Throwing error costs Tigres

Photo courtesy of los Tigres de Aragua

Aragua 9 at Lara 10

W: J. Rincon (1-0, 0.00); L: V. Moreno (1-1, 2.45)
HR: LAR: G. Rodriguez (1).

Minnesota's Juan Rincon picked up his first playoff win as the Cardenales de Lara picked up a late inning win over the Tigres de Aragua.

The Tigers got on the board first in the top of the 2nd when Miguel Cabrera (Detroit), Hector Gimenez (Tampa Bay) and Alex Romero (Arizona) all singled off Cardenales starter Giovanni Carrera (LA Dodgers). Romero's single plated Cabrera, and following a strike out to Luis Maza (LA Dodgers), Gimenez would score on a sac-fly off the bat of Ronny Cedeno (Chicago Cubs).

They added to that lead in the top of the 3rd when Luis Rodriguez (San Diego) doubled and then crossed the plate on a Cabera single.

Rosman Garcia (Baltimore) took the start for the Tigres and walked Tomas Perez (F/A) to start off the bottom of the 3rd inning. He'd then allow singled to Luis Ugueto (F/A) and Marco Scutaro (Toronto), with Perez crossing the plate on Scutaro's grounder. Yohan Pino (Minnesota) would come into the game to pitch at that point. Ugueto would steal 3rd base, and an Adam Jones (Seattle) single pushed him over the plate. Scutaro moved to 3rd on Robert Perez's (F/A) ground out, and was plated by a Jose Lopez (Seattle) single to right, tying up the score.

It would stay that way until the top of the 6th. Julio Pinto (Cleveland) came in to replace Carrara, and allowed a Edgardo Alfonzo (Texas) single to lead off. Following a line out by Cabrera, Gimenez walked and Romero singled to load the bases. Lara would bring Cesar Jimenez (Seattle) into the game to replace Pinto. Maza greeted him with a deep single that brought in 2 runners. Cedeno then hit a sac fly to score Romero. A double by Alex Delgado (F/A) brought in Maza, giving the Cats a 4 run lead.

With Jason Karnuth (Detroit) on the mound for Aragua, Guillero Rodriguez (San Francisco) would homer. Wiki Gonzalez (Chicago White Sox) then reached on a fielding error which also moved him to second. A Tomas Perez (Houston) single and an Ugueto sac fly scored Gonzalez, cutting the los Tigres lead to 2.

Back-to-back singles to Lopez and Selwyn Langaigne (F/A) set the stage for a 3 run 7th inning. Rodriguez would ground out to score Lopez. A double by Perez brought in Langaigne and following a pitching change that put Jose Mijares (Minnesota) on the mound for los Tigers, Ugueto would single in Perez.

Scott Patterson (Seattle) would take over the pitching duties in the top of the 8th for Lara allowing a single to Martin Prada (Atlanta). Following a strike out by Maza, Cendeno's single moved Prado to 3rd. Rincon then took over the mound for the Red Birds. A single to Alex Nunez (F/A) brought in Prado, and a fielder's choice by Lara's Rodriguez allowed Cedeno to score, putting the Tigres up by one.

But the lead would be short lived. With Victor Moreno (Baltimore) pitching for Aragua, Jones singled them moved to 2nd on a wild pitch. Perez singled, moving Jones to 3rd. He'd come home on a second wild pitch to tie the game. Lopez bunt put Perez on 3rd. Rodriguez then reached on a fielder's choice that took Perez down at 3rd, but a throwing error by Cabrera allowed Lopez to score, giving the lead, and the win to Lara.

Rincon pitched 1.2 innings allowing 1 hit and striking out 2. He is sporting a 0.00 ERA in the playoffs. Pino pitched 2 innings for Aragua, allowing 3 hits and 1 walk while striking out 1. Oswaldo Sosa (Minnesota) pitched 1 inning, allowing 1 hit and striking out 1. Mijares allowed 1 hit and struck out 1 in .1 inning, the run was charged to Ivan Maldonado (NY Mets) as inherited.

Ugueto, a former Miracle, was 2-for-3 with a walk, a run and 2 RBIs to the home team. Cabrera was 2-for-5 with 1 run and 1 RBI for the visiting Tigres. L-Rod was 2-for-5 with a run, Romero was 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI, and Maza was 1-for-4 with 1 run and 2 RBIs.

The two teams rematch Wednesday night in Aragua at 7:30 PM AST. Aragua faces los Tiburones de La Guaira on the road for 7:30 PM AST game on Tuesday.

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Tigres de Aragua

The Twins signed right handed pitcher Jerome Williams to a minor league contract on Friday. He is expected to join the Red Wings for the 2008 season. Williams started the 2007 with the Washington Nationals, going 0-5 with a 7.20 ERA in six starts. Williams also spent time with Washington's Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Columbus clubs before being released this past week.