Day 2, Game 2: Puerto Rico vs. Venezuela

Lineups:

Puerto Rico

1. Alex Cora

2. Luis R. Figueroa

3. Hiram Bocachica

4. Juan Gonzalez!

5. Javier Valentin

6. Armando Rios

7. Yadier Molina

8. Ruben Gotay

9. Luis Matos

SP: Brian Edwards

Venezuela

1. Gregor Blanco

2. Luis Rodriguez

3. Jose Castillo

4. Ramon Hernandez

5. Randall Simon

6. Luis Maza

7. Ronny Cedeno

8. Oscar Salazar

9. Alexander Delgado

SP: Cory Bailey!

For some reason, Puerto Rico’s the away team, even though we’re playing in the Gigantes’ home stadium.

[Update] Top 1st. The crowd goes absolutely crazy as Juan Gonzalez’s name is announced, and then absolutely nuts when he ropes a single into left field.

[Update] Middle-2nd: 0-0

Conversation with the Venezuelan reporter sitting next to me, upon me telling him that I’m a Mariners fan:
Venezuelan reporter: Is Seattle a big market?

Me: Yeah, the market includes 3 big cities, 4 states, and all of Western Canada.

Venezuelan Reporter: So you have a big payroll, and one of the worst teams in the league.

Me: Sigh…

[Update] Middle 6th, 2-2

Ronny Cedeno just made a sweet diving stop to turn a single into a double play. Puerto Rico’s runs came on two successive weird plays – an errant throw to third that hit Javier Valentin as he prepared to go into a slide and rolled into the outfield and a ball that bounced off the pitcher right into Venezuelan catcher Alexander Delgado’s hands a fraction of a second too late to tag Armando Rios out at home.

[Update] Puerto Rico won, 6-3, setting up a battle of the undefeateds on Sunday when they face the Dominican Republic in the night game. Juan Carlos Ovalles balked in a run to put the game safely out of reach for Venezuela, who has been self-destructing the entire series.