Huber (L), Biddle and Harman (R) had 14 hits and 5 HR on Sunday. (SMP Images/ Brett Crockford)

Aces sweep doubleheader, advance to ABLCS

Melbourne will take on Perth beginning on Friday

MELBOURNE, 5 February -

The Jet Couriers Melbourne Aces exploded for 29 runs in Sunday's doubleheader, taking both games from the Sydney Blue Sox at Melbourne Showgrounds to clinch the series victory in Round Two of the ConocoPhillips ABL Postseason. Melbourne picked up a 14-4 victory in Game Four, led by a four-hit output from Paul Weichard and two Brad Harman home runs. Travis Blackley bounced back from his rough Wednesday start by striking out eight over five innings and allowing just two runs to pick up the win.

In Game Five, the Aces triumphed by a 15-3 score, with Harman adding his third home run of the day and Elliot Biddle adding a pair of his own. Jeff Jamnik was outstanding on the mound, tossing eight innings, striking out seven and surrendering just seven hits as he earned his first Postseason win. Mitch Dening was Sydney's bright spot in the doubleheader sweep, connecting for a home run in each game to finish with four in the series.

Jet Couriers Melbourne Aces vs. Sydney Blue Sox (Game 4):

The Aces bats busted out in Game Four of the ConocoPhillips ABL Postseason Round Two series, connecting for 15 hits and three home runs in a 14-4 win over the Blue Sox at Melbourne Showgrounds. Regular season home run leader Brad Harman led the charge for the Aces with a pair of blasts and six total RBI. Travis Blackley returned to the mound on three days' rest and earned the win, striking out eight and allowing just two runs over five innings. For the Blue Sox, Mitch Dening hit his third home run in two games.

The game remained scoreless for the first two frames before the Blue Sox scored in the third. After Blackley struck out the first two batters of the inning, David Kandilas sparked a rally with a single and subsequent steal of second base. The next man up was Dening, who came through with an opposite field home run, giving his team a two-run lead.

The Aces struck back in the bottom of the third. Darryl George led off the inning with a double and then scored on a Dominic Ramos single, cutting the Sydney lead in half. Paul Weichard then singled, putting runners on the corners for Harman. The slugging second baseman smashed a three-run homer to right field, giving Melbourne a 4-2 lead.

In the fifth, with rain beginning to fall, the Aces added four more to their lead. Harman hit his second home run of the game off Blue Sox starter Aidan Francis, a two-run shot, and Kevin David later added a two-run bomb of his own. With the big inning, Melbourne extended their lead to 8-2 before the game entered a rain delay.

Blackley bounced back nicely from a difficult Game One start in which he surrendered seven earned runs. He earned his first Postseason win by tossing five innings, striking out eight, walking none, and allowing just five hits and two runs. He struck out 18 Blue Sox in 12 innings pitched this series.

Designated hitter Paul Weichard, who had previously been hitless in the series, broke out of his slump with a four-hit evening. He had three singles and a double, drove in a run and scored three.

When play resumed following the rain delay, Sydney briefly attempted a comeback when Trent D'Antonio's sixth inning home run cut the deficit to 8-4, but Melbourne's offence was just too strong in this one. They came back with three more in the bottom of the sixth and put another three-spot on the board in the eighth.

Jet Couriers Melbourne Aces vs. Sydney Blue Sox (Game 5):

The Aces cruised to an easy 15-3 win in Game Five, clinching the ConocoPhillips ABL Postseason Round Two series victory over the Blue Sox. Melbourne put runs on the board in each of the first five innings and never allowed their opponent to make the game competitive. Elliot Biddle had two home runs in the game and Brad Harman added one, finishing the day with three over the course of the doubleheader. The Aces now move on to challenge the 'Alcohol Think Again' Perth Heat in the 2012 ConocoPhillips ABL Championship Series, beginning 4:05PM WST Friday at Barbagallo Ballpark.

The Aces scored early and often in this game, displaying great urgency in their quest to reach their first ABL Championship Series. After Mitch Dening connected for his fourth home run in the series in the top of the first, Melbourne came back with four runs in the bottom half, highlighted by Harman's two-run homer, his third of the doubleheader.

The Aces scored one in the second and then really put the game away in the third, when they exploded for a six-spot. They began the inning with three straight singles, the last of which came off the bat of Darryl George and scored Scott Wearne. George joined Dominic Ramos and Elliot Biddle as Aces who had three hits in the game, while John Edwards had four.

