Mexico beats Venezuela 3-2 in 10 innings with winning RBI by Castilla

Mexico beats Venezuela 3-2 in 10 innings

MARGARITA ISLAND, Venezuela — Vinny Castilla drove in the winning run in the bottom of the 10th, lifting Mexico club Naranjeros de Hermosillo to a 3-2 victory Friday night over Venezuela’s Leones del Caracas in the Caribbean Series.

The victory improved Mexico to 2-2 and kept it in the hunt to win the tournament, which ends Sunday. The Caracas team fell to 1-3.

The 42-year-old Castilla’s hit to center was out of the reach of Erold Andrus. Heber Gomez opened the inning with a single and was moved over on a sacrifice bunt by Chris Roberson. Karim Garcia was intentionally walked to get to Castilla.

Venezuela went ahead 2-0 after three innings, but Mexico tied it with runs in the fourth and sixth.

Mario Mendoza got the victory in 1 2-3 inning of relief.

In the early game, Leones del Escogido of the Dominican Republic lost for the first time in the series, falling 7-3 to Puerto Rico’s Los Indios de Mayaguez.

Andrew Baldwin combined with relievers Orlando Roman and Bill Simas to hold the Dominicans to eight hits.

Leones del Escogido fell to 3-1 and Indios improved to 2-2 in the six-day, double round-robin series that ends on Sunday.

Felix Diaz gave up three runs and three hits and walked three in four innings for Leones. Puerto Rico scored three more runs in the sixth.