Cleveland Sports Forum

Julio Lugo. (José Almonte)

SANTIAGO.

After the victory in the second game of the championship series, the mood of the Leones was high. While the veteran Julio Lugo stated that the team must procedd with caution, the mighty Mauro Gomez says he wants to sweep the Aguilas.

Leones has the advantage in series 2-0 and now head home to Quisqueya Stadium. "We must be cautious with this team. It is a franchise that must be respected and although we are playing better, we can not neglect them, "said Lugo.

Mauro changed the tune. "I love sweeping, I want a quick win of the series," said Gomez, author of an important home run in the second inning last night.

Lugo had two doubles and a single, drove in two to lead the attack of Leones.

Nelson Figueroa admitted that his walk to Brandon Moss in the fourth inning was semi-intentional preferring to pitch to Miguel Tejada. "It's hard to say. But it was the right thing to do. Moss is hitting well and I pitch better against Tejada" he said.

Adonis Garcia

CARACAS .-

Aragua Tigers and Sharks of La Guaira formalized their championship series rosters which starts tonight at Jose Perez Colmenares Stadium of Maracay.

The two reinforcement players Aragua will be the Cuban Adonis Garcia (Magallanes) and reliever Pedro Guerra (Magallanes). They will take the roster spots presently occupied by Ruben Rivera and Justin Lehr.

The La Guaira additions will be Matt Klinker (Magallanes) and Jon Hunton (Anzoantegui). They will replace relievers Jose Jimenez and Fernando Hernandez Jr.

The La Guaira and Aragua game just getting underway. They are in the first inning of play.

Pitcher. Pat Venditte debuted yesterday throwing both hands.

Santo Domingo

Leones contracted ambidextrous pitcher Pat Venditte, who was pitching in the Mexican League and belongs to the organization of the New York Yankees in organized baseball in the United States.

Since being signed to professional baseball pitcher this young man has become a sensation in all leagues where he has participated, including the minor leagues and winter leagues.

This year Venditte pitched for the team in Trenton, a branch of the Yankees Double-A, where he accumulated a 3-7 mark and 3.40 ERA, participated in 51 games, 90.0 innings, allowed 80 hits, 34 earned runs, seven homers, 31 walks and 88 strikeouts.

Lifetime, in four years in the minors has record of 13-11 and an ERA of 2.28 excellent, with 306 strikeouts in 264.2 innings for a formidable proportion of 10.4 strikeouts per 9.0 innings pitched.

This unique pitcher, who turns 27 on June 30, uses a special six-finger glove, designed by his father and developed by Mizuno that fits on both hands.

Venditte has had experience in the winter leagues.

In the 2009-10 season with the Eagles participated for Zulia in the Professional Baseball League Venezuela.

This year he was pitching in the Mexican League. As a right-hander had 1.98 ERA with 28 strikeouts in 27.1 innings and as a left-hander had a percentage of 3.00 ERA with 18 strikeouts in 15.0 innings.

Creation of the "Venditte Rule" The instrument that governs this type of situation as Sui generis was created in 2008, following a problem which arose between Venditte and Henriquez of the Brooklyn Cyclones, which forced the Professional Corporation of Baseball Umpires to establish a rule which is popularly known as Venditte Rule.

The Pat Venditte Rule

Venditte's rare ambidextrous abilities prompted the Professional Baseball Umpire Corporation (PBUC) to issue a new rule for dealing with ambidextrous pitchers, limiting the number of times that a switch-pitcher and switch-hitter can change sides during one at-bat.[21] After consulting with a variety of sources, including the Major League Baseball Rules Committee, the PBUC issued its new guidelines on July 3, 2008. It reads:

The pitcher must visually indicate to the umpire, batter and runner(s) which way he will begin pitching to the batter. Engaging the rubber with the glove on a particular hand is considered a definitive commitment to with which arm he will throw. The batter will then choose which side of the plate he will bat from.

The pitcher is not permitted to pitch with the other hand until the batter is retired, the batter becomes a runner, the inning ends, the batter is substituted for by a pinch-hitter or the pitcher incurs an injury.

Any switch (by either the pitcher or the batter) must be clearly indicated to the umpire. There will be no warm-up pitches during the change of arms.

If an injury occurs the pitcher may change arms but not use that arm again during the remainder of the game.

AGUILAS.

Hector Luna was the first victim of the historic moment when Pat Venditte came on in relief for the Lions and threw with both hands ... Lorenzo Barcelo has admitted he has never been able to beat your old set, the Lions of the Chosen.