After George's hit, a sacrifice fly by Ramos scored Edwards. Then Paul Weichard grounded into a force out, setting up Sydney with two outs in the inning and a chance to get out of it with only two runs on the board. However, that groundout was followed by a single by Harman that loaded the bases and then a wild pitch that brought home Weichard. A walk to Justin Huber brought up Biddle, who launched the first of his two home runs, giving Melbourne a 10-run lead they'd never look back from.

Jaff Jamnik turned in his finest start in an Aces uniform, earning a complete game win. He struck out seven and surrendered just seven hits and three earned runs. The right-hander displayed impressive stamina and control, throwing 121 pitches in the game, 84 of which were strikes.

In all, seven Melbourne batters had multiple hits in the game and Weichard was the only starter who failed to record a hit. The Aces displayed impressive offensive depth, with eight players driving in runs during the doubleheader. In today's wins, they displayed the type of offensive firepower necessary to defeat Perth.

The bright spot in an otherwise difficult day for Sydney was Mitch Dening, who blasted a home run in each game. He finished the series with four home runs and seven RBI in the final three games. The Blue Sox will now have to wait until next season for a shot at their first ABL Championship.

The Aces will only have to wait until Friday for their shot, when they will begin the 2012 ConocoPhillips ABL Championship Series at Barbagallo Ballpark against the 'Alcohol Think Again' Perth Heat. The best-of-three series will be broadcast live by Fox Sports and ABC Grandstand and begins at 4:05 WST on Friday night.

Pitcher Penny signs with Softbank

Kyodo

FUKUOKA —

Two-time major league All-Star Brad Penny has signed a one-year contract with the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks, the Japan Series champions announced Sunday.

The 33-year-old Penny will arrive in Japan on Wednesday and is due to join the team the following day in Miyazaki, where the Hawks are holding spring training.

Penny, once reputed to have one of the best fastballs in the majors, went 11-11 with a 5.30 ERA in 31 starts for the AL Central champion Detroit Tigers last season.

He struck out 74 in 181⅔ innings, the most he has thrown since 2007.

Over his 11-year career with five other teams, Penny has a 119-99 record and a 4.23 ERA. The Oklahoma native won as many as 16 games in a season, in 2006 and 2007 with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Manager Ken Oberkfell has his Leones del Escogido rolling in the Caribbean Series. (AP)

Leones skipper Oberkfell magical once again

By Jesse Sanchez / MLB.com | 02/05/12 9:13 PM EST

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic --

The men that make up Leones de Escogido's rich history are among the most familiar figures in Latin American baseball.

Hall of Famer Juan Marichal played for the Dominican club, as did all three Alou brothers, Felipe, Matty and Jesus. David Ortiz, Sammy Sosa, Julio Franco, Octavio Dotel and Mario Soto all suited up in Escogido's red, white and black uniforms. Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez played his winter ball for the Leones.

Former Major League outfielder Moises Alou is the team's current general manager.

But there is a new man making a name for himself with Escogido: former Major Leaguer and current manager Ken Oberkfell.

The locals refer to Oberkfell as "El Mago de los Leones," Spanish for "The Leones' magician" because of his mystifying success since taking over the club for the 2009-2010 season.

"I never even thought about going to a foreign country being from the United States. I never dreamt it," said Oberkfell, who played in the big leagues for 16 seasons. "I never played winter ball. I was never involved in it. So for me to come here from way back when, it's pretty amazing."

Oberkfell led the Leones to their first Dominican Winter League title in 18 years in 2010 and a Caribbean Series, the third title in club history, a few weeks later. This year, Oberkfell's Leones are undefeated after their first four games of the Caribbean Series, after Sunday night's 2-0 victory over Mexico.

Venezuela defeated Puerto Rico, 7-0, in Sunday's first game.

"The first thing I ever heard about any kind of winter ball was when I was in Triple-A with the Cardinals," said Oberkfell, who won a World Series with St. Louis in 1982. "I'd just finished the season and they contacted me about possibly going to play in Mexico. I said, 'Sure, I'd love to.' I thought as a young player that maybe it would help me progress quicker, but about two weeks before I was supposed to go the deal fell through and I never went to winter ball. Then after that I got to the big leagues, and really never needed or wanted to go to winter ball because I was in the big leagues."

Oberkfell is making up for lost time. He managed the Leones during the regular season last year, but left before the playoffs because of his obligations as the Mets bench coach. Escogido didn't make it out of the round-robin without him.

