Day 3 of the Caribbean Series showcased a thrilling walk-off, an early scoring barrage, and a stellar bullpen performance, leaving two teams undefeated in the tournament after Saturday’s action.
Panama secured a 2-0 record in the tournament, largely attributed to the heroics of center fielder Jhonny Santos. Santos played a pivotal role by homering in the second inning to tie the game 1-1 and later delivering a crucial walk-off triple in the ninth inning. Mexico (0-2) saw contributions from Bobby Bradley, Agustin Murillo, and Aaron Altherr, each driving in a run.
Bradley initiated the scoring with an RBI single in the first inning, Murillo singled on a bunt to score Roberto Valenzuela, and Altherr tripled in a run to give Mexico a two-run lead in the ninth.
Despite Mexico’s efforts, Panama turned the tide in the ninth inning. Ivan Herrera was hit by a pitch advanced to third on a double by Christian Bethancourt, and Johan Camargo’s groundout brought in Herrera, narrowing the gap to 3-2.
With Panama down to its last out, Jean Arnaez’s single kept their hopes alive, setting the stage for Santos’ game-winning triple to center.
Venezuela also advanced to 2-0 with a victory on Saturday, securing the win early in a game where all the scoring occurred in the first three innings. Venezuela took an early lead with two runs in the first inning, courtesy of a two-run home run by Ramon Flores.
Curaçao got on the board in the second with Jonathan Schoop’s RBI groundout. Yasiel Puig’s bases-loaded walk in the third extended Venezuela’s lead to 3-1, and a Wilson Ramos groundout added their fourth run. Despite Curaçao scoring a run on a wild pitch in the third, Venezuela maintained control.
In another match, the Dominican Republic (1-1) defeated Puerto Rico (2-1) with a strong performance from the middle of their lineup. Robinson Canó and Dawel Lugo, the No. 3 through No. 6 hitters, combined for four hits and three RBIs.
The third inning proved pivotal as Canó launched a two-run home run, and Lugo delivered an RBI single, giving the Dominican Republic a 4-0 lead. Puerto Rico scored both of its runs in the fourth on a Danny Ortiz RBI double and a sacrifice fly by Johneshwy Fargas.
The Dominican pitching, led by César Valdez, shut down Puerto Rico, with Cameron Gann, J.C. Mejía, and Jairo Asencio combining for four scoreless innings to secure the 5-2 victory.
