The Leones today choose to have pitcher Francisco Liriano on the mound against the Tigers of Licey at Quisqueya Stadium. Liriano will face Licey's Francisley Bueno. Licey is seeking to break the losing streak that dragged them down with four failures in a row

Jose Celestino Lopez is day to day

The player appears as a designated hitter today

CARACAS .-

José Celestino Lopez suffered a superficial wound in his left thigh in the game last night against the Magallanes, confirmed the doctor for the Caribes of Anzoategui , Augustine Mata . "We decided to put Celestino under observation and treat him daily with physiotherapy in the affected area, "said the doctor, who in turn said that the player can see action on offense," will play as the designated hitter today and Saturday be returning to the defensive, "he said. Lopez was replaced in the fourth inning last night, after running from first base to third base. Jose Coronado was the one who replaced him.

Creole ensure a spot in the finals

Players and Coaches of the Caguas Creoles celebrated the win over the Ponce Lions gave them first place in the standings and, in turn, pass directly to the final series scheduled to begin Jan. 14.

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Caguas.

A home run for the Caguas Creoles rallied to break and won 5-4, at the Ponce Lions and in turn received a bye to the finals of the Winter Baseball League with about 6,000 fans at the stadium Yldefonso reported Sola Morales .

With the victory, the Creoles (23-18) secured first place in the standings and forced the Lions (21-20) and the Mayaguez Indians (20-21) to contest a sudden death game to decide the other ticket to the finals.

The series begins on Saturday.

CD. Obregon, Sonora.

A game that thrilled the fans by giving away emotions was settled in the bottom of the tenth inning. The Yaquis of Ciudad Obregon defeated this evening for 8-7 cotton farmers from Guasave to take advantage of two games in the playoff series.

The outcome that came at the close of the tenth inning defeated Sean Gleason (0-1) with basehit by Albino Contreras, Corey Wimbery sacrifice and an Amezaga double put an end to the meeting.

The winning pitcher was Luis Ayala Ignacjo (1-0).
Mexicali, BC

Edgar Gonzalez with the task at hand contained the offensive opponent and prevented any uncomfortable disadvantages. The ex major leaguer pitched seven innings and it took the rest of the offensive success of Hermosillo Naranjeros to score a 5-1 victory over the Mexicali Eagles.

The performance of Gonzalez (1-0) tied the playoff series which moves to Hermosillo Wednesday where the third meeting will take place.

Naranjeros starter was brilliant with seven full innings of four hits, one run, two walks and three strikeouts.
Culiacan, Sin.

The Culiacan Tomateros made known on Monday that lightning can strike twice in the same place. A Cervantes homer in the bottom of the eighth inning came to decide a sensational ball game resulting in a 5-4 win over the Mayos of Navojoa.

The Tomateros lead by winning the first two games of the playoff series.

The Cervantes homer against Ehren Wasserman (0-1) with Ramiro Pena on board with a walk closed out the scoring at 5-4.

The Mayos took advantage at the top of the eighth. Esquivel appeared in the eighth inning and connected for his third hit of the night, a homer to left field against the defeated Jesse Chavez (1-0) who eventually became the winner on Cervantes' home in the bottom of the inning.

Caracas .-

The defending champion Caribes of Anzoategui are off to a good start in defending the championship, defeating Aguilas del Zulia 3-1, for their their third consecutive victory in the Round Robin at a meeting in the Alfonso "Chico" Carrasquel Stadium of Puerto La Cruz. The good performance of the Indians pitching was key to the current kings of Venezuela to rise up with their victory. The Caribbean's offense showed its power in the bat of Gustavo Molina, who responded in the bottom of the seventh inning with a solo homer that broke up a tie ballgame. Andrew Baldwin (1-0), kept the victory. He remained on the mound for seven full innings, allowed six hits, one earned run, struck out six and walked one, while the Dominican Adalberto Mendez (0-1) took the loss.

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Bueno, Tigres blank Liriano, Leones

Royals newcomer hurls six innings, outpitches Twins southpaw

Dominican Winter League

Licey 3, Escogido 0

Francisley Bueno, who signed a Minor League contract with the Royals last month, outpitched Twins left-hander Francisco Liriano as the Tigres won for the second time in seven round-round playoff games. The 30-year-old left-hander allowed two hits and struck out five over six innings. Major League veteran Ronny Paulino and Braves farmhand Donell Linares delivered RBI doubles for Licey. Liriano gave up a run on two hits in 1 2/3 frames in his winter league debut.