In October, Oberkfell was let go by the Mets and was offered the Escogido's manager job a few weeks later. Tony DeFrancesco started the season as Escogido's manager, but was fired down the stretch leading into the playoffs. The Leones won the Dominican League title last Monday in a dramatic come-from-behind victory in Game 9 of the finals against Santiago's Aguilas Cibaenas.

That's right, nine. The league finals in the D.R. is a best-of-nine series.

"Moises wasn't sure if I wanted to do it, so he went with Tony DeFrancesco, which was great," Oberkfell said. "I told him, 'Mo, if you need me, I'm here for you,' and he said, 'Well, if I need you, I'll call you.' He called me right before Thanksgiving and he said, 'I need you.' I get here and the team wins again -- it's a pretty special feeling."

"Special" is one word to describe Oberkfell's run with Escogido. "Magic" is another.

"Oberkfell is type of manager the players love playing for," Escogido president Luis Manuel Bonetti said. "He's the type of manager that lets them play. He doesn't put any restrictions, and really understands the culture that we have here."

Oberkfell said Hall of Fame skipper Whitey Herzog, who managed him in St. Louis, is his biggest influence. He also credits Tigers manager Jim Leyland, who managed him in Pittsburgh, for helping him become the manager he is today.

Oberkfell, who also managed in the Mets system for six years, will manage the Newark Bears in the Independent League this season.

"Whitey would make sure every day that he'd talk to every extra player he had," Oberkfell said. "He didn't have to talk to the regulars. He made sure he communicated with everybody else. That's something I really took from my playing days, knowing that I wanted to get into coaching and managing. Jim was similar to Whitey, but he was more in your face."

One thing Oberkfell learned on his own, is how to manage the expectations that come with managing a team in the Dominican Republic. The manager knows he is loved by the fans when Escogido wins, and hated when the team loses.

He's also aware that there is very little job security for a manager in the Dominican Winter League.

"The fans love their team and expect you to go 50-0. If you lose a game, you stink," he said. "They're passionate. When you try to compare the baseball here with the baseball in the States, there's not a lot to compare. The fan base is unbelievable, the way they love their team and or hate their team when they're losing, but I've been very fortunate to have won two of the three years I've been here."

Oberkfell is up to his old tricks this week. He would become the first Escogido manager in history to win more than one Caribbean Series if his club wins the 2012 championship. Phil Regan managed the Leones to a title in 1988. Felipe Alou's team won the Caribbean Series in 1990.

"Everybody's told me that it's quite an honor to be mentioned in the same sentence with Felipe Alou and Moises Alou," Orberkfell said. "Do I feel part of the Dominican Republic? Absolutely. Do I feel part of the Escogido family? Absolutely. I want to come back next year. I love winter ball now."

With the Puerto Rico victory over Mexico, The Dominican Republic achieved crown #19

Mexico 3, Puerto Rico 4

SANTO DOMINGO . -

Not having to play, the Dominican Republic on Monday won their 19th title of the Caribbean Series.

Luis Figueroa hit a ninth inning single and drove in Johnny Monell as the Mayaguez Indians defeated 4-3 the Yaquis de Obregon Mexico.

With the victory, the host Escogido Lions will be crowned champions before their fifth game of the series against the Tigres de Aragua Venezuela this evening.

It was the fourth title for the Escogido Lions in the Caribbean Classic.

The win went to reliever Nelvin Fuentes (1-0) after pitching an inning and two thirds of scoreless baseball no hits and a strikeout.

Nelson Figueroa who left no-decision after pitching seven innings on eight hits and three runs with three walks and two strikeouts, pitching on three days' rest.

Mexico score first in the first. Karim Garcia singled and drove in Chris Roberson to make it a 1-0 ballgame.

Mexico took a 3-0 lead in the third. Alfredo Amezaga singled to leadoff the inning. Karim Garcia tripled driving in Alfredo Amezaga. Barbaro Canizares' sacrifice fly brought home Karim Garcia.

Puerto Rico cut the lead to 1 responding with two runs in their half of the inning. Rene Rivera lead off the inning with a basehit. With one out, Jesus Feliciano doubled as Rivera advanced to third.
Luis Figueroa's two rbi single drove in Rene Rivera and Jesus Feliciano.

Mexico's Miguel Gonzalez pitched five innings and allowed five hits and two runs with a walk and two strikeouts.

