Tigres nearly toothless against La Guaira

Photo courtesy of los Tigres de Aragua

La Guaira 5 at Aragua 2

W: D. Carrasco (1-0, 2.04); L: C. Bailey (1-2, 4.58); SV: J. Albaladejo (2)
HR: None.

The Tigres could get little offense going Tuesday against La Guaira, managing only six hits in route to a 5-2 loss at the hands of los Tiburones.

Aragua actually got on the board early, when Jesus Feliciano (NY Mets) singled to start things off and was followed onto the bags by Luis Mara (LA Dodgers). Ronny Cedeno (Chicago Cubs) reached on a fielding error by Boston's Chris Carter to load the bases. Mike Aviles (Kansas City) then hit into a force out that took Feliciano out at home. A similar play failed however, when Alex Romero (Arizona) reached first and Maza scampered home to put the Tigres on the board with only 1 out. But Martin Prado (Atlanta) would ground into a double play to finish off the first.

The Sharks got things moving in the 5th inning when Chicago Cubs starter Cory Bailey began to tire. Ron Acuna (F/A) knocked a ground ball to center to get on base, and Carlos Fernandez-Oliva (Boston) laid down a lovely bunt to follow him onto the basepaths. A sac-bunt by Alvin Colina (Cincinnati) moved the pair around. Danny Sandoval (Philadelphia) then cracked out triple out to right that brought them in. New York Yankee's catcher Raul Chavez managed to pick Sandoval off at 3rd, but Bailey issued a walk to Atlanta's Gregor Blanco. Cesar Suarez's (Tampa Bay) single put two runners on at which point the Tigres called for a pitcher change.

Former Miracle Oswaldo Sosa (Minnesota) came onto the mound for Aragua. I believe this was his first appearance of the season, despite being on the roster from the start. Alex Sanchez (Chicago White Sox) greeted him with a single that plated Blanco. Oscar Salazar (Baltimore) took a walk to load the bags, and Carter's single out to center scored 2 more runners. Acuna would fly out to end the long inning.

Los Tigres threatened for a time in the sixth, but could not get a runner past 2nd base against La Guaira's defense.

Aragua used a pair of walks, a wild pitch and a throwing error by Sandoval to get Cedeno over the plate in the bottom of the 8th, but Jonathan Albaladejo (Washington) got Prado to ground out to end the inning, then shut down the Tigres in the ninth.

Shark's starter D.J. Carrasco (Arizona) would pick up the win for La Guaira, while Bailey absorbed the loss for the Tigers.

Maza as 1-for-4 with a run for the Aragua, while Romero (Arizona) was 0-for-4 with 1 RBI.

Aragua takes on Magallanes Wednesday at 7:30 PM AST before playing a pair against the Sharks on Thursday and Friday.

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Tigres

Minnesota's Brian Bass was named Aragua's player of the week, collecting 2 wins in starts during the 3rd week of Venezuelan Winter League Action droping his ERA to 0.46. Last Tuesday in Maracay, he worked 5 innings, facing 17 batters allowed only 3 hits and struck out 2. Four days later against Margarita he worked 6.1 innings, allowing 3 hits and striking out 3. Kansas City's Mike Avilas received honorable mention in "the week feline". Tigres