Gigantes at Aguilas, postponed
Francisley Bueno appeared in one game for the Braves during the 2008 season. (Ricardo Arduengo/AP)

Venezuelan Winter League

Magallanes 3, Aragua 2

Reds farmhand Matt Klinker allowed a run on five hits over 5 1/3 innings, helping the Navegantes post their first playoff win in three tries. Orioles outfielder Endy Chavez went 3-for-4 with a run scored and Angels prospect Darwin Perez reached twice, stole a base and scored for Magallanes. Former Major Leaguer Edgardo Alfonzo had two of Aragua's seven hits.

Caribes 3, Zulia 1

Pirates prospect Gorkys Hernandez homered and drove in two runs to lead the unbeaten Caribes to their third straight postseason win. Yankees Minor Leaguer Gustavo Molina homered to snap a seventh-inning tie for Anzoategui, which got seven stellar innings from Minor League veteran Andy Baldwin. Yankees prospect Jose Pirela went 2-for-3 and scored the lone run for Zulia, which fell to 0-2.

Puerto Rican Winter League

Carolina 3, Caguas 0

Padres prospect Reymond Fuentes had two hits and scored twice as the last-place Gigantes won their second straight. Former Minor Leaguer Pedro Liriano allowed three hits over four innings and Astros prospect Enrique Hernandez contributed an RBI double and scored a run for Carolina.

Mayaguez at Ponce, canceled

Mexican Pacific League

Mexicali 7, Hermosillo 1

Miguel Gonzalez, who pitched at three levels in the Red Sox system last season, struck out six over 5 2/3 solid innings as the Aguilas took a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series. Former Major Leaguer Willis Otañez had two hits, including a three-run homer, and Issmael Salas added a two-run shot for Mexicali. Former Reds farmhand Jesse Gutierrez homered in a losing cause.

Culiacan 9, Navojoa 4

Yankees farmhand Jorge Vazquez hit a grand slam and Minor League veterans Jeff Frazier and Cory Aldridge added two-run shots, powering the Tomateros to a commanding 3-0 lead in their best-of-7 playoff series. Yankees infielder Ramiro Peña chipped in two hits and scored a run for Culiacan, while former Major Leaguer Wes Bankston delivered a two-run single for Navojoa.

Obregon 9, Guasave 8

Former Major Leaguer Alfredo Amezaga slugged a pair of two-run homers as the Yaquis held off the Algodoñeros to grab a 3-0 lead in their opening-round series. Corey Wimberly, who spent last season in the Pirates organization, had two hits, an RBI and two runs scored out of the leadoff spot for Obregon. Big league veterans Daryle Ward and Brad Snyder went deep for Guasave.

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Australian Baseball League

•Andrew Campbell (LF, Brisbane Bandits): 1-for-5, 2B, K. The ABL kicked off their playoff action on Wednesday night, and after being out of action for almost 4 weeks Campbell has been back in the lineup the last week for Brisbane. He has hit in 6 straight games since being inserted back into the lineup on December 29th though is only 7-for-25 during that stretch.

•Ryan Battaglia (C, Brisbane Bandits): 1-for-4, 2B, RBI, 2 K, E. Brisbane played two very young and inexperienced players in their first playoff game with both Campbell and Battaglia in the lineup. While Battaglia was productive with a double and RBI, he had a key throwing error in the bottom of the 6th inning that resulted in the last run Perth would score until they got a walkoff run in the 12th inning.

No Pitch

SANTO DOMINGO .-

The star pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez has not improved from the flu virus that affects his preparation and now has no date for joining the Tigers rotation.

"You have to wait, but does not look that he can throw for us," lamented the blue club general manager, Fernando Ravelo, who provided details of the situation to the Cleveland Indians in Major League Baseball .

"They asked us to rate his preparation program in order to be able to pitch and help the team," said Ravelo.

After bed rest for a couple of more days, Jimenez could join in the training and said that would be able to come back on Thursday the 5th in San Francisco de Macoris against the Gigantes del Cibao or the 6th in Santiago on Friday against the Cibao Eagles.

But he has had a relapse caused by the strong flu, which forced him to stop working on his fitness, so his progress has been limited.

Replacing him in the rotation for the cats will be a native righty Esmila Rogers, who in the 2011 season pitched for the Colorado Rockies. He has pitched one game in this Round Robin.

The Cleveland Indians gave permission to Ubaldo Jimenez to join in this glorious 2011-12 season and assigned him a maximum of 30 innings. Jimenez has only had only one start of 50 pitches at the end of the regular round.

Hermosillo, Son.

Miguel Angel Gonzalez justified his status as a reinforcement to the fullest, bringing to order the ranks of the opponents and letting his bullpen do the rest. The Mexicali Eagles benefited from good pitching and home runs by Ismael Salas and Wilis Otañez key to achieving victory to the tune of 7 to 1 over the Naranjeros of Hermosillo and taking the series lead in the playoffs. Gonzalez (1-0) worked five and two thirds with a four-hitter, he gave up a run, walked one and struck out six. Jailer Peguero pitched two scoreless innings and Thomas Melgarejo finished. Taking the losss was Dan Serafini (0-1).
GUASAVE, SIN.

