Monday, February 09, 2015

Cuba beats Mexico 3-2 to win 1st Caribbean Series since 1960 | MLB Baseball | The Olympian

— Cuba won its first Caribbean Series championship since 1960 with a 3-2 victory over Mexico on Sunday, highlighted by Yulieski Gourriel's eighth inning homer.

The victory marked a return for Cuba to its winning ways in the regional baseball series it used to dominate before Cuban stars were barred by its government in 1961 from playing professionally overseas. Cuba returned to the round-robin tournament last year but made a quick exit.

Cuba out-hit Mexico 11-4 on the way to this year's title, a day after dominating Venezuela 8-4 for a shot at the championship played this year in the U.S. Caribbean territory of Puerto Rico.

It was the first time that top Cuban players got a chance to compete on the U.S. island since Cuba and the United States moved to normalize relations. Dozens of major league scouts traveled to the Caribbean Series almost exclusively to assess Cuban talent.

Cuban starter Yosvani Torres was dominant for six innings on Sunday night, striking out five. Frederich Cepeda had a two-out RBI single, scoring Gourriel, in the first to give Cuba the early lead.

They went up 2-0 in the second inning when Luis Yander singled in a run.

Mexico pulled within a run in the fifth after Joey Meneses led off the inning with a double. He scored on a single by Walter Ibarra.

Cuba scored again in the eighth inning when Gourriel led off with a homer to left.

But Mexico, looking for its third consecutive title in the regional series, wasn't done yet.

In the bottom of the eighth, Eric Farris hit a two-out RBI single to right to make it 3-2 but Meneses flied out to right to end the inning.

"The Cuban team gave themselves more opportunities than we did offensively," Mexico Manager Benjamin Gil said.

Cuba's Cepeda, a 34-year-old outfielder who played in Japan last year, was selected tournament MVP. He went 6 for 8 during the team's last two games and drove in six runs.

It's the eighth time Cuba has taken the title at the Caribbean Series, which it won seven times between 1949 and 1960.

Two Cuban players defected in Puerto Rico early in this year's tournament.

Read more here: http://www.theolympian.com/2015/02/08/3567899_cuba-beats-mexico-3-2-to-win-1st.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy
By OCTAVIO BENITEZ

Cuba beats Mexico 3-2 to win 1st Caribbean Series since 1960 | MLB Baseball | The Olympian

Tuesday, February 03, 2015

Great Expectations in Puerto Rico for Caribbean Baseball Series


Imagen activaSan Juan, Jan 31 (Prensa Latina) Great expectation fills the streets today here for the Caribbean Baseball Series, which begins Monday, particularly by the confrontation between Vegueros sets of Pinar del Río, of Cuba, and Cangrejeros de Santurce, of Puerto Rico.

From the arrival to this city of the first group of Cuban journalists who will cover this classic of the Caribbean baseball, many Puerto Ricans have expressed the interest in the participation of the Cuban team and their match against local.

The 57 Caribbean Series will be played from 2 to 8 incoming February in the capital's Hiram Bithorn Stadium.

Some fans commented positively that the Cuban team has been reinforced with the best players from others teams participating in the National Series in that country.

That will give greater prominence to the tournament, they highlighted in dialogue with Cuban reporters, adding that the rest of the classified teams have chosen four to 15 reinforcements with the aim of obtaining the scepter of this 57th edition.

In this event, plus Cuba, attending as guest for the second consecutive year, participate the winners of professional baseball winter leagues of Mexico (Tomateros de Culiacan), Puerto Rico (Cangrejeros de Santurce), Dominican Republic (Gigantes del Cibao) and Venezuela (Caribes de Anzoategui).

According to the tournament rules, each team may be reinforced with the best players from other teams of the national leagues.

Another fact that highlights the Puerto Rican fans is the return of Cangrejeros to the stellar level of local baseball.

With five trophies, this is the most winning team of Puerto Rico, which is one of the founding countries of the Caribbean Series and winner of 14 titles in its history, started in 1949.

This tournament is organized by the Confederation of Professional Baseball in the Caribbean, to which belong the professional leagues of those attending the 57 version, unless Cuba that although founder, stopped participating in 1960 and returned last year as guest with Villa Clara team.

For now, members of Vegueros of Pinar del Río arrives this afternoon, coinciding with the popular celebration of the triumph of the Cangrejeros in the local winter tournament.

The duel between the two teams is scheduled for next Wednesday and already a sellout stadium is forecast.

  
Modificado el ( sábado, 31 de enero de 2015 )
Por By Alejandro Gómez

Great Expectations in Puerto Rico for Caribbean Baseball Series