The Caimanes de Barranquilla, trailing 3-1 in the 2024-25 Liga Profesional De Béisbol Colombia best-of-seven championship series, staged a remarkable comeback on Monday, January 20th, to secure a 7-6 victory over the Vaqueros de Montería in Game Seven at Estadio Edgar Renteria in Barranquilla, Colombia. Their win secured them a coveted spot in the 2025 Serie De Las Americas event, which will be held in Nicaragua.
The Caimanes de Barranquilla have won the most championship titles in the LPBC, with a total of 14.
The Caimanes de Barranquilla offense slugged 11 hits off the Vaqueros de Montería pitching staff.
The Vaqueros de Montería had three defensive errors during Monday’s loss.
The Caimanes de Barranquilla struck the scoreboard first in the bottom of the first inning with first baseman Jair Carmargo lifting a sacrifice fly to Vaqueros de Montería center fielder Brayan Buelvas, scoring left fielder Felix Reyes to take the lead at 1-0.
In the bottom of the second inning, Caimanes de Barranquilla scored five runs. It all started when third baseman Carlos Arroyo hit into a fielder’s choice. Vaqueros de Monteria made a throwing error from third baseman Franklin Torres, which allowed catcher Guillermo Quintana to score. Shortstop Fabian Pertuz then came into the game to score, extending the lead to 3-0. The WBSC website states that Torres made two throwing errors during this play. Results and box score here.
The next batter, second baseman Joseph Rosa, laid down a finesse bunt that had Jesus Marriaga score from third base to make it 4-0.
A few moments later, Reyes drilled an RBI single into right field, scoring Arroy to bull-run out to a 5-0 lead.
Vaqueros de Montería manager Ronald Ramirez went to his bullpen shortly after and called on relief pitcher Carlos Acampo to replace starting pitcher Jack Eisenbarger.
Eisenbarger threw 1.2 innings, allowing three hits, two earned runs, and two walks.
Caimanes de Barranquilla designated hitter Dilson Herrera cracked an RBI single to center field, scoring Reyes to end the 5-run outpour inning at 6-0.
Buelvas got the Vaqueros de Montería their first run of the game in the top of the third inning with an RBI single to center field, scoring utility player Gustavo Campero to make it 6-1.
The Vaqueros de Montería got back into the game in the top of the fourth inning, when Campero reached second base on a throwing error from Torres, scoring first baseman Andres Angullo, designated hitter Isaias Tejada, and catcher Daniel Vellojin to cut the deficit at 6-4.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Caimanes de Barranquilla extended the lead to four runs with Herrera lifting a sacrifice fly to score Rosa, making it 7-4.
During the top of the seventh inning, Angulo cracked an RBI single to center field, scoring Buelvas to cut the board at 7-5.
The Vaqueros de Monteria scored their last run of the game in the top of the eighth inning, when Buelvas drove an RBI single to center field, scoring Campero to make it 7-6.
Caimanes de Barranquilla’s Hansel Paulino shut the door in the top of the ninth inning to help the organization reach the 2025 SDLA event in Nicaragua and got Vellojin to fly out to center fielder Alejandro De Aza for the final out of the game to beat their arch rival the Vaqueros de Monteria 7-6 in Game Seven.
https://x.com/PeloterosCol/status/1881563305673933026
Eisenbarger took the loss on Monday night and Caimanes de Barranquilla relief pitcher Jhon Rodriguez recorded the win.
2024-25 LPBC Regular Season Outlook:
The Vaqueros de Montería finished in first place in the LPBC Round Robin with their record at 4-2. The Caimanes de Barranquilla went 3-3 in the Round Robin and finished in second place.
The Tigres de Cartagena did not qualify for the league’s best-of-seven championship series and finished in third place in the Round Robin at 3-3 alongside the runs for and runs against differential rule that did not have them qualify and head-to-head record.
The Leones de Barranquilla finished the Round Robin in last place at 2-4.
The Caimanes de Barranquilla won the 2024-25 LPBC regular season title with their record at 26-12, the Vaqueros de Montería finished in second at 22-14, the Tigres de Cartagena completed the year in third place at 19-19, and the Leones de Barranquilla snuck in at fourth place at 15-25.
The Toros de Sincelejo did not qualify for the 2024-25 LPBC Round Robin with their record at 14-26 under manager Eddie Denis in the regular season.
The Vaqueros de Montería were managed by Ronald Ramirez, the Leones de Barranquilla was managed by Jonathan Prieto, the Tigres de Cartagena was managed by Jhonatan Solano, and the Caimanes de Barranquilla was led by Jose Mosquera.
All leading stats from the 2024-25 LPBC regular season are located here (Source: WBSC).
Run Down For Colombia At SDLA:
Colombia last participated in a club league tournament at the 2023 Caribbean Series in Caracas, Venezuela, where the 2022-2023 LPBC champion, Vaqueros de Montería, ended in third place in pool play at 4-3, while losing in the third-place game to the 2022-3 Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacifico champion, Cañeros de Los Mochis, 1-0 at Estadio Simón Bolívar.
In the 2022 Caribbean Series, the 2021-22 LPBC champion, Caimanes de Barranquilla, won the event at Estadio Quisqueya Juan Marichal in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and beat the 2021-2022 LIDOM champion, Gigantes del Cibao, 4-1 for the country’s first and lone championship in the SDC.
The 2020-21 LBPC champions, Caimanes de Barranquilla, participated in the 2021 Caribbean Series in Mazatlán, Mexico, at Estadio Teodoro Mariscal and ended winless in last place at 0-5.
