By Matthew Tallarini
World Baseball Network
Jan. 13, 2023
Orlando Arcia’s bat remained hot and helped power Leones de Caracas to a 8-6 win over Navegantes de Magallanes in the LVBP round robin playoffs Thursday night.
Leones struck first when Orlando Arcia homered off starting pitcher Navegantes starter Eric Leal to left-center field for a 1-0 lead in the top of the first.
An inning later, Leones extended the lead when Jhonny Pereda homered over the left center field wall to put Leones up 2-0.
Pereda added another RBI in the third when he singled on a line drive to right field, scoring Isaias Tejada.
Leal pitched three innings, allowing seven hits, four earned runs, walking one batter, and striking out one.
Orlando Arcia, hitting .486 in the round robin, ripped a line drive single to right field int he fourth, scoring Wilfredo Tovar to extend the lead to 5-0.
Magallanes finally got on the board during the bottom of the fourth inning when Rainel Rosario hit a solo home run to left center field.
Leones starting pitcher Jhoulys Chacin pitched five innings, allowing five hits, three earned runs, walking one batter, and striking out three.
In the top of the eighth inning, Oswaldo Arcia singled to left field, scoring Ali Castillo and Tejada to take an 8-3 lead.
Magallanes tried to creep back in the game in the eighth when Robinson Chirinos doubled on a fly ball to left field with Renato Nunez coming around to score to make it 8-4, prompting manager Jose Bailiff to called upon relief pitcher Silvino Bracho to try get the final four outs of the game.
A few batters after Magallanes made the game somewhat interesting, Edwin Garcia lifted a fly ball to Leones’s center fielder Angel Aponte, who dropped the routine fly ball, allowing Chirinos and Alberth Martinez to score to cut the deficit to two runs at 8-6.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Bracio retired the side in order, striking out Luis Torrens swinging for the final out of the game.
Leones de Caracas (6-3) will travel to play Tiburones de La Guaira (5-4) at 6 p.m. EST. Magallanes drops to 3-6 and will travel to Barquisimeto to play Cardenales de Lara (5-4) at 6 p.m. EST.