Aguilas Bottom of the 8th

Pitcher Change: Pat Venditte replaces Nelson Payano.
Pitching right handed against Hector Luna ground out, pitcher Pat Venditte to first baseman Mauro Gomez.
Pitching left handed against Brandon Moss flied out to left fielder Julio Borbon.
Pitching right handed to Miguel Tejada flied out to right fielder Andy Dirks.
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Through five complete innings of play, scoreless Aguilas against the Leones. Jorge Sosa start for Escogido and only gave up one hit and one walk with nine strikeouts before he gave way to Ramon Garcia with one out in the sixth. That when the Aguilas got on the board. Elian Herrera singled. Drag bunt down the third base line. Joaquin Arias double up the alley in left as Herrera scored all the way from first. Brandon Moss was hit by a pitched ball. Hector Luna lofted one to deep center but the ball was caught and Arias advanced to third on the play. Jesse Gutierrez struckout to end the threat. Middle of the sixth inning, Aguilas 1 Leones 0. Aguilas trails in the championship series 2 games to none. Raul Valdez started for the Aguilas and remains on the mound to start the bottom half of the sixth inning.

Valdez puts the side down in order in the bottom of the sixth. Raul looks like a pretty tough hombre with some nasty stuff. Valdez with six complete innings in the book had only given up five hits, no runs, one walk, and seven strikeouts. This will most likely be Valdez's last inning. His pitch count is up to 95. That's a lot for winterball pitchers. Aguilas in a must win situation this early in the series might not have a choice but to leave Valdez in one more inning. They need a win badly and the Leones have not come close to score. Valdez has spaced those five hits out pretty evenly over the six innings.

Pat Venditte out to start the Aguilas top half of the seventh inning. Venditte getting in his warm up tosses with his right hand. First batter is the right hand swinging Miguel Tejada. Venditte pitching right handed. Tejada smashes one off the third baseman's glove for an infield single. The right hand hitting Juan Perez up. Venditte still pitching right handed. Perez sacrifices Tejada to second. Francisco Pena batting right handed. Venditte still throw right handed. Pena walks. Runners on first and second. The right hand hitting Carlos Gomez hitting against a right handed Venditte. Fielder's choice short to second as Tejada advances to third. The Left hand swinging Elian Herrera in the box. Venditte switches glove hand and becomes a southpaw pitching with the left hand. He fires a couple of pitches to home plate but he's not on the mound. I guess those two tosses were his warm ups. Felix Fermin charged out of the dugout and had a little chat with the home plate umpire. I guess Felix didn't like that little warmup display by Venditte. Elian Herrera flies out to right.

First time I've ever seen an ambidexterous pitcher. Venditte is not a freak show. The kid pitches very well from both sides of the rubber. Fun stuff!! Venditte is a pretty damn good pitcher.

WoW! Raul Valdez does come out for another inning of work. He strikes out Lugo to start the home half of the seventh off. That's strikeout number 8. Wilkin Castillo flied out. Fernando Tatis doubled and the home town crowd is on their feet. Pedro Florimon works the count full and the crown is really into it right now. Ohhhhh! Fastball over the inside half of the plate gets Florimon looking. Side retired. That's strikeout number 9 for Valdez. Raul's pitch count up to 115. I have a feeling this will be all for Valdez. Brilliant effort! End of 7. Aguilas 1 Leones 0. Great ballgame!

Damn! I wish they'ed start these games earlier. I have to run. More work to do.

It's all over. Escogido comes back to defeat the Aguilas 3-1 with 3 big runs in the home half of the eighth. Raul Valdez did come back and start that inning. Obviously he didn't finish as Felix Fermin tried to milk everything Valdez had in him. The inning started when Ivan De Jusus was hit by a pitched ball. Pablo Ozuna bunt popped out to to Jesse Gutierrez in foul territory. Melky Mesa ran for De Jesus. Dirks singled off of shortstop Arias' glove. Mesa to second. Miguel Batista replaced Raul Valdez after a brilliant effort. Mauro Gomez greeted Batista with a single driving home Mesa with Andy Dirks advancing to third. Denis Phipps hit a sacrifice fly as Dirks came home with the go-ahead run. Gomez to second on the throw home. Miguel Batista intentionally walked Julio Lugo. Orlando Mercado singled home Mauro Gomez. Ball Game !!!! Leones 3 Aguilas 1. Leones now leads the best of nine series 3 games to none. Aguilas will need a miracle to get back into this finale.