Reliever Dan Serafini allowed one unearned run in two innings of work but allowed the tying run to cross the plate evening up the game at 3-3 in the eighth. Jesus Feliciano led off the inning by walking. Luis Figueroa's sacrifice bunt and fielding error by first baseman Humberto Cota gave Puerto Rico runners on first and second. Luis Ayala replaced Dan Serafini. Danny Gonzalez pinch hit for Randy Ruiz. Danny Gonzalez's sacrifice bunt advanced Jesus Feliciano to third and Luis Figueroa to second. Luis Ayala intentionally walked Jeff Dominguez. Jorge Padilla grounds out to short but Jesus Feliciano scored the tying run.

Luis Figueroa's walk off basehit brought home pinch hitter Johnny Monell who walked leading off the home half of the ninth.

The loss went to Ayala (0-1) who allowed a run and four walks in just one inning of work.

For Puerto Rico, Figueroa batted 2-4 with three RBIs and, Jesus Feliciano was 3-3 with two runs scored.

For Mexico, Karim Garcia was 2-2, with a triple, a run batted in and a run scored.

Caribbean Series

Dominican Republic Wins the Caribbean Series

The team Puerto Rico defeated 4-3 teamf Mexico in the Caribbean Series, which immediately gave the tournament championship to the Dominican Republic represented by the Escogido Leones.

The Dominicans are 4-0 in the tournament and the team from Mexico was in second place with a 2-2 record that was not yet mathematically disqualified, but the loss to the Puerto Ricans gave team Mexico no chance of beating the Dominicans.

Puerto Rico manufactured a run in the eighth inning to tie the game at three runs and in the ninth scored another, leaving the Mexicans in the field. Nelson Figueroa was the starting pitcher for the Mayaguez team from Puerto Rico but left the game with a no-decision.

Withdrawn. The Dominican said he does not adapt to life outside the game

February 5, 2012, 7:38 a.m.

Pedro Martinez wants to buy baseball team Dominican Republic

Martinez said he would follow in the activity of his life

Santo Domingo .

Pedro Martinez said yesterday that while virtually being out of baseball, he can not rule out returning to the majors in a clerical position.

Martinez is not ruling out the opportunity to buy a professional baseball team in the Dominican he said yesterday in an extensive interview on Sports Week, which airs on Telecentre of 12 to 2 pm.

"Do I think about getting back into baseball, on the playing field? I would go for a place in the office with the option of going back on the field to pitch at any time as a manager or pitching coach, "said Pedro, answering a question from the group of journalists who interviewed him, Hector J. Cruz, Dionisio Soldevila and Jose Luis Mendoza.

Difficult to adapt

Martinez said it has not been easy adjusting to a new life because he had to deal with what it meant by the death of his father, following the cancer that afflicted him.

"I tried to spend much time with my family and give quality time with my kids," he said.

Also showed that Martinez was mentally prepared for retirement.

"I made a good base for my retirement, although I very much need competition in the field, is what I miss most, I feel more comfortable with 60.000 fans at the stadium. The hardest thing is being in home, living life every day without baseball, "he said.

Inspiration

Martinez said his brother Ramon was the main focus of his career, on and off the field.

"He was my inspiration and role model, both in terms of discipline in baseball and outside the game.

I'll always remember him with a loaded backpack as I followed him everywhere. "

Tigers remain in running to land Cespedes

Detroit signs power-hitting teenage prospect Valdez

By Jason Beck / MLB.com | 02/06/12 4:32 PM EST

DETROIT --

The Tigers remain in the running for Cuban outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, by all accounts. But while the negotiations between Cespedes and various teams goes on, Detroit made another international signing the club thinks can pay dividends.
While the Tigers usually reserve their bigger amateur signings for the traditional international signing period in midsummer, they pulled off a big signing last week from the Dominican Prospect League, an emerging winter event designed to showcase the Dominican Republic's teenage talent for Major League scouts. There, the Tigers watched and signed outfielder Ignacio Valdez, whom they see as a potential power-hitting prospect.

According to the Dominican Prospect League website, Valdez signed with Detroit for a $280,000 bonus. It's a significant investment for an organization that has traditionally spread out its international money over several small and mid-level signings, but has pursued and signed some bigger talent over the last couple of years.

Valdez was one of six players eligible to sign out of the Dominican Prospect League's All-Star Game, but the first to reach a deal. Brian Mejia of DPLbaseball.com compared Valdez's style to Vladimir Guerrero, a very aggressive hitter with power potential, speed and room to grow into his already big frame. The Tigers reportedly had been following him throughout the prospect league campaign.

