Adams Shuts Down Zulia as Santurce Stays Perfect

By Eric Edwards

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic--Willie Adams turned in the best pitching performance of the Caribbean Series so far, but Puerto Rico's offense stole the show, continuing a hit parade that began in the island's championship series.

San Francisco Giants outfielder Armando Rios strengthened his case to end Neifi Perez's two-year reign as Series Most Valuable Player, going 2-for-3 with a two-run home run and double in the Crabbers, 5-1 victory over Venezuela.

Rios is now hitting .615 (8-for-13) over four games with seven runs scored, a home run and four RBIs.

The Puerto Rican team collected 11 more hits Saturday, but their team average actually fell from .398 to .384.

Their record, however, improved to 4-0 in this six-game, double round-robin tournament.

The Dominicans faced Mexico in the late game.

"Who expected this?" said Santurce manager Mako Oliveras. "We knew we had a good team and these guys really hit well in the championship series, but I don't think anyone believed this offense would be so productive."

Unlike their first three victories, all of Puerto Rico's runs came early Saturday.

After blowing a bases-loaded, one-out opportunity in the first inning, Puerto Rico got on the board in the second.

Game 2 hero Eduardo Perez opened the inning with a single against Venezuelan starter Felipe Lira and advanced to third on a double by Edwards Guzman.Jose Valentin plated the first run with a shallow sacrifice fly to centerfield and Jose Cruz drove in the second with a double into the left field gap.

The Puerto Ricans added another run in the third as Rios led off the inning with a double and scored on a single by Raul Casanova.

They put it out of reach in the fifth as Rios again got to Lira, ripping an outside corner fast ball over the left field wall for a two-run homer.

Both of Rios hits Saturday came on pitches away, something he learned to expect from how Lira pitched him in the opening inning.p/"He worked two change-up away and came back inside with a fast ball to strike me out," said Rios. "In my next at bat I was sitting on a change-up away, and that's what he gave me. I looked for something away again in the fifth and he put a fast ball right in the spot I hoped he would."

Those early runs were more than enough for Adams, a right-hander who has looked sharp over the past month as he rounds into form after a string of arm problems.

Adams allowed just six hits and a run over eight innings, walking two and striking out nine. Jolbert Cabrera ruined his bid for a shutout, leading off the eighth inning with a solo home run.

"I had my sinker working really well and I tried to stay in tight against them," said Adams, 27. "My command was good from the start, and once we got the lead I could be more aggressive."

Enrique Calero will start today for Santurce against Mexico. A win would ensure Puerto Rico of no worse than a tie with the Dominican Republic. In that case, the two teams would play a tiebreaking game Tuesday.

"We would like to avoid that," said Rios. "But we can't be overconfident in these last two games. We've got to bear down and do the things we've been doing to get to this position."