Tigres blank Cardenales, 6-0

Photo courtesy of los Tigres de Aragua

Lara 0 at Aragua 6

W: C. Bailey (1-0, 0.87); L: G. Gonzalez (1-1, 6.00)
HR: None.

Los Tigres de Aragua took a measure of revenge for Monday's loss to Lara by blanking the Cardenales 6-0 in the Wednesday night rematch.

Cory Bailey (Chicago Cubs) pitched 5.2 innings for the Tigres, limiting Lara to 4 hits and striking out 4.

Meanwhile the Tigres wasted little time getting on the scoreboard.

Alberto Callaspo (Kansas City) lead off with a single for the Cats, and Louis Rodriguez (San Diego) followed him onto base with a double. An Edgardo Alfonzo (Texas) ground out served to plate Callaspo for the Tigres first run.

The Cats held on to the one run lead until the bottom of the 6th when Rodriguez and Alfonzo hit back-to-back singles to lead off. Following a fly out of Miguel Cabrera (Detroit), Hector Giminez (Tampa Bay) singled in L-Rod. Former Miracle Alex Romero (Arizona) then ripped a triple to right to score the other 2 runners. Ronny Cedeno (Chicago Cubs) walked to first after he was hit by a pitch, then stole 2nd base. Lara's Geremi Gonzalez (F/A) then issued an intentional walk to Luis Maza (LA Dodgers) to load the bases. Following an Alex Delgado (F/A) strike out, Callaspo singled to bring in Romero and Cedeno. Maza however, would be taken out at 3rd base on the play, ending the inning.

Cabrera was 0-for-4 at the plate in the designed hitter roll. L-Rod went 3-for-3 with a run, Romero was 2-for-4 with a run and 2 RBIs and Maza went 0-for-2 with a pair of walks.

Minnesota's Bobby Korecky worked 1 inning, allowing 1 hit and striking out 1. Victor Moreno (Baltimore) pitched 1.1 innings, striking out 2.

Los Tigres take Thursday off. They will face La Guaria on the road Friday for a 7:30 PM AST game.

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The Twins Winter Caravan makes a 10 Am stop on Thursday at Lee Cancer Care at the Lee Memorial Hospital, 2776 Cleveland Ave. in Fort Myers. At 1:30, they will be at the Health Park Medical Center at 9981 Health Park Drive in Fort Myers, visiting the children there.

Pitchers Jesse Crain and Carmen Cali, infielder Tommy Watkins and Twins radio play-by-play announcer John Gordon are scheduled to participate in the Southwest Florida leg of the Caravan.

The Winter Caravan begins its Minnesota tour on Monday, January 14th with stops in Hutchinson, St. Peter, Makato, Detroit Lakes, Crookston, Fergus Falls and Grand Forks, North Dakota.

The Southwest Florida Youth Clinics schedule begins Saturday, January 12 at Lee County Sports Complex. You can find a complete schedule of the clinics HERE.

Tickets for individual Minnesota Twins Grapefruit League games also go on sale Saturday morning at Hammond Stadium, online at twinsbaseball.com, or by calling 1-800-33-TWINS. The Twins' 2008 Spring Training home opener will take place at Hammond Stadium on Friday, February 29 (7:05 p.m. EST) against the 2007 World Series Champion Boston Red Sox.

Cats blank Sharks, 5-0

Photo courtesdy of los Tigres de Aragua

Aragua 5 at La Guaira 0

W: J. Santiago (1-1, 5.00); L: W. Collazo (1-1, 4.63)
HR: ARA: W. Romero (1), R. Salazar (1).

Los Tigers de Aragua bounced back from the their loss on Monday to blank los Tiburones de La Guaira on Tuesday.

Jose Santiago (NY Mets) worked 5.2 innings allowing only 5 hits and 1 walk while striking out 1 to pick up the win. Bobby Korecky (Minnesota) worked 1.1 innings in relief, walking 3, and Jose Mijares (Minnesota) struck out 3 in the 8th inning.

The Cats would not get on the board until the 5th inning when Willie Romero (F/A) went yard over the center field wall. Romero then tripled in the 7th, and following Raul Chavez (Pittsburgh) getting plunked by a pitch, he'd be plated by an Alberto Callaspo (Kansas City) single.

A walk to Luis Rodriguez (San Diego) would load up the bases. Following a pitching change and a line out to Edgardo Alfonzo (Texas), Miguel Cabrera (Detroit) clobbered a double out to left that brought in 2 more runners, making the score 4-0 Tigres.

Ruben Salazar's (F/A) home run in the 8th finished off the scoring.

Cabrera finished up 2-for-3 with a walk, a pair of doubles and 2 RBIs in the contest. L-Rod was 0-for-4 with a walk, Luis Maza (LA Dodgers) was also 0-for-4.

The Tigres host los Cardenales de Lara Wednesday night at 7:30 PM AST before taking a night off on Thursday.

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Tigers de Aragua

The Minnesota Twins today announced the team's annual Winter Caravan will include several community appearances in Southwest Florida this week. Twins pitchers Jesse Crain and Carmen Cali, Twins infielder Tommy Watkins, along with Twins Radio Network play-by-play announcer John Gordon are scheduled to appear Wednesday, January 9 through Friday, January 11 throughout the Fort Myers area. A brief description of this week's events is listed below.

Wed., Jan. 9
12:30 - 2:30 p.m.
Caloosa Harbour Seniors Residence
2525 1st Street, Fort Myers

Thurs. Jan. 10
10 a.m.
Lee Cancer Care, Lee Memorial Health System
2776 Cleveland Avenue, Fort Myers

1:30 p.m.
Health Park Medical Center
9981 Health Park Drive, Fort Myers

Fri. Jan. 11
10 a.m.
Royal Palm Exceptional Center
3050 Indian Street, Fort Myers

The Southwest Florida Youth Clinics schedule begins Saturday, January 12 at Lee County Sports Complex. You can find a complete schedule of the clinics HERE.