Tigers vice president Al Avila, who's in the Dominican for the annual Caribbean Series, confirmed the signing in an e-mail to MLB.com.

"Valdez is a very good athlete that has big power," Avila said. He added that Valdez has "raw tools now that, if they develop, can be a real force."

Avila didn't offer specifics on the contract, but there's an advantage to a big-bonus signing now in the wake of the collective bargaining agreement MLB and the Players Association approved in the fall. With spending to be capped shortly on international free agents, deals like this could be tougher to fit in the coming years. That cap will become tied to teams' records in later years.

Similarly, the Tigers invested big money in a Dominican prospect seven months ago, when they signed third baseman Adelin Santa to a reported $750,000 bonus. A year earlier, they spent big on Venezuelan outfielder Danry Vasquez, who made his pro debut in the United States this past summer in the Gulf Coast League.

The Tigers should still be able to fit in some bigger signings such as those under the new CBA, though it could limit the number of free agents they can sign out of Latin America. One of the club's strengths in recent years, however, has been its efforts to scout areas in Venezuela and other Latin American countries for under-the-radar talent.

As for Cespedes, his pursuit doesn't fit under an international salary cap, either. The Tigers have been steadfastly limited in their comments about the five-tool talent, more established at age 26 through the Cuban professional leagues and international tournaments yet untested in the United States. Still, team president/general manager Dave Dombrowski told the Detroit News on Monday that "it's correct to say" they're not out of the running for him, even after investing big money on Prince Fielder.

SPORTS SCOPE

Giants may live to regret letting prolific slugger Alex Ramirez leave

By JASON COSKREY

The Yomiuri Giants hit fewer singles, doubles, triples and home runs in 2011 than they did in 2010. The Kyojin also drove in fewer runs and struck out more.

Being that the Giants are the Giants, it was hardly surprising they would, fairly or unfairly, find someone to shoulder all the blame, and amiable slugger Alex Ramirez was the fall guy.

Ramirez had his worst season in Japan, but he wasn't the sole reason for the Giants' struggles. But with a contract due to expire, he was an easy target.

Changes after such a down season are understandable, but it's possible the Giants jettisoned the wrong player.

With Ramirez left unsigned, the Kyojin essentially swapped him for a younger, less productive version of himself during free agency, signing former Yokohama BayStars slugger Shuichi Murata, as Ramirez headed to the BayStars.

Defensively, the move was fairly savvy.

Murata isn't the best fielder in the world, but he's durable and should hold down third base, which allows Michihiro Ogasawara to focus on first base and solidifies the NPB's most fluid corner infield situation. There may also be gains made in the outfield, depending on who replaces Ramirez in left field.

But is the slight bump in run prevention Murata offers more valuable than what Ramirez could produce with his bat?

Both sluggers had down years in 2011, though Ramirez was slightly better, hitting .279, with an on-base percentage of .322, slugging percentage of .453, 23 home runs and 73 RBIs.

Murata put up a 253/.321/.423 line, going deep 20 times and driving in 70 runs.

Ramirez also posted a superior 5.13 runs created per 27 outs to Murata's 4.39.

Ramirez's higher rate of production holds up over a larger sample size. Over the past five seasons, Ramirez (in 56 more games) has more extra-base hits (384 to 286), more homers (177 to 153) and more RBIs (552 to 442). He also holds a .404 to .375 edge in weighted batting average, which takes all the aspects of hitting and weighs them in proportion to their actual run value.

Murata's last big year was in 2008, when he posted a .323/.397/.665 line, with 46 homers and 114 RBIs. But career numbers of .274/.325/.545 suggest that was somewhat of a positive aberration.

Both players suffered with the introduction of the NPB's new ball in 2011, which dulled offensive production around Japan.

But Murata hit just .257 with 26 homers and 88 RBIs in 144 games in 2010, and wasn't much better last season. Considering the drop Ramirez took from 2010 (.304, 49 homers, 129 RBIs) to 2011, he may far outpace Murata by just approaching his usual rate of production, especially with a year adjusting to the new ball already under his belt.

Murata is a fine player, but with the upgrades the Giants made on the mound, coupled with the NPB's new offensive environment, one could argue Yomiuri would be in a better position with Ramirez — unless of course Murata has another big year.

With Shinnosuke Abe and Hisayoshi Chono in the lineup, the Giants should be strong whether Murata produces or not.

But if the Kyojin fall short of the pennant again, they may regret it if the missing piece has a resurgent year in Yokohama.

