Dominican Republic - Venezuela live online: stats, scores and updates | Caribbean Series 2024 Final updates

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Héctor Rodríguez the hitter and he works the count full before getting jelly legged by a beautiful fastball on the inside rail. Strike three!

Kelvin Gutierrez up now and he lifts a flare over short stop and into center field for a single.

Wester Rivas the hitter now and again Pinto goes after him with that great sinker. Rivas hits one off the hands. Broken bat and it rolls back to the mound. The throw to first records out number two.

Top 2nd

Yadiel Hernández leads things off for the Dominican Republic in the second and he works the count to 1-2 before chasing a peach of a sinker for strike three. one down.

Gabriela Vergara gets into the spirit of things!

LoanDepot Park is the biggest party on the planet right now.

Yasiel Puig will stand in now with two on and two out.  Valdez delivers a low change up that Puig bangs hard on the ground to short. Gustavo Nuñez makes a stabbing backhand to nab it! He goes to second to get the force out and end the inning.

Wilson Ramos up to the plate now and he pokes a ahot through the gap at second into right field for a single. Tovar advances to second on the play.

Hernán Pérez up now and he lifts a high fly ball to right field, an easy catch for Junior Lake. Two gone.

Wilfredo Tovar the hitter now and he bangs a hard shot to right field, drifting foul! Working the count to 1-2, he rips one through the gap at short to left field for a single.

Ceremonial first pitch

Eury Pérez and Luis Arraez threw out the ceremonial first pitch for the Caribbean Series Final.

Amarista clips one just foul to right field and watches strike two go by before chopping a roller to second base. The throw to first gets one out.

Bottom 1st

César Valdez will go to work on the mound for the Tigres del Licey as Alexi Amarista leads things off for Venezuela.

Puig makes a diving catch

Great play by Puig!

Dawel Lugo up now and he rips a hard line drive to left field. Yasiel Puig breaks into a dead run and makes a diving catch to end the inning! What a play!

Double

Robinson Canó the hitter and he goes inside out to drag a ball down the third base line and into the  corner for a two out double.

Shortstop Gustavo Nuñez up now and he rolls the first delivery to second for Alcides Escobar. The throw to first and just like that, two are gone.

Recent form

Both teams´ last five Games.

Top 1st

Emilio Bonifacio leads things off for the Dominican Republic and he lifts a long fly ball to center field but Yasiel Puig manages to track it down for the first out.

PLAY BALL!

The Tiburones de La Guaira are on the field, Ricardo Pinto is on the mound. The house is packed and the umpires are ready as Emilio Bonifacio will lead off for the Tigres del Licey.

Let's PLAY BALL!

Sold out!

LoanDepot Park is going to be lit!

A showcase of Latino talent!

Players you don´t often get to see.

Get ready!

It is nearly time!

LINEUPS

The Home Team
Venezuela Batting Order
1. Alexi Amarista CF
2. Wilfredo Tovar SS
3. Hernán Pérez 3B
4. Wilson Ramos DH
4. Yasiel Puig LF
5. Ramón Flores RF
6. Luis Torrens C
7. Leo Reginatto 1B
8. Alcides Escobar 2B

The Visitors
Dominican Republic Batting Order
1. Emilio Bonifacio CF
2. Gustavo Nuñez SS  
3. Robinson Canó 2B
4. Dawel Lugo 3B  
5. Yadiel Hernández LF   
6. Wester Rivas C
7. Kelvin Gutierrez 1B
8. Héctor Rodríguez DH
9. Junior Lake RF

STARTING PITCHERS CAREER STATS

TIGRES DEL LICEY (DOMINICAN REPUBLIC)
César Valdez (RHP)
158 - 114
3.87 ERA
1966 K
2368.0 IP
1.25 WHIP

TIBURONES DE LA GUAIRA (VENEZUELA)
Ricardo Pinto (RHP)
87 - 66
4.29 ERA
965 K
1271.2 IP
1.41 WHIP

PITCHING

Starting for the Tiburones will be Ricardo Pinto, who has spent most of his career in Triple A ball with a couple of stints in the Show for both the Phillies and the Rays. Experienced in winter leagues, he has stood out in Korea, Mexico, and Venezuela and relies on a sinker and a changeup to most of his heavy lifting.

The Tigres will go with the supremely experienced César Valdez to start. Valdez was ready for the semi finals on four days rest, but manager Gilbert Gómez opted to save him for tonight. The 38-year-old has spent 11 years in the minors, 14 years in Korea, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic, and five in the Show, with the A’s, the Blue Jays, and the Orioles. Predominantly a changeup pitcher, Valdez has a four seamer that can touch 90 and a pretty wicked slider that he pulls out from time to time.

WELCOME!!!

Welcome to the Diario AS USA live commentary of the 2024 Caribbean SeriesFinal as the Dominican Republic’s Tigres del Licey take on Venezuela’s Tiburones de La Guaira in Miami’s LoanDepot Park.

In the end, and with all due respect to every other team in the tournament, the final is going to be the right two teams. Panama had an insane run and Curaçao surprised so many fans, but at the end of the day, Tigres del Licey and Tiburones de La Guaira just feels right.

Both of these teams are legendary in Caribbean baseball. Both of them have long, proud histories. And while Tiburones have experienced a decades-long drought, both of these teams are worthy opponents in this pinnacle of this King of Sports.

The Tiburones have never won the Caribbean Series, but have been a legendary side in their native Venezuela, with some of baseball’s most loved names on their roster. Alex Cabrera, Daryl Strawberry, Marcelino Lopez and Odell Jones have all worn the Tiburones jersey with pride. They have won eight Venezuelan league titles and are returning to the top of the sport for the first time since 1986.

Facing them, the Tigres del Licey are the other side of the coin. As defending champions, they are looking to repeat in what would be their 12th Caribbean Series title. The oldest team in the Dominican Republic has had legends like Joaquin Andújar, Tommy Lasorda, José Canseco, and Orel Herscheiser grace their roster over the years.

In order to get here, Venezuela had to come from behind as their bats exploded with six unanswered runs in a thrilling semi final against Curaçao. Even so, manager Ozzie Guillén is certain that the Tiburones are capable of hitting more.

And they will need it against Licey, who have all of Guillén’s respect. "From day one, I said there were no easy teams here. Obviously, to win, you have to beat the best. The Dominican Republic, due to its track record in the Caribbean Series, the farm system it has had for many years, has always represented well."

While Tigres may be chasing their 12th trophy, they are just the sharp point of a fabulous Dominican baseball farm system, which as a nation has won 23 titles, more than any other country.

And hitting is first on the list for Tigres manager Gilbert Gómez as well. “We know the offensive talent we have. In the first six Games, we probably didn’t show who we really are on the hitting side."

Tigres got here by going through the Cinderella story of the tournament, jumping out to an insurmountable lead over Panama in the semi final. They rode excellent pitching giving up just one run to a Panamanian side that has been able to score seemingly at will.

Gómez knows what a win will mean to the Dominican Republic, a nation that takes enormous pride in their baseball prowess.

Guillén also knows what a win would mean not only for La Guaira, but also for the entire Venezuelan nation. "My focus is on winning, not only for Venezuela but for ourselves, the players. If we win, we are heroes in Venezuela, and if we lose, well, you know…”

Guillén made it plain for those who don’t understand. “We want to take that trophy because our country needs that joy."