The Venezuelan Winter League round robin playoffs have ended with Aragua and La Guaira meeting in the championship. The best-of-seven championship series began last night.
However this winter league update will focus on the KC Royals players and their games prior to the championship series and since my last update.
Starting with January 12th, Mario Lisson played third base and went 0-for-3 with a walk in Magallanes’ 6-0 loss to Aragua.
The next day, he went 1-for-2 with a walk and an RBI as Magallanes beat Zulia, 11-2. Shortstop Alcides Escobar went 0-for-2 with a walk, while also committing an error in the loss.
On January 14th, Zulia again lost to Magallanes, this time 11-10. This was after Zulia scored nine runs in the top of the 9th inning to take a 10-6 lead. Escobar went 3-for-5 with two runs scored in the loss. Lisson went 1-for-3 with a walk and two RBIs while playing both third and first base.
The next day, Zulia lost again, this time at the hands of La Guaira, 16-5. Escobar went 0-for-3 with a walk and a run scored. He also committed an error. That was Escobar’s last game with Zulia, who did end up winning a game before the winter league round robin playoffs ended.
On January 16th, Lisson went 1-for-2 with a triple and two runs scored in Magallanes’ 9-1 win over La Guaira. He played third and first base, but committed an error.
Jose Mijares picked up a hold in Aragua’s 5-2 victory over La Guaira on January 17th. He allowed one hit over one inning of work while striking out one. Lisson went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored in Magallanes’ 6-4 victory over Caribes. He again started at third base only to move to first base later in the game.
On January 18th, Lisson went 2-for-5 with a double and a run scored in Magallanes 9-8 loss to La Guaira. He again switched between third and first base.
The next day, Lisson went 0-for-4 in Magallanes 5-4 win over Aragua. He did commit an error though.
On January 20th, Mijares picked up his third save of the postseason, as Aragua won 6-4 over Caribes. Aragua clinched a spot in the championship series. He struck out a batter in his one inning of work.
On January 21st, Lisson hit for the cycle and was the headline on MLB’s winter leagues website. He hit an RBI triple and scored in the second inning, delivered an RBI single in the third inning, he doubled and scored in the sixth inning, and hit a two-run homerun in the seventh inning. Overall, Lisson went 4-for-4 with three runs scored and four RBIs while switching between third and first base. Magallanes beat Aragua 8-5, as Lisson scored the go-ahead run in the sixth inning.
The next day, Lisson went 0-for-4 with a walk and an RBI in Magallanes 6-5 win over Caribes in 11 innings. This game eliminated Caribes from the championship series, but sent Magallanes to face La Guaira in a one-game playoff later that night.
Lisson went 1-for-4 with a double in the one-game playoff, but was picked off second base. He also committed an error at third base. Magallanes lost to La Guaira, 16-1 to end their winter league season.
