LEAGUE

LICEY 6, ESCOGIDO 2 IN ESCOGIDO

Logan Moore hit a two-run homer in the second and another in the sixth to lead Licey to victory.  Jorge Polanco was 0-for-4 for Escogido.  Evan MacLane pitched seven innings for Licey, giving up two runs on seven hits and no walks with three strikeouts.  Moore was 3-for-4 and drove in five runs.  Sergio Alcantara was 3-for-4 for Licey.  Hanley Ramirez hit a home run for Licey.

GIGANTES AT AGUILAS

Rained out.

STANDINGS

Aguilas, 9-1
Licey, 5-5
Gigantes, 3-6
Escogido, 3-8

PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE

No games scheduled.

MEXICAN LEAGUE

HERMOSILLO 6, CULIACAN 3 IN CULIACAN

O'Koyea Dickson's two-run double in the first put Hermosillo in the lead to stay.  Fernando Perez added a two-run homer in the seventh to give Hermosillo a 5-1 lead.  Juan Pablo Oramas pitched four innings for Hermosillo, giving up one run on two hits and one walk with two strikeouts.  Perez was 3-for-5 with three RBIs.  Jason Bourgeois was 3-for-4 with a double and a walk for Hermosillo, scoring twice.

Hermosillo wins the series 4-3.

AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE

No games scheduled.

Games of January 7-8

GAMES OF JANUARY 7

VENEZUELAN LEAGUE

ANZOATEGUI 13, LA GUAIRA 2 IN LA GUAIRA

Leading 3-2, Anzoategui scored six in the fifth to put the game out of reach.  Oswaldo Arcia was 2-for-3 with two doubles and a walk for Anzoategui, scoring twice and driving in four.

Anzoategui leads the best-of-seven series 3-2.

MARGARITA 2, LARA 1 IN MARGARITA (16 INNINGS)

Lara scored in the third, Margarita scored in the fifth, and that was it until the sixteenth, when Jesus Aguilar's two-out single brought home Junior Sosa with the winning run.  Omar Bencomo pitched seven innings for Margarita, giving up one run on three hits and two walks with two strikeouts.  Jose Osuna was 5-for-6 with two walks for Margarita.  Aguilar was 4-for-8.  Sosa was 3-for-5 with three walks and an RBI.  Lara used thirteen pitchers and Margarita used nine.

Margarita leads the best-of-seven series 3-2.

DOMINICAN LEAGUE

GIGANTES 7, ESCOGIDO 6 AT GIGANTES

Pedro Lopez doubled home a run in the top of the eighth to put Escogido up 6-5, but RBI singles by Nelson Cruz and Maikel Franco gave the victory to the Gigantes.  Jorge Polanco was 1-for-4 with a walk and a run for Escogido.  Franco was 3-for-4 with a walk for the Gigantes, scoring twice and driving in two.

STANDINGS

Aguilas, 8-1
Gigantes, 3-5
Licey, 3-5
Escogido, 3-6

PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE

SANTURCE 11, CAROLINA 0 IN SANTURCE

Leading 2-0, Santurce had an eight-run inning to take control of the game.  Darin Downs pitched four shutout innings for Santurce, giving up two hits and no walks with three strikeouts.

Santurce leads the best-of-seven series 2-1.

CAGUAS 5, MAYAGUEZ 4 IN MAYAGUEZ

Randy Ruiz hit a three-run homer in the fifth to take a 5-1 lead and held on from there.  Mayaguez had the tying run in scoring position in the seventh and ninth but could not bring him home.  Eddie Rosario was 2-for-4 with a double for Mayaguez, scoring twice and driving in one.  Benji Gonzalez was 1-for-3 for Mayaguez.  Kennys Vargas was 1-for-4 for Mayaguez.  Dereck Rodriguez pitched a scoreless inning for Mayaguez, giving up two walks with one strikeout.  John Brownell pitched 5.2 innings for Caguas, giving up two runs on four hits and two walks with three strikeouts.

Mayaguez leads the best-of-seven series 2-1.

MEXICAN LEAGUE

LOS MOCHIS 4, MAZATLAN 3 IN MAZATLAN

With the score tied 3-3 in the seventh, Sebastian Valle doubled, went to third on a bunt, and scored on a sacrifice fly to give Los Mochis a lead they held the rest of the way.  Leandro Castro was 0-for-4 for Los Mochis.  Mazatlan out-hit Los Mochis 15-5 but stranded thirteen men.

Los Mochis wins the best-of-seven series 4-1.

CULIACAN 6, HERMOSILLO 2 IN HERMOSILLO

Culiacan scored one in the first and then got a single run in each of innings five through nine to win the game.  Daniel Rodriguez struck out seven in six innings for Culiacan, giving up two runs on three hits and a walk.

