Liga Venezolana de Beisbol Profesional
Caribes de Anzoategui (1-1) 8, Navegantes del Magallanes (0-2) 3 – Angel Cuenca gave the Caribes four scoreless, hitless innings, Liarvis Breto relieved him and threw two perfect innings, and Yoelvin Silvin threw a perfect seventh as the Caribes took a no-hitter into the eighth inning. Magallanes’ Leonel Velera dropped a double inches inside fair territory down the left field line off Francis Peguero in the eighth to break up the no-hitter. Antonio Pinero hit a solo homer for Anzoategui, and Leonel Valera went 1-for-3 with three RBIs in the win for the Caribes.
Bravos de Margarita (1-0) 3, Aguilas del Zulia (1-1) 1 – Former Major Leaguer Alexi Amarista went 2-for-3, hitting a two-run triple in the fifth, as the Bravos won their round robin opener. Seven Margarita pitchers combined to allow one run on five hits and four walks, striking out seven. Zulia starter Zac Grotz allowed three runs on eight hits over 4 2/3 innings.
LIDOM
Leones del Escogido (7-2) 5, Gigantes del Cibao (0-9) 0 – Raimel Tapia’s RBI single in the third scored Pedro Severino, giving the Leones all they runs they’d need, but they added two more in the inning for good measure, with Erik Gonzalez driving in Jonathan Guzman with a groundout to first, and Socrates Brito smacking an RBI double. Severino hit a two-run homer in the fourth, and the Leones pitchers held the Gigantes to just four hits, with starter Travis Lakins Sr. throwing 5 2/3 innings of two-hit ball, walking two and striking out four.
Toros del Este (7-2) 17, Aguilas Cibaenas (4-5) 1 – The Toros got out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first and never looked back, piling on the offense in a rout of the Aguilas. Five different Toros had multi-RBI games, and Rafael Lantigua, batting in the No. 9 spot, went 3-for-4, scored twice, and drove in three runs.
LBPRC
Criollos de Caguas 4, Cangrejeros de Santurce 2 – Onix Vega drove in Vimale Machin with the go-ahead run in the sixth as Caguas evened the series with Santurce. Nelson Velasquez tied the game for the Criollos with a two-run double in teh fifth, and Bryan Torres added an RBI single in the ninth. Jack Lopez hit a solo homer for Santurce.
Leones de Ponce 3, Gigantes de Carolina 2 – The Leones evened the series at two games apiece behind five innings of one hit ball from starter Orlando Ortiz-Mayr, who walked one and struck out five. Dalton Guthrie and Jesmuel Valentin had RBI singles in the seventh that put Ponce ahead, and five relievers combined to allow two runs on three hits to secure the win.
Thursday’s Winter Ball Playoff Schedule
All times Eastern Standard Time
LIDOM
Streaming Live on MLB.tv with a subscription
6 p.m. – Leones del Escogido (7-2) at Aguilas Cibaenas (4-5)
6:30 p.m. – Gigantes del Cibao (0-9) at Toros del Este (7-2)
LBPRC
Games streamed live on the LBPRC’s YouTube page
6:21 p.m. – Cangrejeros de Santurce at Criollos de Caguas – Series tied 2-2
6:21 p.m. – Leones de Ponce at Gigantes de Carolina – Series tied 2-2
Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacifico
Streaming Live on MLB.tv with a subscription
9:05 p.m. – Caneros de Los Mochis at Tomateros de Culiacan – Culiacan leads series 3-2
9:30 p.m. – Charros de Jalisco at Naranjeros de Hermosillo – Jalisco leads series 3-2
Liga Venezolana de Beisbol Profesional
Streaming on BeisbolPlay with a subscription
Note – The LVBP’s round robin playoff will resume on Wednesday, Jan. 7.
6 p.m. – Aguilas del Zulia (1-1) at Bravos de Margarita (1-0)
6 p.m. – Caribes de Anzoategui (1-1) at Cardenales de Lara (1-0)
Photo: Juan Brito circles the bases after his two-run homer in the Toros del Este’s 17-1 rout of the Aguilas Cibaenas. (Photo courtesy of LIDOM)