The first-year Colombia participated in the Caribbean Series in 2020 with the Vaqueros de Montería going winless at 0-5 and ending in last place at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Colombia did not participate in the 2024 Caribbean Series in Miami at LoanDepot Park due to the fact that the Federación Colombiana de Béisbol refused to pay a $200,000 participation fee to the Confederación de Béisbol Profesional del Caribe to enter as a guest, alleging that it had previously been promised full membership in the confederation.
The LPBC is organized by the Professional Division of Colombian Baseball (Diprobéisbol) and is commissioned by the FCB.
Colombia only has three club tournament championships for the LPBC since the league started in the 1948-49 winter league season.
The Serie de las Américas is the rebranding of the event, formerly known as the Latin-American Series, which was held from 2013 to 2019.
The Latin American Series had the champions from club teams in the winter leagues from the Argentine Baseball League in 2019, Liga Profesional de Béisbol Colombia from 2013-19, the Curaçao National Championship AA League in 2018, the Liga Invernal Veracruzana in Mexico from 2013-19, the Veracruz State League in Mexico from 2017-18, the Liga de Béisbol Profesional Nacional in Nicaragua from 2013-19, and the Panama Probeis league from 2013-19.
The 2013 and 2019 Latin American Series were held at Estadio Universitario Beto Ávila in Veracruz, Mexico, the 2013 and 2017 tournament was at Estadio 18 de Junio in Montería, Colombia, the 2016 and 2018 event was at Estadio Nacional Soberania in Managua, Nicaragua, and in 2015 it was at Estadio Rod Carew in Panama City, Panama.
Colombia won two league championships at the Latin American Series with the Tigres de Cartagena in 2014 and the Leones de Monteria in 2015.
2013-19 Latin American Series Champions:
LPBC – Liga Profesional De Béisbol Colombia
LBPN – Liga de Beisbol Profesional Nacional
LIV – Liga Invernal Veracruzana
Year Venue Champion League Team
2013 Veracruz, Mexico Mexico LIV Brujos de Los Tuxtlas
2014 Monteria, Colombia Colombia LBPC Tigres de Cartagena
2015 Panama City, Panama Colombia LBPC Leones de Monteria
2016 Managua, Nicaragua Nicaragua LBPN Gigantes de Rivas
2017 Monteria, Colombia Nicaragua LBPN Tigres de Chinandega
2018 Managua, Nicaragua Nicaragua LBPN Tigres de Chinandega
2019 Veracruz, Mexico Nicaragua LBPN Leones de León
The 2024-25 Liga Profesional De Béisbol Colombia season champion, Caimanes de Barranquilla will play in the 2025 Serie De Las Américas Event hosted by the Asociación De Beisbol De Las Américas committee will be in January against the winners of the professional leagues with the 2025 Curacao Professional Baseball league champion winner Curacao Goats, the 2024 Liga Argentina de Béisbol winner Club Daom, the 2024-25 Panamá Probeis winner Aguilas Metropolitanas, the 2024-25 Liga de Béisbol Profesional Nacional winner in Nicaragua, the Leonés de León and the 2024 Serie Nacional regular season winner in Cuba, the Lenadores de Las Tunas.
The SDLA Tournament will be from January 24-30, 2025, and will play in three venues in Nicaragua.
The SDLA semifinals will take place on January 29 and the championship game will take place on January 30 with the schedule listed below.
The SDLA event will be held at the Estadio Nacional Soberania in Managua, the Estadio Roberto Clemente in Masaya, and the Estadio Rigoberto Perez in Leon, Nicaragua.
All games at the 2025 SDLA event will be streamed on https://www.youtube.com/@vivanicaragua13.
2025 Serie de Las Americas Tournament Schedule
All times Eastern Standard Time
January 24
2 p.m. – Panamá vs. Argentina – Estadio Nacional Soberania, Managua
6 p.m. – Colombia vs. Curacao – Estadio Rigoberto Lopez Perez, Leon
8 p.m. – Cuba vs. Nicaragua – Estadio Nacional Soberanía, Managua
January 25
2 p.m. – Argentina vs. Colombia – Estadio Nacional Soberanía, Managua
6 p.m. – Panama vs. Cuba – Estadio Roberto Clemente, Mayasa
8 p.m. – Nicaragua vs. Curacao – Estadio Nacional Soberania, Managua
January 26
2 p.m. – Colombia vs. Panama – Estadio Nacional Soberanía, Managua
6 p.m. – Nicaragua vs. Argentina – Estadio Rigoberto Lopez Perez, Leon
8 p.m. – Cuba vs. Curacao – Estadio Nacional Soberania, Managua
January 27
2 p.m. – Argentina vs. Curacao – Estadio Nacional Soberania, Managua
6 p.m. – Panama vs. Nicaragua – Estadio Roberto Clemente, Mayasa
8 p.m. – Colombia vs. Cuba – Estadio Nacional Soberanía, Managua
January 28
2 p.m. – Cuba vs. Argentina – Estadio Nacional Soberanía, Managua
6 p.m. – Nicaragua vs. Colombia – Estadio Roberto Clemente, Mayasa
8 p.m. – Curacao vs. Panama – Estadio Nacional Soberania, Managua
January 29
6 p.m. – Semifinal Game A: Second Place vs. Third Place – Estadio Roberto Clemente, Mayasa
6 p.m. – Semifinal Game B: First Place vs. Fourth Place – Estadio Nacional Soberania, Managua
January 30
6 p.m. – Championship Game – Estadio Nacional Soberania, Managua
