The Dominican League had a scheduled day off on Thursday.
MEXICAN PACIFIC LEAGUE
Venados de Mazatlan 2, Aguilas de Mexicali 1
Los Venados made full use of the 5 hits they collected, and took advantage of a Mexicali error, to slip by Los Aguilas for the win. Mexicali scored first, when LF Adam Rosales (Reds) walked to lead off the 2nd inning, then went to second on a single, to third on a fly out, and scored on a ground out. The Mazatlan batters could not get much going for the first 5 innings. The only two hits in those innings were a lead-off single in the bottom of the 1st by 2B Brian Bixler, who then stole second base (his 4th), and a single by LF Rogelios Noris to lead off the 3rd. Noris also began the 6th with a single, and moved to second base on a balk. A grounder to short let Noris advance to third base, but he had to hold up on Bixler's grounder to third. Noris scored easily, though, on RF Christian Quintero's triple, and the score was tied. Los Venados took the slim lead in the 7th, when CF Ruben Rivera singled and stole second base. Noris was hit by a pitch, and when SS Heber Gomez grounded to short, a throwing error let Rivera score the go-ahead run. Noris is now hitting .414 in his 10 games for Mazatlan, and he's had at least one hit in all but the first of the 8 games in which he's had a plate appearance. The rookie now has a 7-game hitting streak.
Naranjeros de Hermosillo 5, Tomateros de Culiacan 2
CF Luis Cruz went 2-for-3 and Culiacan posted 11 hits, but it wasn't enough to overcome Hermosillo. Culiacan scored one run on two singles in the 1st, and Cruz loaded the bases with another single in that inning, but they could not push another run across. A double and a single gave Los Tomateros another run in the 3rd, and Cruz followed with another double, but the runner who was trying to score from first base was thrown out at the plate. Hermosillo scored 2 runs in the 2nd and 3 more in the 3rd, including a 2-run homer by former Pirate DH Humberto Cota.
VENEZUELAN LEAGUE
Cardenales de Lara 11, Bravos de Margarita 8
Three walks and a triple followed by a sacrifice fly gave Lara 4 runs in the bottom of the 8th to surge past Margarita for the win. Neither starting pitcher had a good night. Derek Hankins made the start for Lara, and he surrendered 6 runs on 5 hits and 4 walks in 4 innings. After he retired the side in the 1st, Margarita scored 3 runs in the 2nd, on a walk, a double by 3B Neil Walker, another walk, and a bases-clearing triple. Walker's second double of the game plated another run in the 3rd, and a 2-run homer by 2B Ray Olmedo in the 4th brought Los Bravos up to 6 runs.
Former Indy Indian Michael Tejera made the start for Margarita. He also gave up 6 runs (5 earned), but in less than 2 innings, on 5 hits and 2 walks. Two doubles, a single, and a throwing error by Walker gave Lara 3 runs in the 1st inning. A walk, two singles, and two sacrifices plated 3 more runs in the 2nd and chased Tejera from the game. Lara took the lead with a single, two walks, and a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 4th. Margarita made it 8-7 in the 7th, on a walk, an RBI double, and an RBI single, but they could not hold off Lara in the 8th.
Tigres de Aragua 6, Caribes de Anzoategui 4
C Raul Chavez made the difference for Aragua, with a 2-run double in the 7th inning. A double, two walks (one by 1B Hector Gimenez) and a 2-RBI single gave Aragua their first two runs in the 2nd inning. A walk, a single by Gimenez, and an RBI single added another run in the 3rd, and SS Ronny Cedeno's triple followed by a single brought in one more in the 4th. Los Caribes kept up, with a run in the 2nd on a double and a single, and two more runs in the 3rd on a double, a single, and a sacrifice fly. A wild pitch and a fileding error after a double gave Los Caribes the tying run in the 5th inning. Cedeno also had a stolen base and a single in the 8th inning. CF Gorkys Hernandez singled and stole a base for Los Caribes in the 4th inning.
Tiburones de La Guaira 7, Navegantes de Magallanes 3
Bobby Livingston faced only two batters over the minimum in his first 4 innings on the mound for La Guaira. He gave up a single in the 1st inning and a walk in the 2nd, and promptly erased both base runners with double plays. His only trouble came in the 5th, when he gave up a walk, a double, and a 3-run homer. He finished with 5.2 innings of work, allowing just those two walks and three hits, with 3 strikeouts, and earned his first winter league win. That was all the scoring Los Navegantes would do in the game. Magallanes SS Argenis Diaz went 0-for-3. Livingston got plenty of run support, as his teammates provided a solo homer in the 2nd, and 3 runs in the 3rd. A wild pitch, and two errors in the 5th contributed to one run by La Guaira in the 5th, and a walk, two singles, and a double gave them two more in the 7th.
Aguilas de Zulia 6, Leones de Caracas 4
Chris Hernandez earned his 6th save of the season for Zulia with a perfect 9th inning, including 2 strikeouts. C Carlos Maldonado struck out twice and was hit by a pitch for Caracas.