Ramirez latest to get ill in flu-hit DeNA camp

GINOWAN, Japan, Feb. 5 (13:40) Kyodo

The Yokohama DeNA BayStars have received another blow early in
spring training as veteran slugger Alex Ramirez is now down with an
influenza virus.

The club said Sunday that Ramirez became the fifth person at its
camp in Okinawa Prefecture to have been infected amid the spreading
influenza epidemic in Japan.

Ramirez joins a list that includes new manager Kiyoshi Nakahata
after having a fever of 38.5 C and undergoing an exam at the camp
lodgings on Sunday morning.

The two-time Central League MVP, who joined the BayStars this
offseason, had trained normally until Saturday.

All team members are now required to wear masks outside the
practice field.

Players do not share Bailey's statements

They believe that things have not gone well but state that gave all

SANTO DOMINGO. -

The atmosphere in the Aragua Tigers dugout yesterday was not the best. A day after Buddy Bailey expressed that "it was the worst team he had led in the Caribbean Series", Alex Nunez, Luis Jimenez and Victor Moreno expressed their dissatisfaction with the words of the manager of the Bengalis.

Nunez, one of the oldest players in the dugout, repudiated with great respect. "I don't ignore that comment. He knows me and knows my career, understand that whenever I go out to the field I give one hundred percent and have been working every day very early very hard, "he said. "What I can say is that I always play hard be it here in Miami, New York, Chicago, from Caracas, against Dominican, against the world, our style of play, we're all playing hard, "said the utility player Nunez.

The right to charge Nelson Figueroa will be on the mound this afternoon in search of the Puerto Ricans give his second win in the competition.

Indians playing for honor

Santo Domingo.

Despite already being eliminated, the Indians of Puerto Rico seek today to start a winning streak that will help them close the Caribbean Series with a victory by driving along the road when they face the Yaquis de Obregon, representing Mexico.

The defeat yesterday to Venezuela was the third straight for the Puerto Ricans after winning the opening day.

But the worst news came in at night when the Escogido LIons of the Dominican Republic defeated 2-0, the Obregon Yaquis of Mexico to get their fourth win of the series without knowing a defeat and thus eliminated both Puerto Rico and Venezuela.

So, the game of Puerto Rico today is procedural, but not for Mexico, which still has a chance to tie with the Dominicans if they win the two games remaining and the Dominicans lose their two games on the agenda.

The Indians had announced Nelson Figueroa to pitch the game this afternoon, but after last night's result could change a starter. The righty took the only victory for Puerto Rico in the tournament on the opening day after pitching six innings in which he only allowed one run to Venezuela.

"Nelson told me he was ready to pitch on three days rest. He is our best pitcher, "said Dave Miley, manager of the Indians.

Miley was clear to ensure that the key of the game will be not to make mistakes and help the pitchers by producing runs.

"Teams can not win if you make mistakes. We have to minimize mistakes and play more relaxed. If we do and the offensive flows, we can win, "said Miley.

Luis 'Wicho' Figueroa celebrates after his walkoff hit of the game that gave Puerto Rico their second victory in the Caribbean Series.

Dominican Republic was crowned champion of the Caribbean Series

One hit from Luis "Wicho" Figueroa with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning off reliever Luis Ayala left the Yaquis from Obregon, Mexico in the field and by 4-3, gave a second victory to the Mayaguez Indians in the fifth round of the Caribbean Series.

With the win, Puerto Rico ended the hopes of Mexico to continue in the race for the Championship Series and in the process handed the title on a silver platter to the Escogido Lions of the Dominican Republic.

For Mexico Luis Ayala their star reliever was credited with the loss.

With Mexico dominating the game, 3-2 in the eighth inning, Puerto Rico was able to load the bases before a groundout by Jorge Padilla off of the pitches from Ayala tied the game at 3-3.

Then in the ninth, pinch-hitter Johnny Monell received a walk from Luis Ayala and Irving Falu advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Then, Jesus "Motorita" Feliciano reached base and Luis "Wicho" Figueroa's hit gave victory to Puerto Rico.

The Puerto Ricans received a great job of pitching from Nelson Figueroa and Fuentes Nelvin's immense relief. Figueroa, despite pitching the opening game on Thursday, returned to the mound on three days rest pitched seven and one-third innings, the Aztecs had eight hits and three runs.

Thus, Puerto Rico and Mexico tied for second in the standings with 2-3, while the Dominicans will play the second game against Venezuela (1-3). The Dominicans already have four wins against no losses in the championship Series.

