CARIBBEAN SERIES: Day One (Feb. 2, 2009)

Champions from Venezuela and Mexico both opened the 2009 Caribbean Series with 3-2 wins Monday in Mexico.

Maza collects 4 hits in 3-2 Aragua win over Licey
Shortstop Luis Maza went 4-for-5 at the plate with two RBIs and starter Brad Knox allowed no hits in 6.1 innings as Venezuela’s Aragua Tigres slipped by Dominican champion Licey, 3-2, in the opening game in Mexicali.
Maza’s ninth-inning single off Licey’s Victor Marte drove in Ramon Castro to break a 2-2 tie. Ronnie Belliard whacked a homer for the Tigres.

Silva sharp on hill as Mazatlan tops Ponce, 3-2
Mazatlan starter Walter Silva scattered three hits and struck out 11 Ponce batters as the Venados held off the Leones, 3-2, in the first day nightcap. Brothers Adrian and Edgar Gonzalez combined to drive in all three Mazatlan runs.
Ponce’s Giancarlo Alvarado struck out 11 Mazatlan batsmen on the hill before being pulled with two outs in the sixth.

Tuesday’s CS schedule
On Tuesday, Licey will take on Ponce at 5PM ET, while Mazatlan meets Aragua at 9PM ET. Both games will be televised live on the MLB Network.

Standings
Mazatlan Venados (MX) 1-0, Aragua Tigres (VZ) 1-0, Licey Tigres (DR) 0-1, Ponce Leones (PR) 0-1.