Tigres drop 2nd playoff game to Tiburones

Photo courtesy of los Tigres de Aragua

La Guaira 5 at Aragua 3

W: W. Collazo (1-0, 3.38); L: J. Santiago (0-1, 13.50); SV: F. Rodriguez (1)
HR: LAG: A. Cabrera 2 (2). ARA: M. Prado (1).

Los Tigres de Aragua could not hold an early lead Thursday against los Tiburones de La Guaira at Jose Perez Colmenarez Stadium, falling 5-3 in game two of their round-robin playoff campaign.

Alberto Callaspo (Kansas City) reached on a fielding error in the first inning and moved to 2nd on a sac bunt by Ronny Cedeno (Chicago Cubs). Edgar Alfonzo (Texas) doubled Callaspo in to put the Cats on the board.

La Guaira took the point back in the top of the 2nd though when Alex Cabrera (F/A) homered over the left field wall to tie the score. Martin Prado (Atlanta) answered back with a home run of his own in the bottom of the stanza to make it 2-1 Tigers.

But Tigres starter Jose Santiago (NY Mets) got into trouble in the top of the 3rd. After getting Gregor Blanco (Atlanta) out on strikes, he allowed a double to Danny Sandoval (Cleveland) and a single to Oscar Salazar (Baltimore). Cabrera then knocked his 2nd homer of the game over the left field fence to make it 4-2 Sharks.

In the top of the fourth, Luis Hernandez (Baltimore) singled for La Guaira then stole 2nd. Blanco's ground out moved him to 3rd, and he came was plated by a Sandoval single. Oswaldo Sosa (Minnesota) would take over the mound at that point, and would go on to work 2.2 scoreless innings allowing only 2 hits while striking out 2.

The Cats would get one more in the bottom of the sixth when former Miracle Luis Maza (LA Dodgers) doubled then came home on a Luis Rodriguez (San Diego) single. Aragua could not complete the rally though, falling short, getting only 1 hit in the final 3.2 innings of the game.

Bobby Korecky (Minnesota) worked one inning for Aragua, allowing 1 hit and 1 walk while striking out 1. Victor Moreno (Baltimore) worked 1.2 innings, striking out 1.

Tigre's 3rd baseman Miguel Cabrera (Detroit) was 0-for-3 at the plate with a walk. Maza was 2-for-4 with a run, L-Rod was 1-for-4 with 1 RBI, and Alex Romero (Arizona) was 0-for-1, entering the game last as a pinch hitter.

The two teams rematch Friday night at 7:30 PM AST.

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Tigres de Aragua

Errors costly in Aragua loss

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Aragua 3 at Lara 5

W: G. Carrara (1-0, 0.00); L: H. Bonilla (0-1, 7.20); SV: J. Rincon (1)
HR: ARA: A. Romero (1).

Los Tigers de Aragau did not fair so well in the opening game of the round robin playoffs, finding little offense against los Cardenales de Lara and getting a less then adequate outing from former Miracle pitcher Henry Bonilla (LA Angels).

Luis Ugueto (F/A) walked to start out the bottom of the first for the home town Cardenales. Marco Scutaro (Toronto) singled him to 2nd, and he moved to 3rd on a throwing error by Tigres 3rd baseman Miguel Cabrera (Detroit). Adam Jones (Seattle) singled to plate Ugueto, while Scutaro came home on a Robert Perez (F/A) ground out. Following a Selwyn Langaigne (F/A) fly out, Guilder Rodriguez (Milwaukee) singled in Jones.

A Scutaro double in the 3rd proved costly as singles by Perez and Rodriguez added two more runs to the board. A throwing error by Ronny Cedeno (Chicago Cubs) contributed to Perez crossing the plate giving the Cardinels a 5-0 advance.

Lara starter Giovanni Carrera (LA Dodgers) allowed only 2 hits and 1 walk to the Tigres over 6 innings. The Cats would not get onto the board until the top of the 7th inning.

With Ivan Blanco (Seattle) on the mound in relief of Carrera, back-to-back singles by Edgardo Alfonzo (Texas) and Hector Gimenez (Houston) put runners on board. Luis Maza (LA Dodgers) would reach on a fielder's choice that nabbed Alfonzo, but it mattered little as Alex Romero (Arizona) went yard over the right field fence to give the Cats 3.

