Winter League Playoffs: Through Games of January 18

A look at the playoffs in the Caribbean Leagues.

VENEZUELAN WINTER LEAGUE

STANDINGS

Anzoategui, 9-4
Magallanes, 9-4
Zulia, 5-8
Aragua, 5-8
La Guaira, 4-8

Each team plays sixteen games in the round-robin playoff, which means it's basically between Anzoategui and Magallanes for the league championship.  The playoffs end on Thursday.

MEXICAN PACIFIC LEAGUE

SEMI-FINALS

Jalisco defeats Obregon, 4-2
Mexicali and Culiacan are tied 3-3

The league championship series begins Thursday.

DOMINICAN WINTER LEAGUE

ORIENTE 7, CIBAO 3 IN CIBAO (GAME 1 OF CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

Oriente:  Jordany Valdespin (Miami) was 2-for-4 with a walk and a two-run homer, scoring twice.  Mike Bianucci was 2-for-4 with a home run.  Edgar Garcia (Arizona) pitched two shutout innings, giving up one hit with one strikeout.

Cibao:  Carlos Peguero (Texas) was 1-for-4 with a two-run homer.  Maikel Franco (Philadelphia) was 2-for-3 with a walk and a run.  James Hoyt (Houston) retired all five batters he faced with one strikeout.

The game:  Bianucci hit a solo homer and Valdespin hit a two-run shot, both in the second inning, to put Oriente up 4-1.  There were no runs scored after the fourth inning.

Oriente leads the series one game to none.  Game two will be played tonight.

PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE

STANDINGS

Santurce, 8-4
Mayaguez, 8-5
Carolina, 7-6
Caguas, 2-10

Each team plays twelve games in the round-robin playoff, but Mayaguez and Carolina tied for second and so had to play an extra game.  Santurce and Mayaguez begin play for the league championship Tuesday.