SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — Only two teams remain undefeated in the Men’s Pan American Championship; Venezuela and Canada lead the standings in Pool A and B respectively, with four wins in as many games.
Canada remains unbeaten in the X Men’s Pan American Championship with four wins. Today they beat Bahamas by 8-1 and Argentina by 2-1.
In the first game of the day, Canada defeated Bahamas by 8-1, in five innings. Kyle Cowick hit two homers and produced five runs to lead the Red and White offensive. The winner was Patrick Burns (3 IP, 1 BB, 5 K), while the loss was charged to Davis Thomas.
After that game, an important game for the final standings of the Pool B, Canada beat Argentina by 2-1. The game was decided in the last Canadian attack, taking advantage of two errors by the Argentine defense to score their only two runs of the game.
Maximiliano Montero and Devon McCullough had stellar performances from the circle. Both teams were silenced through five innings, but in the bottom of the sixth Argentina took the lead with a run scored by Teo Mugliavacca, on a passed ball.
In the seventh inning, Roman Godoy replaced Montero in the circle for Argentina to retire the last two outs of the game. However, Jason Hill led off with a single, advanced to second by an error, and finally scored on a double by Kyle Ezekiel. With two outs, Ben Wideman hit a roller, but a defensive error allowed Canada take the lead.
The winner was Ryan French in a one inning relief, allowing 1 walk. The starter was McCullough, who pitched 6 innings with 4 hits, 1 run, 2 walks an 11 Ks, leaving the game without decision. Maximiliano Montero finished with 6 innings pitched, 3 hits and 8 strikeouts. Roman Godoy was charged with the loss, with 2 hits and 2 runs in the only inning he worked.
In the other unbeaten match-up in the Pool A, Venezuela defeated Cuba by 5-1. Jorge Lima produced two runs with a pair of singles, while Luiger Pinto plated 3 with a double and a solo homer.
Venezuela scored three in the first innings with a walk and three consecutive hits by Lima, Rafael Flores and Pinto. One inning later Lima produced their second run of the game, plating Herwins Querales. The last run for Venezuela was scored by Pinto, with a solo shot in the fifth inning.
The only run for Cuba was scored by Roger Rosete in the sixth inning, when the island nation got two of their three hits of the game.
The winner of the game was Erik Urbaneja, pitching six innings, with 3 hits, 6 strikeouts and 1 run allowed. Alain Roman lost the game for Cuba, receiving 4 runs, 5 hits and 4 walks, with 5 strikeouts.
Later, in an English Caribbean duel, Bahamas defeated Belize by 8-0 in five innings. An outstanding performance by Sherman Ferguson, with two home runs, the last one for the walk-off win.
It’s worth mentioning that English Caribbean area has an assured spot in the Central American and Caribbean Games, so this game was an important one for both teams. And Bahamas had a solid game, supported by Lyle Sawyer from the circle and the bat of Ferguson, who had five RBIs in the game.
The Bahamian pitcher was scoreless in five innings of work, allowing 2 hits and 1 walk, with 7 Ks. The loss was charged to Christian Orellana in 4+ innings of work, with 7 runs, 8 hits and 3 fanned.
Closing out the afternoon, USA defeated the Dominican Republic by 5-1, and reached their third consecutive win of the tournament.
Tyler Dudley opened the score with a two-run shot to center field in the first inning, with Jonathan Lynch on base (who reached with a walk).
The host team closed the gap in the fifth with a run by Fernando Gomez, but USA scored the security runs in the sixth, with an RBI single by Nick Mullins, and a 2-run RBI double by Cameron Schiller.
Tony Mancha took the win, allowing 2 hits and 1 run, with two walks and 7 strikeouts. The loss was charged to Santiago Diaz (3.2 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 4 BB, 5 K), with the relief of Yan Carlos Gonzalez and Yennier Perez.
After that game, the host team played against Colombia, in a very closed game decided in the last swing of the night. The South American team defeated the Dominican Republic by 2-1, and made a huge step in the run for the playoffs.
The host team scored first, with a solo homer by Pablo Figuereo to right field, as the crowd erupted in celebration at the main stadium of the Centro Olimpico Juan Pablo Duarte.
However, with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, and nobody on, Colombia came from behind with the walk-off win. Santiago Paulino walked Josimar Cardozo, and hit Edgar Mercado to put two runners on. Finally, Adonay Boscan hit a line drive to the left field line, allowing both runners to score to clinch the victory.
Ramiro Escorcia claimed the win in two innings of relief, with 3 fanned and 1 hit. Luis Amaya started the game for Colombia. On the other hand, Santiago Paulino was charged with the loss in 3.2 innings, with 2 runs, 1 hit, 1 walk and 4 strikeouts.