The only other hit Aragua would manage after that came off Juan Rincon (Minnesota) in the 9th inning, sounding doom for the Tigers.

Bonilla allowed 5 runs (4 earned) on 8 hits and 1 walk while striking out 3 in 5 innings. Jose Mijares and Yohan Pino (both Minnesota) combined for 1 inning, striking out at total of 3.

Luis Rodriguez (San Diego) was 2-for-4 at the plate, Maza was 0-for-4 with a run and Romero was 1-for-3 with a run and 3 RBIs. Cabrera was 0-for-4, batting 3rd in the line up. Ugueto was 0-for-3 with Lara, with 1 run.

Los Tigres take on los Tiburones de La Guaira Thursday and Friday at 7:30 PM AST for the next two games in round robin playoffs.

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Tigres de Aragua

Cats fall in season finale

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Aragua 8 at Magallanes 9

W: I. Maldonado (1-3, 3.54); L: K. Tolar (0-2, 3.94)
HR: None.

Los Tigres de Aragua dropped the last game of the regular Venezuelan Winter League season to finish in 3rd place in the standings, 7 games back from the League leading Caribes de Anzoategui. As always with the last game of the season, the goal was to see which team could get the most players in their line up.

With 2 outs in the bottom of the second inning Arturo Rivas (F/A) walked for los Navegantes del Magallanes and moved to 2nd on an Erold Andrus (Tampa Bay) line drive. Gustavo Molina (Baltimore) doubled Rivas in, Andrus would be taken out home plate to end the inning.

The Cats answered back in the top of the 3rd with Alex Delgado (F/A) getting to first on a single to center, then moving to 2nd on a wild pitch by Navegantes starter Jean Machi (Toronto). Following a strike out to Jose Martinez (St Louis), Luis Rodriguez (San Diego) was hit by a pitch. Former Miracle Luis Maza (LA Dodgers) went down swinging for the 2nd out, but another wild pitch by Machi saw Delgao to 3 and Rodriguez to 2nd. Mike Aviles (Kansas City), also struck out, but pitch went went wild allowing Delgado to score, Rodriguez to move to 3rd and Aviles to first. An errant throw on a pick off attempt by Machi saw Rodriguez cross the plate and Aviles get to 3rd before Gimenez would like out to end the inning.

With one out in the top of the fifth, Martinez doubled, followed by a Ramon Castro (F/A) single. Maza reached on a fielding error allowing Martinez to score. Aviles lined out, but Giminez singled to bring in Castro, who'd replaced Rodriguez in the line up. Ruben Salazar (F/A) doubled bringing in the two runners to give Aragua a 6-1 lead.

In the bottom of the inning, Oswaldo Soso (Minnesota) replaced starter Cory Bailey (Cichago Cubs) on the mound for the Cats. Gustavo Molina (Baltimore) opened with a single. Johan Silva (F/A) walked and Richard Paz (F/A) singled to load the bases. A sac fly by Edgardo Alfonzo (F/A) brought in Molina. Jose Leon (F/A) then doubled to bring in Silva. Bobby Korecky (Minnesota) would be brought in to replace Sosa. He allowed a single to Pablo Sandoval (San Francisco) which plated Paz before getting Jesus Merchan (Philadelphia) to ground into a double play to end the inning.

Wilson Ramos (Minnesota) who had been with the Aragua developmental team that recently won the 2007 Championship, entered the game to pinch hit for Delgado and lined out to right. Martinez and Castro would hit back-to-back singles before another pitching change for los Navegantes saw Clevelan Stanteliz (Chicago White Sox) on the mound. Maza ground out, but Martinez was able to score on the play. A wild pitch moved Castro to 3rd, and a single by Aviles served to bring him home, making the score 8-4.

But Magallanes did not rest, as Rivas doubled and Andrus was hit by a pitch. Saloman Manriquez (Texas), pinch hitting for Molina, ground into a double play, but Silva followed that up with a triple that plated Rivas. Following a walk to Paz, Jose Mijares (Minnesota) would replace Korecky on the mound. Marcos Vechionacci (NY Yankees) reached on a throwing error by Castro that also allowed Silva to score before Jose Leon (F/A) struck out swinging.

