GAME FOUR
vs 
AMERICAN PITCHERS CONTRIBUTE TO SERIE DEL CARIBE
FEBRUARY 3 - Both Dominican teams were involved in in piching duels on the second day of action in the Caribbean Series. After last night’s hit parade the Aguilas showed the fans that they can win close games too. Following a dominant debut against Mexico scoring 13 runs they kept Venezuela winless holding on to win by a score of 3-1.
Two American pitchers highlighted the matchup between Aguilas and Venezuela. Derek Lee allowed one run in four innings for the Aguilas while lefty Andrew Lorraine pitched 5 innings and allowed 2 runs for Venezuela. After a dazzling debut by Miguel Tejada the Venzuelan pitchers were able to silence his bat as he went 0-4 in the game.
Aguilas didn’t waste any time getting on the scoreboard. In their first at bat, Rafael Furcal scored on Edwin Encarnación’s ground out and Mendy Lopez drove in Brayan Peña with a double off the left field wall to make it 2-0. In the third inning, Venezuela cut the deficit to one when Luis Ugueto battled at the plate and finally sent Lee’s 3-2 pitch over the left field wall for the solo shot. Luis Maza doubled, but Lee settled down halting any further damage. Reliever Francisco Cruceta escaped a sixth inning scoring threat to keep it a 2-1 game. Selwin Langaine opened the inning with a single and two batters later Ramon Castro singled to left putting two men on with only one out. Cruceta got Jose Martinez to pop out to third and Alexander Delgado to fly out to center to strand them both.
After five scoreless innings and a silenced crowd the Aguilas’ bats woke up to get an insurance run. Freddy Guzman doubled down the right field line and Furcal singled him in to make it 3-1.
Venezuela threatened in the seventh inning. Joel Peralta came in for the Dominicans and retired the first two batters he faced. He walked Alberto Callaspo and Robert Perez singled to right putting runners at the corners. Hector De La Cruz opted for the lefty-lefty matchup bringing in Randy Choate to replace Peralta. Choate got the job done striking out Selwin Langaine to end the inning.
With two outs in the eighth, Dominican reliever Denny Bautista hit a snag when Jose Martinez reached base on an infield hit and he walked pinch hitter Alex Nuñez putting the go ahead run at the plate. Bautista was yanked in favor of lefty Arnaldo Muñoz who came in to restore order. With his quick pick off move to first, Muñoz caught Nuñez leaning and ended the rally without delivering a pitch to the plate. Muñoz walked the first batter he faced Luis Ugueto in the ninth inning. Ugueto advanced on Callaspo’s groundout setting up a matchup between Muñoz and Perez. With the count 2-2-2, Muñoz won the battle getting him to fly out to right to end the game.
