[j.tom]

LATIN LEAGUE PLAYOFF SEASON
Wide World of Baseball Newsletter -- Special Edition


With only the Latin League active across the entire WWoB, and the playoffs ramping up, welcome to the first-ever special edition of the WWoB Newsletter, taking you through the entire LL postseason starting with...


RONDA COMODÍN



(5) Panama Niveladores 🇵🇦 vs. (4) Port-au-Prince Bicolores 🇭🇹

Game One -- Panama takes a 1-0 series lead.




Game Two -- Panama advances to Ronda de Ocho, sweeping Port-au-Prince. A game-winning Niveladores rally in the top of the 8th is capped off by 3B Ricky Oyarzabal's 🇨🇱 go-ahead 2-run homer.






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(6) Tegucigalpa Gemelas 🇭🇳 vs. (3) San Juan Senadores 🇵🇷

Game One -- Tegucigalpa spoils a fine performance by the San Juan pitching staff to go up 1-0.




Game Two -- The San Juan pitching staff bests their strong statline in Game One, throwing a 1-hitter to tie the series, led by RHP Austin Bieg's 🇵🇷🇺🇸 5.1 innings.





Game Three -- With their season on the line, Tegucigalpa looks to be in good shape in the middle innings. That is, until a San Juan rally in the bottom of the 7th, punctuated by 1B Oskar Rozhon's 🇨🇿 first career grand slam.






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(5) Buenos Aires Apples 🇦🇷 vs. (4) Barquisimeto Cardinales 🇻🇪

Game One -- In a rematch of their final regular season series, Buenos Aires looks to have a good shot this time, tying Game One in the 9th. However, Barquisimeto gets a pinch-hit RBI single out of Sandro Curto 🇻🇪 in the 10th to walk it off and take a 1-0 lead.





Game Two -- The Cardinales get a solo home run in the top of the 1st, and that's all they need for a win in Game Two as RHP Alejandro Mota 🇨🇺 and the Barquisimeto bullpen combine for a 3-hit shutout to send Buenos Aires back home.






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(6) Porto Velho Heliconias 🇧🇷 vs. (3) La Paz Palomas 🇧🇴


Game One -- Both sides get strong performances from their pitching staffs, but La Paz's bullpen cracks once, giving up a go-ahead pinch-hit homer to OF Osvaldo Santini 🇨🇴 to put the Heliconias ahead, 1-0 in the series.





Game Two -- Down 7-0, Porto Velho rallies back to make Game Two competitive, but can rally no further in a 7-6 loss. Veteran SS Luis Perez's 🇧🇴 bases clearing double in the bottom of the 4th inning proves to be the difference maker, forcing Game Three.





Game Three -- In an instant-classic pitching duel, Porto Velho and La Paz are locked in a stalemate until the bottom of the 9th, when C Sigfrid Brown's 🇩🇪 walkoff RBI single sends La Paz to Ronda de Ocho.




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RONDA DE OCHO



(1) Nueva Gerona Vacas 🇨🇺 vs. (5) Panama Niveladores 🇵🇦


Game One -- Top-seeded Nueva Gerona fires off quickly, making it a 7-2 game through 7 innings before Panama threatens in the 9th, ultimately coming up short. A 6th inning, bases loaded walk drawn by OF Edgar Martinez 🇵🇷 produces what turns out to be the game-winning run.





Game Two -- Nueva Gerona LHP Fumio Taoka 🇯🇵 shuts down the Panama lineup (7.1 IP, 1 ER, 4 K) for a 2-0 series lead.





Game Three -- Nueva Gerona outguns and outpaces Panama in Game Three, thanks in large part to OF Bhadratmaja Rege's 🇮🇳 2 homer, 5 RBI night.




Game Four -- In one of the finest-pitched games in LL playoff history, LHP Alexis Zaragoza 🇵🇪 and RHP Vinny Vega 🇲🇽 combine to 1-hit Panama and complete the sweep for Nueva Gerona.







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(3) San Juan Senadores 🇵🇷 vs. (2) Managua Macuilmiquiztli 🇳🇮


Game One -- As both teams settle into the series, a quiet Game One is ultimately decided by a 2-run single by San Juan OF Edwin Hernandez 🇵🇷🇺🇸in the 3rd inning.





Game Two -- Managua leads for most of the night before giving up the lead in the top of the 7th. Their worries don't last long though, as an RBI triple by SS Francisco Alvarado 🇪🇨 ties the game. Although Alvarado is injured sliding into third, the run scored by his pinch runner later in the inning is the game winner.