Dirks' standout play makes him a star in D.R.

Detroit outfielder displays flair for dramatic at Caribbean Series

By Jesse Sanchez / MLB.com | 02/06/12 9:07 PM EST

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic --

The sounds of Estadio Quisqueya can be deafening.

Oversized noisemakers rattle throughout the historic stadium and the horns -- no matter the size -- produce equally piercing blasts. Games are won, voices are lost and the heartbeat of the ballpark isn't just felt in the stands, but also heard thanks to pulsing beats played in between innings.

Through it all, you can still make out one of the most popular chants at this year's Caribbean Series, and that's music to Andy Dirks' ears every time he hears it.
Andy Dirks (right) is congratulated by Pablo Ozuna (left) and Julio Lugo after crossing the plate. (AP)"An-dee, An-dee, An-dee."

The Detroit outfielder is a rock star in the Dominican Republic. He can't walk out of the hotel room where he is living this week without fans asking to take a photo with him or get his autograph. As a member of the Dominican Republic's Escogido squad, he's also a Caribbean Series champion. Both are quite an accomplishment for the tranquil Dirks, especially when you consider he answers most questions by reporters with some variation of "I'm just a ballplayer."

"I just came down here to play," Dirks, 26, said. "It's fun when you are on a good team and can win a lot of ballgames."

Dirks picked the right team if winning is his top priority. A team from the Dominican Republic has now won the Caribbean Series title 19 times since 1970, the most among teams currently competing in the tournament. The D.R. has also won the title 13 times since 1990.

Escogido's perfect record after four games, combined with Puerto Rico's 4-3 victory against Mexico (2-3) on Monday afternoon, sealed the championship. Escogido lost to Venezuela's Tigres de Aragua, who had already been eliminated from the round-robin, 7-0 in the nightcap with the title in hand.

Monday's championship also marked the fourth Caribbean Series title for Escogido and the second in three years for Leones manager and former Major League player Ken Oberkfell.
The tournament concludes Tuesday with Mexico squaring off against Venezuela in the first game of the series and the Dominican Republic against Puerto Rico in the final game of this year's tournament.

"It's what you play for." Oberkfell said. "I'm happy for the players, the ownership and the country. It's a lot of fun but we knew going in that we were going to have a pretty good team."

Other members of Escogido's championship team with Major League ties include Minnesota pitcher Francisco Liriano, Texas outfielder Julio Borbon, Philadelphia pitcher Raul Valdes, Milwaukee's Erick Almonte and Houston's Aneury Rodriguez. Minor Leaguers Jairo Asencio and Jose Constanza (Atlanta), Ramon Garcia (Detroit) and Cincinnati's Denis Phipps joined former Major Leaguers Julio Lugo and Fernando Tatis on the roster for the Leones.

"We came here to win this series and we did," Dirks said. "We did our job the first four games. I'm excited but we are not going to let up just because we won."

Dirks described Monday's scene as anticlimactic, which is not surprising considering his flair for the dramatic during the last seven days. A week ago, Dirks had the game-winning hit for Escogido in the come-from-behind victory against the Aguilas in Game 9 of the league finals. He also drove in the game-winning RBI against Venezuela in a 5-2 victory in extra innings five days later. On Sunday, Dirk's spectacular catch in the right-field gap in the eighth inning of a 1-0 game against Mexico saved a run and help preserve the victory for the D.R.

Dirks' recent exploits on the field have, in his words, made him a "mini-celebrity." In other ways, there is no denying that he is living large. Dirks lived in a beach resort while playing the Toros del Este earlier this winter and later moved to a well-known hotel and casino in Santo Domingo when he joined Escogido as a reinforcement player.

He'll sometimes hear his name called while walking through the hotel lobby and turn around, not knowing where the sound came from.

Everyone knows Andy Dirks.

"The hardest thing is the language barrier, but other than that, the people of the Dominican and everyone are great," Dirks said. "Everyone is really nice and friendly and always wants to help you out. And that makes it really easy."

Dirks hit .250, scored three runs and drove in three more in his first four games of the Caribbean Series. He hit .262 in 16 games with the Toros and would be happy to build some momentum heading into Spring Training in Florida next month.

Last spring the rookie made quite an impression for the Tigers, making the most of his opportunity when called up in the middle of May. He went on to hit .281 in 11 games in the month and .250 in June and July. He also started in the outfield over Magglio Ordonez for a stretch in the summer before cooling off down the stretch. He also hit .200 with one stolen base in the American League Championship Series against the Rangers.