Tickets for individual Minnesota Twins Grapefruit League games also go on sale Saturday morning at Hammond Stadium, online at www.twinsbaseball.com, or by calling 1-800-33-TWINS. The Twins' 2008 Spring Training home opener will take place at Hammond Stadium on Friday, February 29 (7:05 p.m. EST) against the 2007 World Series Champion Boston Red Sox.

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.

Giminez Double leads to Tigers victory

Photo courtesy of los Tigres de Aragua

Lara 2 at Aragua 3

W: V. Moreno (1-0, 0.00); L: M. Carvajal (0-1, 7.71); SV: F. Butto (1)
HR: LAR: R. Perez (1).

Los Tigres de Aragua managed to get themselves back into the playoff race on Sunday, defeating the previously unbeaten Cardenales de Lara 3-2.

Horacio Estrada (F/A) took the starter for Aragua working 5 innings and holding Lara to 4 hits while striking out 4. Despite that, Lara did pick up a run in the 4th, when Adam Jones (Seattle) singled with one out, then moved to second on a Robert Perez (F/A) double. Jose Lopez (Seattle) would bring Perez in on a sac fly.

The Tigres would not answer back until the bottom of the 6th. Alberto Callaspo (Kansas City) drew a walk off Lara's Ivan Blanco (Seattle) to start off. Luis Rodriguez (San Diego) moved him around on a sac bunt. Following a fly out to left by Edgardo Alfonzo (Texas), Miguel Cabrera (Detroit) doubled Callaspo in, to tie up the game.

A single by Alfonza and a walk by Cabrera would turn into 2 more Tigres runs in the bottom of the 8th when Hector Gimenez (Houston) doubled in the pair to give Aragua a 3-1 lead.

Robert Perez (F/A) would homer off Frank Butto (F/A) in the 9th with 2 outs, but Butto got Lopez out on strikes to end the game and preserve the win.

Cabrera would finish up 1-for-3 with a walk, a run and one RBI. L-Rod was 0-for-3, as was Fort Myers alumni Luis Maza (LA Dodgers).

Bobby Korecky (Minnesota) worked 1.2 innings, striking out 1, Jose Mijares (Minnesota) picked up the other .1 of the inning. Victor Moreno (Baltimore) earned the win, allowing 1 hit and striking out 1.

The two teams rematch Monday night in Lara at 7:30 PM AST. Aragua then faces La Guaira on Tuesday.

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Tigres de Aragua

Tigres hang on for first playoff win

Photo courtesy of los Tigres de Aragua

La Guaria 3 at Aragua 4

W: F. Butto (1-0, 0.00); L: S. Randolph (0-1, 10.80)
HR: LAG: A. Colina (1).

Los Tigres de Aragua took a 3rd inning lead and managed to hang on to win, 4-3 over los Tiburones de La Guaira Friday night at José Pérez Colmenares Stadium.

With one out, Luis Rodriguez (San Diego) and Alberto Callaspo (Kansas City) hit back-to-back singles to get the Tigres started. Following a Luis Maza (LA Dodgers) fly out, Edgardo Alfonzo (Texas) singled to bring in Rodriguez. Miguel Cabrera (Detroit) drew a walk before Ruben Salazar (F/A) doubled to clear off the bases, giving the Cats a 4-0 lead.

La Guaria started chipping away at the Tigres lead in the 5th. With 2 outs, Jorge Velandia (Pittsburgh) singled and Alvin Colina (Cincinnati) was hit by a Cory Bailey (Chicago Cubs) pitch. Luis Hernandez (Baltimore) singled to bring in Velandia before Jose Mijares (Minnesota) was called to the mound to get the final out.

Colina homered off Jason Karnuth (Detroit) in the 8th inning. Hernandez and Gregor Blanco (Atlanta) both drew walks and a sac bunt by Danny Sandoval (Philadelphia) moved the pair. A wild pitch by Frank Butto (F/A) brought in Hernandez, but a ground out to Oscar Salazar (Baltimore) and strike out to Ruben Mateo (Milwaukee) ended the inning without further damage.

Butto picked up the win, pitching 2 innings, walking 1 and striking out 3.

Cabrera finished up the game 0-for-3 with a walk and a run, Maza was 0-for-4, Rodriguez was 3-for-4 with a run and former Miracle Alex Romero, who entered the game late as a pinch hitter, drew a walk in his only at bat.

Los Tigres take on los Cardenales de Lara on Sunday & Monday before facing the Sharks again on Tuesday.

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Minnesota's Juan Rincon picked up the save Saturday as the Lara defeated Caribes, 3-2. Rincon allowed a walk and struck out 1 in one innings worth of work. Former Miracle Luis Ugueto (F/A) was 2-for-4 with a walk for Lara in the same game. Rincon pitched .2 innings as well in Friday's 5-2 match between the same teams. He struck out one in Lara's victory. Ugueto was 1-for-4 with a walk, a run and one RBI in the contest.

The Twins signed a pair of free agent right handed pitchers, Landon Jacobsen and Heath Totten to minor league contracts. Jacobsen went 6-5 with AA Reading (Philadelphia) of the Eastern League last season, recording a 4.61 ERA in 93.2 innings pitched. Following a promotion to Ottawa of the AAA International League, he went 2-7 with a 4.80 ERA in 69.1 innings. Totten went 2-5 with a 3.38 ERA in 56.0 innings in AA Reading. He as 1-5 with a 7.09 ERA in 33.0 innings with Ottawa of the International League.

In a related move, former Miracle Eli Tintor as reinstated to club's active list.