▲ Luis Miranda gave a pitching master class; after six scoreless innings, he allowed two hits, walked one and struck out seven.Afp’s photo
of the writing
Newspaper La Jornada
Tuesday February 7, 2023, p. a10
Mexico is the best team at the moment in the 2023 Caribbean Series. Yesterday they whitewashed the locals Leones de Caracas 7-0 in a luxurious pitching game with the starter and the relays, reinforced by a forceful offense.
The mark of Cañero de Los Mochis, the ninth that represents Mexico in the regional tournament, is four wins and one loss, while the Venezuelan team is left with 3-1. This duel was decisive to define the leader.
Sometimes the psychic impulse is the gasoline so that everything goes well. The team that won the Mexican Baseball League in six games against Algodoneros de Guasave, arrived in Caracas moved by that inertia that places them as the strongest team.
For now, no one else accumulates the triumphs of the Mexicans, with only one defeat against Curaçao. The tricolor team won a key match because, in addition to climbing to the top of the tournament, they defeated the locals.
He quickly gained an advantage. In a second inning, Joey Terdoslavich doubled to center field to drive in the first two runs of the game. A first hit that served to temper the mood and take pressure off the Cañeros players.
As if it were a question of not losing rhythm, in the next roll, Roberto Valenzuela, just signed by Cañeros in January, connected a very nutritious triple for Mexico, since he reported two more to the Sinaloa ninth. Right away, Reynaldo Rodríguez hit a single so that Valenzuela now recorded one more for the Tri.
And still in that chapter, Rodríguez scored when the pitcher from Venezuela made an error in the delivery, which hit the catcher’s chest, he juggled to throw to first base and the ball was not caught.
While Luis Miranda threw light from the mound of the Mexicans, they reached the eighth inning without receiving a run. José Félix hit a single that produced one more buzzer, this time with Ir-ving López.
The Cañeros pitcher left the mound after six innings, in which he hung up zero and only allowed two hits, gave up a walk and struck out seven batters.
In this condition they reached the last inning, the offensive turn of Leones de Caracas as the final resource of a team that refuses to die. Now on the mound, Juan Gámez had the difficult task of closing the game for Mexico. Cañeros got a out with a lob to the shortstop and another with a ground ball to second base. Just one more batter and they would consummate the most valuable victory yet.
Isaías Tejeda hits but the first baseman manages to throw him out and, thus, Mexico consolidates itself as the leader of the 2023 Caribbean Series.
Mexico began by beating the Dominican Republic, but had a setback against Curaçao; then followed with victories over Colombia and Cuba. Only this duel remained between the best of the contest.
The Caribbean Series format schedules seven dates for the eight participating teams. The best four advance to the semifinals and the two winners will reach the final on February 10.