Raul Valdez's final line is 7.1 innings, 7 hits, 2 runs, 1 walk, 1 hit batter, and 9 strikeouts. No pitch count in the box scores. The last graphics I saw before the eighth inning started was 115. The winning pitcher was Nelson Payano in relief. Final 2 innings, no hits, no runs, 1 walk, and 2 strikeouts.

In the only other ballgame going tonight and its a final, the Aragua Tigers shutout the La Guaira Sharks 2-0. That was the first game of the best of seven series. The Tigers lead it 1 game to none.

TIGERS GRAB FIRST BLOOD BLEACH THE SHARKS

Aragua 2 La Guaira 0

Aragua defeated La Guaira on a basehit by Wilson Ramos driving in Adonis Garcia in the seventh inning, combined with a good job of pitching.

Caracas .-

Wilson Ramos fired an rbi basehit in seventh inning for the Aragua Tigers taking the first game of the Venezuelan professional baseball final after beating La Guaira Sharks 2-0 in Jose Perez Colmenares Stadium in Maracay.

The Tiger catcher singled by the third baseman Oscar Salazar could not control the ball and Adonis Garcia was allowed to score from third base, the run that made the difference.

Wilfredo Ledezma got the win in relief working an inning giving up a hit and striking out two.

The loss went to the starter of the sharks, Les Walrond, despite a good job in six innings, allowed five hits, one run.

Yusmeiro Petit who started for Aragua, stretched his yoke on the Sharks in this postseason, and left the game giving up five hits over six innings of work, though it was no contest. Petit struck out four opponents and only one runner reached second base, while he was on the mound.

Jose Mijares preserved the victory for the dominating Tigers.
Les Walrond Sharks Starter
Yusmeiro Petit on the mound starting for the Tigers
Yusmeiro Petit is congratulated by his teammates after leaving the game
Adonis Garcia led off the 7th with a double and scored to break a scoreless tie
Wilson Ramos singles home Adonis Garcia with the first run of the ballgame in the 7th.
Aragua players celebrate with Adonis Garcia at home

Lions do not let up win third game against the Eagles

The Lions won their third straight game against the Eagles and only takes two more to graduate to champions of baseball in the Dominican Republic.

The Eagles led 1 to 0 in the eighth inning when Leones scored three runs.

The series is a best of 9, and although six games remain, the Eagles batting weakness does not give much hope to their fans.

In the three games the Eagles have only been able to score three runs against the lions, who have enjoyed the performance highlights of Mauro Gomez, who shone again on Monday when he tied the game with a single, followed by Dennis Phipps who brought from third base Andy Dirks with the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly. Pinch-hitter Orlando Mercado singled to drive in the third and final run of the game.

For the Eagles the Cuban Raul Valdes again dominated the Lions but opened the eighth by hitting pinch-hitter Jesus Ivan and after one out, allowed a soft single by Dirks and Valdez was relieved. The Lions went on to score three runs in the inning after Valdez left the game.

Jorge Sosa worked five innings of one run and relievers Ramon Garcia (6th), Merkin Valdez (6th), Pat Venditte (7th) and Nelson Payano, who picked up the win with two innings of work in which he only allowed a walk and had two strikeouts.

Valdes took the loss, although he spaced seven hits with a walk, a hit batter, and nine strikeouts in seven innings, pitching on three days' rest.

Sosa's start gives Leones 3-0 series lead

Major League veteran fans nine over 5 1/3 innings for Escogido

Dominican Winter League

Escogido 3, Aguilas 1

Former Major Leaguer Jorge Sosa didn't factor in the decision after surrendering one run on three hits while fanning nine over 5 1/3 innings as the Leones claimed a 3-0 series lead in the best-of-9 Dominican Winter League Championship Series on Monday.

Braves farmhand Mauro Gomez, Reds prospect Dennis Phipps and former Angels Minor Leaguer Orlando Mercado contributed RBIs during Escogido's eighth-inning rally. Raul Valdes, who signed with the Phillies in November, took the loss after allowing two runs and striking out nine over 7 1/3 innings for the visiting Aguilas.
Jorge Sosa is 44-53 with a 4.72 ERA in 294 Major League appearances across nine seasons. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Venezuelan Winter League

Aragua 2, La Guaira 0

Yusmero Petit (Giants) allowed five hits and struck out four over six innings as the Tigres took the opening game of the Venezuelan Championship Series. Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos was 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored, while Dodgers farmhand Wil Ledezma earned the win after fanning two and allowing a hit in an inning of relief. Giants prospect Hector Sanchez singled twice in the loss for the Tiburones.