Culiacan leads the best-of-seven series 3-2.

NAVOJOA 8, MEXICALI 6 IN MEXICALI

Quincy Latimore hit a three-run homer to cap a six-run fourth that put Navojoa in the lead to stay.  Mexicali closed to 8-6 in the seventh and had the tying run on base in the seventh and the eighth.  Jesus Castillo was 3-for-4 with a double and a walk for Navojoa, scoring once and driving in three.  Niko Vasquez also homered for Navojoa.

Mexicali leads the best-of-seven series 3-2.

GAMES OF JANUARY 8

VENEZUELAN LEAGUE

No games scheduled.

DOMINICAN LEAGUE

AGUILAS 6, ESCOGIDO 2 IN ESCOGIDO

The Aguilas scored one in each of the first three innings and got three in the ninth to put the game out of reach.  Danny Santana was 2-for-4 with a triple and an RBI for the Aguilas.  Jorge Polanco was 2-for-4 for Escogido.  Jose Urena pitched five innings for the Aguilas, giving up two runs on seven hits and a walk with one strikeout.  Samuel Deduno used his magical zoomball to pitch two perfect innings for the Aguilas, striking out two.

LICEY 2, GIGANTES 1 AT GIGANTES (12 INNINGS)

It was 1-1 after four and stayed there until the twelfth, when Yamaico Navarro drew a two-out walk, stole second, and scored on a Hanley Ramirez single.  The Gigantes used ten pitchers and Licey used nine.  Jason Rogers was 3-for-5 with a double for Licey.

STANDINGS

Aguilas, 9-1
Licey, 4-5
Gigantes, 3-6
Escogido, 3-7

PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE

CAGUAS 2, MAYAGUEZ 1 IN CAGUAS (12 INNINGS)

A bases-loaded walk to Rey Navarro with two out in the twelfth produced the literal "walk"off win.  Eddie Rosario was 1-for-5 for Mayaguez.  Kennys Vargas was 0-for-5 for Mayaguez.  Benji Gonzalez was 0-for-4 for Mayaguez.  Orlando Roman pitched six hitless innings for Caguas, allowing just one walk and two strikeouts.  Randy Ruiz was 3-for-5 with an RBI for Caguas.

The best-of-seven series is tied 2-2.

SANTURCE 2, CAROLINA 0 IN CAROLINA

Santurce scored single runs in the second and sixth.  J. J. Fernandez was 0-for-3 for Carolina.  Adalberto Flores pitched five shutout innings for Santurce, giving up four hits and a walk with three strikeouts.  Abiatal Avelino was 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI for Santurce.

Santurce leads the best-of-seven series 3-1.

MEXICAN LEAGUE

MEXICALI 6, NAVOJOA 4 IN NAVAOJOA (10 INNINGS)

Navojoa led 3-0 after three, but it was tied 4-4 after five and Mexicali got two in the tenth to take the game.  Jon Del Campo was 4-for-5 with two runs and an RBI for Mexicali.  C. J. Retherford hit a home run for Mexicali.

Mexicali wins the best-of-seven series 4-2.

HERMOSILLO 5, CULIACAN 4 IN CULIACAN

Culiacan took a 4-0 lead in the fourth, but Hermosillo got three in the fifth and scored two unearned runs in the seventh to win.  Barry Enright pitched seven innings for Hermosillo, allowing four unearned runs on four hits and a walk with two strikeouts.

The best-of-seven series is tied 3-3.

AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE

CANBERRA 6, ADELAIDE 1 IN ADELAIDE

Already leading 2-1, Canberra got two-run doubles from Robbie Perkins and River Stevens in the sixth inning to put the game out of reach.  Scott Cone pitched 4.1 innings for Canberra, giving up one run on four hits and a walk with one strikeout.

MELBOURNE 5, BRISBANE 1 IN MELBOURNE

James Beresford's two-run single in the fifth broke a scoreless tie and Melbourne led the rest of the way.  Sam Gibbons pitched two shutout innings of relief for Melbourne, giving up three hits and no walks with no strikeouts.  Aaron Whitefield was 2-for-4 with a double for Brisbane and is batting .342.  Logan Wade was 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI for Brisbane and is batting .314.

PERTH 7, SYDNEY 6 IN PERTH (11 INNINGS)

Perth had leads of 2-0, 4-2, and 6-4, but Sydney came back to tie it each time.  They apparently have a rule in the Australian League that, after ten innings, each team starts its inning with men on first and second.  Sydney failed to score even with that advantage, but two errors produced the winning run for Perth.  Tim Kennelly was 3-for-5 with a double for Perth, scoring once and driving in one.