Gameday has Guillen at 1B, Hernandez behind the plate and Martinez DHing for Venezuela, with Hernandez and Martinez switched in the order. For the DR it has Willy Taveras in CF, Encarnacion in left, and no Wily Mo. Taveras is batting ninth, pushing Encarnacion and Pena up to seventh and eight, respectively.
Ortiz blasts a homer leading off the second to start the scoring (Ortiz v. Santana, oh to have watched that at-bat). Edgardo Alfonzo, who has played a total of 13 games at second base in the last four seasons, then gets to killing his team with his defense at second following a two-out walk to Juan Encarnacion (!):
Alberto Castillo singles on a pop up to second baseman Edgardo Alfonzo. Juan Encarnacion to 3rd.
Willy Taveras reaches on force attempt, throwing error by second baseman Edgardo Alfonzo. Juan Encarnacion scores. Alberto Castillo to 3rd. Willy Taveras to 2nd.
Alfonso Soriano then restored order by striking out on three pitches.
Batista comes out shaky
HBP of Cabrera, but then a DP from Hernandez. Then Ordonez singles, Martinez walks and Alfonzo singles in a run to make it 2-1 D.R.
Cabrera misses a game-tying home run by about an inch. He doubles off the top of the fence in left-center. 6-5 D.R in the bottom of the 7th, 2 outs and Ramon Hernandez up.
Out of curiousity, how did Colon get the win here? Have the rules for awarding a win been modified, seeing no starter in the first round is likely to go 5 full innings? (Though Peavy probably could've - he was filthy.)
Somehow I don't think this one will be cut short by the mercy rule.
A Dominican fan gave Pedro Feliz a drum to autograph.
Alberto Castillo singles on a pop up to second baseman Edgardo Alfonzo. Juan Encarnacion to 3rd.
Willy Taveras reaches on force attempt, throwing error by second baseman Edgardo Alfonzo. Juan Encarnacion scores. Alberto Castillo to 3rd. Willy Taveras to 2nd.
Alfonso Soriano then restored order by striking out on three pitches.
HBP of Cabrera, but then a DP from Hernandez. Then Ordonez singles, Martinez walks and Alfonzo singles in a run to make it 2-1 D.R.
I doubt the mercy rule will come into effect.
Not that anyone else is here.
I imagine that Polanco will get some time against Italy and Australia.
Fonzie with another homer to make it 6-4 D.R.
That worked on Melvin Mora when he was asked to play CF. Of course, Mora had legitimate reasons.
Victor Zambrano relieves Carlos.
How do Mets fans put up with that?
Tejada, Pujols and Ortiz due up.
V. Zambrano has thrown just 27 pitches.
2-run homer for Ortiz and it's 8-5 D.R.
Duaner Sanchez is warming up for the D.R. for the 9th.
Dominican Republic 11
Venezuela 5
Going to the bottom of the 9th
Vizquel
Guillen
Abreu
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