Venezuela wins 2024 Caribbean Series, snapping 15-year championship drought

[Kevin Barral]

Tiburones de La Guaira (Venezuela) shut out Tigres del Licey (Dominican Republic) in the most well-attended game in Caribbean Series history.

MIAMI, FL—The Caribbean Series champion was crowned on a breezy Friday night at loanDepot park where the Tiburones de La Guaira of Venezuela took on the Tigres del Licey of the Dominican Republic. A sac fly in the bottom of the fourth and then an RBI triple in the fifth would be all Venezuela needed to take home the 2024 championship.

For Dominican Republic starter César Valdez, it was a rocky start. Despite giving his team four innings of work, he gave up three runs off of seven hits, walked three and only recorded one strikeout. The first run of the ballgame came in on a bases loaded sac fly from Alcides Escobar, who drove in Odúbel Herrera. Herrera had entered the game in place for Yasiel Puig (exited with leg discomfort).

An inning, later, Valdez got into enough trouble and was taken out. Hernán Pérez smacked an RBI triple, which drove in Wilfredo Tovar. Herrera's ground out was enough for Pérez to score and make it a 3-0 game.

Ricardo Pinto started for La Guaira in the championship-clinching game. After a quick first inning, Pinto got to work as he ended his outing with six strikeouts through 5 ⅔ shutout innings, only giving up four hits. His outing was cut short as it seemed that he suffered a blister, which was affecting him.

Tigres del Licey were unable to score a run as this marks the first time in the 2024 Caribbean Series that they have been shut out. In total, the Dominican Republic produced six hits on the night. Three of them came from second baseman Robinson Canó.

For the Dominican Republic, they missed out on a chance to win back-to-back Caribbean Series titles and are dethroned. For Venezuela, the 2024 Caribbean Series marks the end of a 15-year drought since the country was previously crowned the champion. Ozzie Guillén becomes the first latino manager ever to win a World Series, winter league championship and Caribbean Series. Ricardo Pinto was named MVP of the tournament.

The paid attendance was 36,677, setting a new Caribbean Series record.

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