2006 Caribbean Series

The forty-eighth edition of the Caribbean Series (Serie del Caribe) baseball tournament was played in 2006 in the neighboring cities of Maracay and Valencia in Venezuela, making it the first one to be played in two cities. It was held from February 2 through February 7 featuring the champion teams from The Dominican Republic (Licey), Mexico (Mazatlán), Puerto Rico (Carolina) and Venezuela (Caracas). The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice. The games were played at Estadio José Pérez Colmenares (Maracay) and Estadio José Bernardo Pérez (Valencia).

Summary

The Venezuela home team, represented by the Leones del Caracas, won its first Caribbean Series title since 1989 after a dramatic rally with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning led them to a perfect 6-0 finish, the 9th time this had happened in the Series.

Managed by Carlos Subero, Venezuela outscored their opponents 45–15 while the defense committed only three errors. Triple Crown winner Ramón Hernández was named the Series Most Valuable Player after leading all players with a .542 batting average (13-for-24) and eight RBIs, while tying with Edgar González with three home runs. Hernández also hit for the cycle in Game Two, to become the first player to do it in the Series history.

Other notable contributions came from Alex Cabrera (.360, 2 HR, 7 RBIs), Álex González (.409, 1 HR, 7 RBIs), Marco Scutaro (.304, 7 runs, 5 RBIs, 2 HR, including a grand slam), Luis Rodríguez (.310, 3 doubles, 5 runs, 8 RBIs) and Franklin Gutiérrez (.364, 4 runs, 4 RBIs). Overall, the Venezuelan club hit .327 with nine home runs. The pitching staff posted a collective 2.62 earned run average and was led by Geremi González, who went 1-0 and topped all pitchers in ERA (1.20) and innings pitched (15), striking out 12 batters while walking just three.

In addition, Subero, at 33, became the youngest manager to win a Caribbean Series championship. Manny Acta was 34 when he guided the Dominicans to the title in 2004.

The Dominican Republic finished the series in second place with a 4–2 record. Both losses were to Venezuela. The team was managed by Rafael Landestoy and included players as Alexis Gómez, who led his teammates with a .500 BA (10-for-20), and Miguel Tejada (.273, 1 HR, 8 RBIs), Sandy Martínez (.300, 1 HR, 5 RBIs), Napoleón Calzado (.321) and Rafael Belliard (.304, 1 HR).

Puerto Rico was guided by Lino Rivera and finished third at 2–4, both its wins coming against Mexico. Other than starter Willie Collazo (0-1) and relievers Iván Maldonado and Orlando Román, the pitching staff was ineffective. The offense was led by Luis Figueroa (.364, 1 HR, 5 RBIs), Rubén Gotay (.368, 1 HR), Alex Cintrón (.308, 1 HR) and José Valentín (.269, 1 HR).

The defending champion Mexico did not win a game in the series. Managed by Juan José Pacho, it was the fifth time a Mexican team had been held winless in Caribbean Series history. Edgar González led the attack with a .524 BA (11-for-21) and three solo home runs. The team also included veterans players such as Trenidad Hubbard, Oscar Robles and Francisco Campos.

Final standings

CountryClubWLW/L %GBManagers
  VenezuelaLeones del Caracas601.000   Carlos Subero
  Dominican RepublicTigres del Licey42  .6672.0  Rafael Landestoy
  Puerto RicoGigantes de Carolina24  .3334.0  Lino Rivera
  MexicoVenados de Mazatlán    06  .0006.0  Juan José Pacho


Individual leaders
Player/ClubStatistic
Ramón Hernández/VENBatting average.542
Edgar González/MEX
Ramón Hernández/VEN
Home runs    3
Ramón Hernández/VENRuns batted in    9
Marco Scutaro/VENRuns    7
Ramón Hernández/VENHits  13
Ramón Hernández/VEN
Luis Rodríguez/VEN
Doubles    3
Five tiedTriples    1
Manny Aybar/DOMStolen bases    2
Twelve tiedWins    1
Geremi González/VENStrikeouts  12
Geremi González/VENEarned run average1.20
Geremi González/VENInnings pitched  15
Jorge Sosa/DOMSaves    2
Awards
Ramón Hernández/VENMost Valuable Player
Carlos Subero/VENManager


All-Star Team
Name/ClubPosition
Sandy Martínez/DOMcatcher
Ramón Hernández/VENfirst baseman
Edgar González/MEXsecond baseman
Luis Rodríguez/VENthird baseman
Álex González/VENshortstop
Napoleón Calzado/DOMleft fielder
Alexis Gómez/DOMcenter fielder
Timo Pérez/DOMright fielder
Alex Cabrera/VENdesignated hitter
Geremi González/VENright-handed pitcher
Willie Collazo/PURleft-handed pitcher
Carlos Subero/VENmanager