The Tigers like Dirks' speed and his ability to play all three outfield spots. He could prove valuable to the Tigers this season, especially if Miguel Cabrera pulls off the switch from first base to third base to make room for Prince Fielder, and left fielder Delmon Young gets more at-bats as the club's designated hitter. Dirks' biggest competition could be Clete Thomas, a similar player who is out of Minor League options.

Not surprisingly, Dirks will be ready for the competition. Including the Caribbean Series, he has played in 30 games in the Dominican Republic since Dec. 1. He played a total of 121 games in the United States last season, including 41 for Triple-A Toledo.

"That's what we do, we are baseball players," he said. "I don't think playing can hurt you. The more games you play, the more it helps you, and it's how you learn. When I'm here, I'm here to win ballgames. I'm not just here to get at-bats. I'm here for myself but also here to compete. That's how you get better."

That's also how you get recognized on the island.

Someone should remind Dirks that he can forget about what's left of his anonymity in the Dominican Republic. He's now a part of Caribbean Series history and Dominican baseball lore.

"Baseball has been really good to me so far," Dirks said. "It's been good to get a chance to play, let alone get recognized for your play and have a great group of guys to play with. It's been a pretty surreal experience."

Caribbean Series

Dominican Republic celebrates the championship but lost the game

Venezuela who is coming off their first victory yesterday against Puerto Rico, hit two homers flying off the bats of Luis Jimenez and Hector Gimenez, their first in this series because the games have been dominated by pitching.

The shutout of Venezuela against the Dominicans spills like a bucket of cold water, but does not eliminate the joy of being champions.

This is the second title for Escogido in the last three years.

In the standings the Dominicans have 4 wins and 1 loss, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Venezuela are all tied with 2 wins and 3 losses each.

Pedro's focus shifts to foundation, Hall call

Iconic pitcher talks of helping others during Caribbean Series visit

By Jesse Sanchez / MLB.com | 02/06/12 10:25 PM EST

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic --

One day, Pedro Martinez could join countryman Juan Marichal in Cooperstown and become the second Dominican-born player to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. But in the meantime, the retired pitcher said he is concentrating on his foundation and serving as an ambassador of goodwill.

"I am getting excited, and I hope that nothing goes wrong with the [Hall of Fame] voters and they appreciate what I have done in the big leagues," said Martinez, who threw out the ceremonial first pitch before Monday night's Caribbean Series game between the Dominican Republic and Venezuela. "Hopefully, I will be there on the first ballot or however."

Speaking to MLB.com, Martinez also shared some advice for his good friend, injured Mets pitcher Johan Santana, who is still recovering from left shoulder surgery in 2010. Santana has been throwing on flat ground since last month and has said he hopes to be ready by the start of Spring Training games.

"The results are not going to come from one day to the other," said Martinez, who also faced injuries during his career. "They will come slowly and he will have to be patient. He is not going to feel like the same Johan Santana that he was a few years back. He's going to really set his mind back to do that. The process can be a little bit frustrating. I just hope he can take it easy, take it easy on himself."

Martinez has been busy. The Pedro Martinez and Brothers Foundation, created in 1998, has been serving communities in the Dominican Republic and United States for more than a decade, and Martinez has big plans for the foundation's future.
"We are in the final stage of starting to build another charter school, baseball fields and other structures that will help the kids develop a little bit," he said. "I am going to be knocking on doors. I need help to try to help out the people that need it."

In 2009, Martinez and his wife Carolina Cruz de Martinez partnered with Major League Baseball and the MLB Dominican Development Alliance to launch an educational program called, "Hay Poder en Aprender" (translated: There is Power in Learning) in their hometown community of Manoguayabo in western Santo Domingo.

"I want to give the kids, especially the kids in desperate need of opportunity, the opportunities that I never had," Martinez said. "I want to channel everything to education, but at the same time I would love to see so many more Pedro Martinezes. But more than that, I want them to have a choice in life and the opportunity to have a better life."

In December, Martinez said he is going to announce his retirement with parties in Boston and the Dominican Republic. What's certain is that he finished his career with a 219-100 record, a 2.93 ERA, 3,154 strikeouts, eight All-Star selections and a .687 winning percentage, which is second among pitchers with at least 300 games since 1919.

Jesse Sanchez is a national reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @JesseSanchezMLB. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.