By Carlos Torres

HERMOSILLO, Mexico—Puerto Rico's Criollos de Caguas ended a three-game losing streak with an unlikely upset Monday that jumbled the Caribbean Series standings.

Royals farmhand Ray Navarro was the hero of the day for Caguas, with four RBIs from the eighth inning onward, leading to a 6-4, 10th-inning victory over previously unbeaten Escogido of the Dominican Republic in the beginning of the second round of the 2013 Caribbean Series. The Dominican (3-1) remains a win away from clinching a spot in the championship game, likely against either Mexico or Venezuela (both 2-2).

Navarro, 23, was the soul of the Puerto Rico (1-3) offensive, collecting an eighth-inning two-run single to tie the game and a two-run homer in the 10th to give Caguas the final lead. [...] Continue Reading »

BY CARLOS TORRES

HERMOSILLO, Mexico—The Dominican Republic blew a ninth-inning lead with Rays closer Fernando Rodney on the mound, but Ricardo Nanita covered for the unexpected blown save.

Nanita's walk-off single in the bottom of the 11th led DR champion Escogido to a 6-5 victory against host Mexico's Obregon.

It was the second heartbreaking loss in a row for Yaquis, who are now 1-2; Escogido remains the lone undefeated team. Venezuela, which defeated Puerto Rico 3-1, is in second place at 2-1 while the Puerto Rican team remains winless at 3-0. [...] Continue Reading »

By Carlos Torres Bujanda

HERMOSILLO, Mexico.–Mario Lisson smacked a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth as Venezuela´s Navegantes del Magallanes defetead Mexico´s Yaquis de Ciudad Obregón 4-3 in the second match of the Saturday in 2013 Caribbean Series.

Lisson is normally known more for his glove, he was rated the best defensive infielder in the Royals system by Baseball America heading into the 2009 and 2010 seasons. But on Saturday he had a solo home run in addition to his game winning single. Lisson's home run off of Óscar Villarreal cut Mexico's lead to 3-1 in the eighth. Venezuela eventually tied the game at three in the eighth, setting up Lisson's ninth-inning heroics.
Mexico´s club was 3-1 on the score in the eighth inning when Lisson hits his solo homer against Baltimore Orioles minor league . Venezuela scores again in the same inning to tie the score.

Righthander Mike Benacka was charged with the loss. [...] Continue Reading »

By Carlos Torres Bujanda

HERMOSILLO, Mexico.–After a flamboyant opening ceremony where Fernando Valenzuela threw out the first pitch to an standing ovation from a sellout crowd of 16,000, Mexico's Yaquis de Ciudad Obregón, shut out Puerto Rico's Criollos de Caguas 3-0 in the nightcap of the opening day of the Caribbean Series.

Royals righthander Luis Mendoza threw the first six innings of the shutout holding Puerto Rico to three hits and two walks while striking out three. Ex-big leaguer Dennis Reyes combined with Jose Cobos, Adrian Ramírez, and Oscar Villarreal to keep the shutout going. Baltimore Orioles righthander Luis Ignacio Ayala picked up the save.

Major League veteran infielder Alfredo Amezaga got Mexico on the board with an RBI double in the third. Outfielder Marlon Byrd, currently a Mets minor leaguer, drove in the other two runs with a double to center field in the sixth. [...] Continue Reading »