Game Three -- Another big game for Francisco Alvarado 🇪🇨, who contributes to all four Managua runs by scoring two and driving in two more to carry his team to a 4-2 win. Macuilmiquiztli RHP Salvatore Rios 🇩🇴 contributes 5.1 IP, 5H, 1 ER, 3 K, 4 BB in the win.





Game Four -- San Juan gets a dramatic walk-off win in Game Four via a 3-run homer by SS Roland Gardner 🇩🇪, the first walk-off hit of his career.





Game Five -- Managua decides that it simply isn't enough to beat San Juan with a comeback. No, no. They need to crush their spirit. Sending 15 batters to the plate in the top of the 9th, 12 of whom score. 1B Jorge Hernandez 🇩🇴, who goes 1-2 with a grand slam in the 9th inning (4-5, 2 2B, 2 HR overall), is named player of the game.





Game Six -- If Managua's goal in the 9th inning of Game Five was to crush San Juan's spirit, mission accomplished. The Senadores spend the night flailing at whatever RHP Gus Garcia 🇨🇴 (7.1 IP, 5 H, 0 ER) throws them, and go quietly into the void of elimination.






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(1) Lima Explorers 🇵🇪 vs. (4) Barquisimeto Cardinales 🇻🇪


Game One -- Lima RHP Alberto Gomez 🇵🇪, the 2059-60 LL ERA leader, puts up the worst start of his career (1.1 IP, 8 ER, 5 H, 3 K, 2 BB) at an inopportune time, and Barquisimeto pretty much has Game One locked up by the end of the second inning. 1B Carlos Morales 🇪🇨 (2-5, 4 RBI, HR) is named player of the game.





Game Two -- Lima returns the favor in Game Two with a blowout of their own. Explorers RHP Antonio Lopez 🇬🇹, who threw a shutout against Medellin his last time out, gives Lima 8.2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 8 K, 1 BB in the win.





Game Three -- A minor collapse by the Barquisimeto bullpen isn't enough to ruin RHP Alejandro Mota's 🇨🇺 5.1 inning, shutout performance.





Game Four -- In a tense Game Four, the Cardinales get a 3-run homer in the 8th inning from 3B Estaçio Califrnia 🇧🇷 to extend their lead and push Lima to the brink.





Game Five -- In a game not nearly as close as the score may indicate, Barquisimeto eliminates Lima after stunting their 9th inning rally. Cardinales 1B Carlos Morales 🇪🇨 is named series MVP, batting .316 with 6 RBI and 3 runs scored.






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(3) La Paz Palomas 🇧🇴 vs. (2) Willemstad Cactussen 🇨🇼


Game One -- Willemstad has two different players hit two home runs in Game One, but it's the 11th inning walkoff homer by OF Rafael Vasquez 🇵🇷🇺🇸 that Cactussen fans will never forget.





Game Two -- La Paz evens the series at 1-1 with a 6-2 win. RHP Mario Garcia 🇨🇷 (4.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 6 K) and the Palomas bullpen combine to keep Willemstad at bay.





Game Three -- Willemstad star C Cortez Ruiz 🇨🇴 goes off in Game Three for a 3-5, 2 2B, HR night as the Cactussen take a 2-1 series lead.





Game Four -- These two teams continue trading wins in Game Four; with a 5-run second inning and a strong start from RHP Antonio Maldonado 🇲🇽 (5.2 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 9K, 0 BB), La Paz evens the series at 2 apiece.





Game Five -- In a pivotal Game Five, Willemstad turns to RHP Fumio Martnez 🇧🇷🇯🇵. Martnez responds with his first career shutout, a 2-hit, 3 walk, 10 strikeout statline in an 11-0 rout to pull within one game of the Semifinales.





Game Six -- The intensity ramps up in Game Six, a nailbiter of a battle between the Willemstad and La Paz pitching staffs. The game stays tied 1-1 from the 4th inning all the way until the 11th, when 3B Antonio Sinisterra 🇨🇱 hits his second homer of the game, a walk off to win it 2-1 all by himself, and sends Willemstad to the Semifinales.






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CAMPEONATOS DE LIGA




(1) Nueva Gerona Vacas 🇨🇺 vs. (2) Managua Macuilmiquiztli 🇳🇮


Game One -- In Game One of the championship series for Liga Caribe, Managua hangs on with a 1-run win helped greatly by RHP Salvatore Rios' 🇩🇴 7 innings of 1-run pitching.





Game Two -- Managua hangs seven on Nueva Gerona in the 2nd inning of Game Two, and cruises to the win. The rally is capped off by 1B Jorge Hernandez's 🇩🇴 2-run homer.





