Seoul (Korea). Panama is finishing the XXV IBAF 18U Baseball World Championship in seventh place after beating Venezuela 5-4 on Wednesday afternoon at Gueui Stadium in Seoul, Korea. A two-run triple by Anthony Diaz in the bottom of the sixth gave Panama the decisive lead to prevail in the game. Venezuela was up in front twice, but couldn’t close it out.
The South American team had the better start into the contest of COPABE opponents. Josué Alvarado with a RBI single and Pedro Lugo with a RBI double gave Venezuela a 2-0 lead. Panama struck back with a pair of RBI singles by Ivan Pimentel in the second and the fourth. In the fifth Ariel Serrano drove in Jean Carlos Ho to give them even a 3-2 lead.
The advantage wasn’t enough for now, as Venezuela got back on to the board and up in front. Victor Colmenares evened the score with a RBI single and when Gonzalez was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in a fourth run, they were back on course towards victory lane. But only for a couple of minutes. With runners on second and third and two outs in the bottom of the same frame, Diaz stepped to the plate and smacked a two-run triple into center field to give Panama the lead back.
Venezuela put base runners on in each of the last three periods, but they couldn’t convert them into runs and lost. On the mound Omar Guzman received the win, allowing two hits and two walks in 3 2/3 innings of strong relief. Argenis Angulo was charged with the loss.