He who has an ounce of strength, is able to change the setting at any time, that he proved on Wednesday night. The ex-major leaguer Alfredo Amezaga with two homers and four batted in was enough medicine for the Yaquis de Ciudad Obregon to beat the Guasave Algodoneros 9 by 8. Japhat Amador, Daryl Ward, and Brad Snyder connected for Guasave. Francisco Cordoba started and picked up the loss. Cordoba went 4.2 innings, 6 hits, 6 runs, 0 walks, and 4 strikeouts. Rafael Rodriguez was the second of nine Obregon pitchers and picked up the win.
Navojoa SON.

Jorge Vazquez homer with the bases loaded in the top of the sixth broke a 2-2 tie for Culiacan. The Tomateros scored five in the inning to take a 7-2 and rolled on to a 9 to 4 over the Mayos of Navojoa. Jeff Frazier and Cory Aldridge also homered for the Tomateros. Daniel Fornes had a pinch hit homer for the Mayos in the bottom of the ninth. Rodrigo Lopez (1-0) started and got the win. Lopez went 6 innings, 2 runs, 2 hits, 5 walks, and 2 strikeouts. Tomas Solis (0-1) started and was the loser. Solis worked 5.1 innings, 8 hits, 5 runs, 3 walks, and 1 strikeout.

Giovanny Urshella's name hasn't been on the lineup card the past few days. Either he's injured, been given a day or two off, or lost his job.

TOKYO, Jan. 5 (19:55) Kyodo

Japanese shortstop Hiroyuki Nakajima left for New York on
Thursday in a last-ditch effort to secure a deal with the Yankees.

Nakajima will meet with the Yankees who posted a winning bid of
$2.5 million last month for the rights to negotiate with the
29-year-old slugger, according to the Seibu Lions.

The exclusive 30-day negotiating window closes on Saturday 7
a.m., Japanese time.

Nakajima batted .297 with 16 homers and 100 RBIs while appearing
in all 144 regular-season games for Seibu in 2011.

KOBE -

Free agent shortstop Munenori Kawasaki confirmed Thursday
that he has been invited to spring training by the Seattle Mariners.

The Seattle Times reported last month that the 30-year-old
Kawasaki would sign a minor-league deal with the Mariners and receive
an invitation to spring training.

FUKUOKA -

The Softbank Hawks will acquire former Miami Marlins
pitcher Renyel Pinto to plug some of the holes in the pitching staff,
team chairman Sadaharu Oh said Thursday. ''Pinto is a done deal,'' Oh said.

Pinto is having an excellent winter ball season pitching for the Caribbeans Anzoantegui in the Venezuelan. The Caribes are currently in the middle of the round robin playoff run and aiming to defend their championship from last season.

NEW YORK, Jan. 5 (04:15) Kyodo

UPDATING

Negotiations between Japanese shortstop Hiroyuki Nakajima and
the New York Yankees have ended without a contract, the major league
club said Thursday.

''We unfortunately could not come to an agreement with
Hiroyuki,'' Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman said in a statement
issued by the club's Media Relations Department. ''We wish him the
best of luck during the upcoming 2012 season.''

The statement comes a day before the official end of the
Yankees' exclusive 30-day negotiating window with Nakajima. Under the
rules of the posting system, the Yankees' winning bid of $2.5 million
will be refunded since no deal was struck.

Nakajima, 29, is a four-time Pacific League All-Star with a .302
career batting average over 10 seasons, all with the Seibu Lions. He
appeared in all 144 regular-season games for Seibu in 2011, batting
.297 with 16 home runs and 100 RBIs.

After the 2012 season, Nakajima will be eligible for
international free agency.

"THE TRIBE" UNDEFEATED AFTER THREE
Ramon Ramirez had a quiet night against the Eagles
Niuman Romero contributed with their expertise and timely hitting

Caracas .-

Caribes of Anzoategui inspired by the start of the semifinal and has not losing any meeting at Alfonso "Chico" Carrasquel, in Puerto La Cruz. Final slate eas 7-2 as the Tribe defeated the Eagles of Zulia, who still do not own a victory. Eliezer Alfonzo and Jose Castillo contributed from the first inning, as the Tribe took the early lead 3-0. The response of Zulia came on Henry Rodriguez had an rbi double and scored on a Jose Pirela fielders choice in the fourth. In the sixth and eighth Caribbeans took control thanks to the hits by Rene Reyes and Gustavo Molina. The winner was Jean Toledo in relief( 1-0), while Dwayne Pollok starter was charged with the defeat (0-1).