The bottom of the 8th saw Andrus score. He'd reach on a missed catch by Aragua pitcher Jason Karnuth (Detroit) and moved to 3rd on a single by Manriguez.

Kevin Tolar (F/A) would be brought in to close out the game for the Cats, but a single to Vechionacci and pinch hitter Jose Munoz (Pittsburgh) followed by a sac bunt by Sandoval put 2 runners in scoring position. A single to Merchan brought in the pair, giving los Navegantes the go ahead run and ending the game.

Ramos finished up 0-for-2 catching the rest of the game after the replaced Delgado. Rodriguez was 0-for-1 with a run. Maza was 0-for-5 with a run and 2 RBIs. Romero was 0-for-3, and finishes up the season hitting .186. Merchan, a former Miracle, was 1-for-3, while Andrus was 1-for-3 with a run.

On the pitching end off things, Sosa allowed 3 runs on 3 hits and 1 walk in .1 inning, finishing up the season with a 5.63 era in 23.2 innings pitched. Korecky faired a bit better, allowing 2 runs, 1 earned) on 3 hits in 1.1 inning and end with a 3.08 era in 36.2 innings pitched. Mijares struck out 1 in .2 innings, concluding the regular season with a 1.86 era in 18.2 inning pitched.

Yohan Pino (Minnesota), who did not play in the game finished up with a 2-2 record and a 1.69 era in 26.2 innings pitched.

The first games of the round-robin playoffs are being played in Puerto La Cruz and Barquisimeto Wednesday, January 2nd, with the Bravos facing los Caribes and the Cardinales going up against los Tigers. MLB.com does not list the games, so I do not know if they'll be covering the playoffs.

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Tigers de Aragua

Cats drop last home game to Caribes

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Caribes 5 at Aragua 3

W: O. Montero (1-1, 4.32); L: R. Garcia (3-3, 2.32); SV: M. Palmer (3)
HR: ORI: A. Camacaro (1).

Los Caribes de Anzoategui dropped the home town los Tigres de Aragua 5-3 on Saturday.

The Cats got onto the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth when Miguel Cabrera (Detroit) hit a single out to right, then moved to second with a similar hit from Hector Gimenez (Houston). Mike Aviles (Kansas City) and Alex Romero (Arizona) both recorded fly outs, but Ronny Cedeno (Chicago Cubs) connected for a double to bring in the two runners. Luis Fegueroa (San Francisco) singled Cedeno in.

Detroit's Eleazar Aponte worked 3.2 innings, getting charged for all 3 runs on hit and 1 walk before being replaced by Free Agent Oscar Montero.

The visitors answered in the top of the 5th. Armando Carnacaro (Cleveland) hit a solo home run over the left field wall. Henry Guerrero (St Louis) followed that with a single before Cesar Salazar (San Francisco) reached on error by Cedeno. Andres Torres (Detroit) moved the runners with a sac bunt before Billy Rojo (Cincinnati) would double in the runners to tie up the game.

Carnacaro hit for a single in the top of the 6th, and moved to second on a single by Guerrero. Salazar's line drive to center brought in Carmacaro to give control of the game to the Caribes.

A pair of errors in the 9th, led to 2 more runs for the Caribes to finish off the scoring.

Cabrera was 1-for2 at the plate with a run. Former Miracle Luis Rodriguez (San Diego) and Luis Maza (LA Dodgers) were both 2-for-5 at the plate but did not figure into the scoring. Romero was 0-for-2 with a walk.

Baltimore's Rosman Garcia suffered the loss on the mound for the Cats, hit 3rd of the season. Victor Moreno (Baltimore) pitched 2 innings of relief, walking 1.

The Tigres finish off the 2007 regular season on the road Sunday against los Navegantes del Magallanes. The playoffs begin on January 2nd and will include the Cats, los Caribes, the Cardinales, Braves and Sharks.

Aragua will likely face los Cardenales de Lara for the semifinal pairing.

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