Game 1, February 2 at Maracay

Team1234567891011RHE
Dominican Republic002001100015111
Puerto Rico003000010004121
WP: Eddie Ramos (1-0)   LP: Federico Báez (0-1)   Sv: Román Colón (1)
Home runs:
DOM: Pedro Valdez (1)
PUR: None

Game 2, February 2 at Valencia

Team123456789RHE
Venezuela00031042717212
Mexico000001000  1  41
WP: Geremi González (1-0)   LP: Pablo Ortega (0-1)
Home runs:
VEN: Ramón Hernández (1), Alex Cabrera (1)
MEX: None
Notes: Venezuela's Hernández became the first player to hit for the cycle in Series history.

Game 3, February 3 at Valencia

Team123456789RHE
Dominican Republic00060020210112
Mexico004000020  6111
WP: Wilton Chávez (1-0)   LP: Francisco Campos (0-1)   Sv: Jorge Sosa (1)
Home runs:
DOM: Miguel Tejada (1)
MEX: Edgar González (2)

Game 4, February 3 at Maracay

Team123456789RHE
Venezuela0600000006110
Puerto Rico0001000001101
WP: Orlando Trías (1-0)   LP: Jim Magrane (0-1)
Home runs:
VEN: Marco Scutaro (1)
PUR: None

Game 5, February 4 at Valencia

Team123456789RHE
Puerto Rico04111020110142
Mexico105010200  9183
WP: Iván Maldonado (1-0)   LP: José Luis García (0-1)
Home runs:
PUR: Luis Figueroa (1), Edwards Guzmán (1), Víctor Rodríguez (1)
MEX: None

Game 6, February 4 at Valencia

Team123456789RHE
Venezuela00001151311150
Dominican Republic211111110  9150
WP: Juan Ovalles (1-0)   LP: Román Colón (0-1)   Sv: Francisco Rodríguez (1)
Home runs:
VEN: Henry Blanco (1), Alex Cabrera (2), Álex González (1)
DOM: None

Game 7, February 5 at Maracay

Team123456789RHE
Puerto Rico000002000262
Dominican Republic02010060x991
WP: Danny Tamayo (1-0)   LP: Josué Matos (0-1)

Game 8, February 5 at Maracay

Team12345678910RHE
Mexico0100000020360
Venezuela0001110001490
WP: Mauro Zárate (1-0)   LP: Ignacio Flores (0-1)
Home runs:
MEX: None
VEN: Ramón Hernández (2)

Game 9, February 6 at Maracay

Team123456789RHE
Dominican Republic0000020103111
Mexico0000100001  31
WP: Daniel Cabrera (1-0)   LP: Walter Silva (0-1)   Sv: Jorge Sosa (2)

Game 10, February 6 at Valencia

Team123456789RHE
Puerto Rico100000000124
Venezuela00100121x590
WP: Albert Vargas (1-0)   LP: Willie Collazo (0-1)
Home runs:
PUR: Rubén Gotay (1)
VEN: Rafael Álvarez (1)

Game 11, February 7 at Valencia

Team1234567891011RHE
Mexico001001000002  30
Puerto Rico100000010013121
WP: Orlando Román (1-0)   LP: José Luis García (0-2)
Home runs:
MEX: Trenidad Hubbard (1)
PUR: José Valentín (1)

Game 12, February 7 at Maracay

Team123456789RHE
Dominican Republic200100100471
Venezuela000102002581
WP: Víctor Moreno (1-0)   LP: Jorge Sosa (0-1)
Home runs:
DOM: Sandy Martínez (1)
VEN: Ramón Hernández (3)

Quotes

  • "Up to the bag, hits a very high fly, comfortable, to short left field. Back in is the short (stop) Erick Aybar. The ball is coming down and hit Aybar in the head... THE BALL DROPS! THE BALL DROPS! VENEZUELA IS GOING TO WIN! VENEZUELA IS GOING TO WIN! VENEZUELA IS GOING TO WIN!...AND VENEZUELA HAS WON THE CARIBBEAN SERIES, 2006! (Translation of Fox Sports en Español narrator Beto Villa on the final play)

See also

Sources

  • Antero Núñez, José. Series del Caribe. Jefferson, Caracas, Venezuela: Impresos Urbina, C.A., 1987.
  • Gutiérrez, Daniel. Enciclopedia del Béisbol en Venezuela – 1895-2006 . Caracas, Venezuela: Impresión Arte, C.A., 2007.

   

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