(Photo Courtesy of CBPC)
A sunny afternoon in La Rinconada set the tone for the third place game in the 2023 Caribbean Series for a dazzling pitching performance by Mexico’s Caneros De Los Mochis and Colombia’s Vaqueros De Monteria.
Caneros De Los Mochis scored the lone run of the game on Joey Terdoslavich’s RBI single to center field resulting in Irving Lopez scoring as Mexico beat Colombia for third place 1-0. Manager Jose Moreno for the Caneros ended the Caribbean Series with a 6-3 record in the first year the event was played with an eight team field.
Mexico starting pitcher Jeff Kinley pitched six innings, allowing four hits, no walks, and striking out one batter. Relief pitchers Cesar Vargas and Jake Sanchez salvaged the bullpen carrying three total innings of allowing two hits, no walks, and four strikeouts to silence the Vaqueros offense.
Colombia manager Ronald Ramirez put Carlos Quevedo on the mound, and he went five innings, allowing three hits, no earned runs, walking one batter and striking out four. Colombia went to their bullpen in the start of the sixth inning, and relief pitcher Kevin Escorcia replaced Quevedo. Escorcia was a little wild, hitting the first two batters of the inning before Terdoslavich broke through with the game’s lone run.
Colombia’s bullpen went three innings giving up three hits, walking one batter, and striking out two while falling short of third place. Colombia left a total of 15 men on base during today’s offensive no show.
Jake Sanchez came in to the game in the ninth inning to shut the door for Mexico, and got Andres Angulo to line out to shortstop Roberto Valenzuela for the final out of the game.
Mexico has not won a Caribbean Series since 2016, when Venados De Mazatlán won in Santo Domingo. With the Caribbean Series being played an eight team field for the first time ever, this could leave a little uncertainty for Mexico returning to the Caribbean Series in the near future, as the Liga ARCO Mexicana Del Pacifico and Liga De Beisbol Profesional De La Republica Dominicana could end up leaving the Caribbean Baseball Professional Confederation after talks over the last few months between executives with both leagues. Next year’s Caribbean Series will be at Loan Depot Park in Miami.
Colombia has players that played on Vaqueros De Monteria that will be representing the nation during the World Baseball Classic next month, including Dayan Frias, Fabian Pertuz, Jesus Marriaga, Jordan Diaz and Gustavo Campero. Colombia will go up against the United States, Great Britain, Mexico, and Canada in Pool C of the World Baseball Classic from March 11-15 at Chase Field in Phoenix.
Mexico’s Samuel Zazueta, Cesar Vargas, Jose Cardona, and Roberto Valenzuela are expected to suit up for Mexico in the World Baseball Classic. The rosters for the World Baseball Classic were announced on Thursday. All 20 nations that will play in the World Baseball Classic from March 7-21 submitted their rosters to the World Baseball Softball Confederation and Major League Baseball.
Mexico’s first game in the World Baseball Classic will be against Colombia on March 11 at 2:30 p.m. EST on FOX.