Day two of the Palomino World Series was different compared to the first. While day one saw close games within a couple runs, day two was filled with more of the blowout variety. No game was closer than a 5-run differential.
Game #1: Cidra, Puerto Rico 10 San Antonio, Texas 0After scoreless first inning, Cidra, Puerto Rico scored in the top of the second and never looked back as the Caribbean representatives kept themselves alive in the 2018 Palomino World Series.
Puerto Rico’s first run came across the plate when Emmanuel Ramos lined a single to centerfield allowing Miguel Lopez to score. San Antonio contained Puerto Rico until the 5th inning where Puerto Rico busted the scoring wide open.
Jan Tolentino tripled into the leftfield corner, Jean Rivera and Jean Torres were standing on third and first, respectively and worked their way home. With the 3-0 lead, Puerto Rico added two more runs in the 5th. Tolentino scored on a sacrifice fly by Axel Gonzalez then Lopez scored when Ramos hit a sacrifice fly.
Puerto Rico, holding a 5-0 lead, only allowed two hits in the remaining San Antonio at-bats while adding 5 more runs to win by the final of 10-0. Carlos Bonilla led Puerto Rico to victory on the mound. Bonilla surrendered zero runs on one hit over six innings, striking out two. Torres led Puerto Rico with four hits in five at bats, a run batted in and scoring twice.
Unfortunately for San Antonio, their 2018 Palomino World Series was over. However, Puerto Rico waited to see the loser of the Chinese Taipei and Youngstown, Ohio game.
Box Score Game #2: Laredo, Texas 10 Mt. Pleasant, Michigan 2
Just like in the first game of the day, the away team, this time Laredo, Texas, ran away with the win. After putting up a fight in the first couple innings, Mt. Pleasant’s stay at the Palomino World Series ended.
Mt. Pleasant jumped out to the early lead in the bottom of the first when Seth Stratton grounded out to second allowing Kollin Sharrar to score from third. Laredo took its first lead in the very next inning when Eric Garcia singled to leftfield. Sergio Chavez and Julio Toboada scored to give Laredo the 2-1 lead.
Mt. Pleasant tied the game in the bottom of the second when Sharrar was walked with the bases loaded, bring home Ryan Shafer. Unbeknownst to Mt. Pleasant, this was the last time that the North Zone representatives scored in the world series.
Omar Cervantes gave Laredo the lead in the third with a RBI single as Fernando Benavides scored the run. Laredo added 2 runs in the fourth and broke the game open in the top of the sixth by scoring the final 5 runs of the game.
Marco Raya claimed the win on the mound. Raya went 6 innings, allowing 2 runs on 4 hits and striking out 6. Garcia led Laredo at the plate, going 2-4 with 2 runs and runs batted in. With the win, Laredo waited to see who it would face from the Los Angeles, California and Hermosillo, Mexico game.
Box Score Game #3: Taoyuan County, Chinese Taipei 10 Youngstown, Ohio 0 F/5
Just like its first game, Taoyuan County, Chinese Taipei ended its game early by enforcing the run rule. A 5-run second inning propelled Chinese Taipei to a 10-0 win and a spot in the semifinals of the Palomino World Series.
In the bottom of the first, Chun-En Lin singled that allowed Kun-Yu Chaing to score. Ji-Hong Lu followed with a double to score Lin. Chinese Taipei lead 2-0 until the very next inning when Taipei added 5 more runs. Chinese Taipei scored 2 more in the fourth and the final one in the fifth to take the game, 10-0.
Jo-Hsi Hsu picked up the win going two and two-third innings. Hsu allowed three hits and gave up one walk. With the loss, Youngstown dropped to the loser’s bracket to set up a rematch with Puerto Rico from the first day.
Box Score Game #4: Los Angeles, California 8 Hermosillo, Mexico 3After taking a commanding lead and then fighting through a spark of Mexican offense, Los Angeles was able to hold on for an 8-5 victory and secure a spot in the semifinals.
Mexico opened the scoring in the top of the first when Carlos Berrelleza scored on a Jose Esquer sacrifice fly. This was the last time that Mexico held the lead. Los Angeles then exploded for 7 runs in the bottom of the second. The first pair of runs scored when Steven Bermudez doubled to center. Bermudez and Sean Blandino then scored on a Cole Kitchen single to leftfield.
Holding a 4-1 lead, Los Angeles added 3 more runs to end the second inning with a 7-1 lead. Los Angeles scored an extra run in the fourth to lead 8-1. After looking out of it, Mexico responded with 2 runs in the top of the fifth but Los Angeles was able to hold Mexico and claim the 8-3 win.
Tyler Tilton notched the win for Los Angeles by going 6 innings, allowing 3 runs on 3 hits and striking out 2. Mexico will face Laredo, Texas again in the losers bracket while Los Angelels will await the winner of that game.
Box Score Schedule for August 5, 2018:G1: Cidra, Puerto Rico vs. Youngstown, Ohio (10 a.m. CST)
G2: Laredo, Texas vs. Hermosillo, Mexico (1 p.m. CST)
G3: Taoyuan County, Chinese Taipei vs. Winner of G1 (4 p.m. CST)
G4: Los Angeles, California vs. Winner of G2 (7 p.m. CST)