Game Three -- Nueva Gerona falls behind 3-0 in the series after being shut down by RHP Gus Garcia 🇨🇴 (8 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4K), whose ERA this postseason is now 1.64, and being hammered by OF Marco Garcia 🇨🇴, who goes 2-4 with a homer and 4 RBI.






Game Four -- Managua ends the Vacas' season with a dominant victory in Game Four. Macuilmiquiztli OF Alberto Gabrat 🇳🇮 is named series MVP, batting 5-15 with a home run and 4 RBI.






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(4) Barquisimeto Cardinales 🇻🇪 vs. (2) Willemstad Cactussen 🇨🇼


Game One -- Willemstad, on the ropes in the 7th inning, rallies for 5 runs, taking the lead on OF Miguel Mendez's 🇦🇷 2-run, go-ahead double with 2 outs.





Game Two -- The Cactussen earn another comeback win in Game Two, with help from two homers by 3B Antonio Sinisterra 🇨🇱.





Game Three -- An explosive 7th inning for Willemstad gives them yet another win, to push Barquisimeto to the brink of elimination. In a tie game, 3-3, OF Mannuell Topete 🇧🇷 stepped to the plate with the bases loaded, and cleared them with a double to give the Cactussen a lead they never lost.





Game Four -- Willemstad sweeps their way into Serie Latina in Game Four, with a dominant performance from starter RHP Vinny Flores 🇨🇼🇳🇱, who pitched 7.2 innings, allowing 1 run and striking out 9.






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SERIE LATINA 2060
(2) Managua Macuilmiquiztli 🇳🇮 vs. (2) Willemstad Cactussen 🇨🇼


Game One -- Managua's bats came alive last round, and the trend continues in Game One of Serie Latina 2060. Everyone in the starting lineup reaches base safely, and RHP Alfredo Olivo 🇸🇻 pitches 7 strong innings for his first Serie Latina win.





Game Two -- In a game two that briefly looked like it would be a humiliating choke for Willemstad, C Cortez Ruiz 🇨🇴, one day after his 24th birthday, saves the day with a walkoff homer to tie the series, 1-1.





Game Three -- Serie Latina heads to Managua for a tense Game Three, with the Cactussen edging the Macuilmiquiztli 4-3. Willemstad gets strong performances on both sides of the ball, with 3B Antonio Sinisterra 🇨🇱 hitting his 8th and 9th homers of the postseason, and RHP Bobby Garcia 🇨🇼🇳🇱 pitching into the 9th inning, and takes a 2-1 series lead.





Game Four -- Serie Latina continues with an unlikely heroic performance in Game Four. With Willemstad leading, half an inning away from taking a 3-1 series lead, Managua brings in OF Edwin Casas 🇬🇹, who spent most of this season riding pine, to pinch hit. He rewards them with a game-tying homer in the 9th inning, and a walkoff solo shot in the 11th to tie the series at 2.





Game Five -- In a pivotal Game Five, OF Miguel Mendez 🇦🇷 takes the reigns for the Willemstad offense, finishing a triple short of the cycle with 5 RBI and 3 runs scored, including a 6th inning grand slam, to bring the Cactussen within one game of the Serie Latina title.





Game Six -- Facing elimination, Managua lives to fight another day in Game Six, with yet another strong start from RHP Salvatore Rios 🇩🇴 that is almost wasted by the bullpen, before Managua is bailed out by a bases-loaded balk by Willemstad closer RHP Orlando Lopez 🇨🇼🇳🇱 that delivers the winning run for Managua in the 9th. If things go poorly for Willemstad in Game 7, fans may never forgive Lopez for that balk, despite his strong postseason.





Game Seven -- The only Game Seven of the entire Latin League playoffs pits unrelated RHPs Gus Garcia 🇨🇴 and Bobby Garcia 🇨🇼🇳🇱 against one another, with Gus taking a 1-run performance into the 9th inning, and finishing with 8+ IP, 1 ER, 4 BB, 5 K.

For the first time, the Managua Macuilmiquiztli are champions of the Latin League! Led by an offense that averages 5.82 runs per game in the playoffs, Managua finishes off Willemstad, 6-1 in Game Seven. SS Francisco Alvarado 🇪🇨 is named series MVP, going 11-32 with 4 home runs and 9 RBI.





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Managua lifts the trophy on March 14, 2060, ending the Latin League season. That means we are now in waiting mode for more baseball until... tomorrow.

March 15 marks Opening Day for the most prestigious international tournament in the Wide World of Baseball. Join me on the next WWoB Newsletter, when we take a deep dive into the 2060 Olympiad...