15-run inning propels Venezuela to win

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BANGOR – For six innings, Wednesday’s pool B game against Falcon, Venezuela looked like the best of the Senior League World Series for Vilnius, Lithuania, who was looking to end things on a high note after three straight losses.

Then came the seventh.

From that point on, it went from best-case scenario to worst-case to nightmare for the Europe-Middle East-Africa champions.

The Latin American champions sent 21 batters to the plate, scored 15 runs, and collected 14 hits in the seventh inning to turn a 7-4 lead into a 22-4 blowout over the Lithuanians on a cool, clammy and foggy night at Mansfield Stadium.

The marathon inning claimed about 30 minutes and three Lithuanian pitchers before it ended.

Jose Gonzalez (4-for-5) collected three of his four singles and both of his RBIs in the seventh to lead the offensive explosion. The fuse was lit by two balk calls that seemed to unnerve Lithuanian reliever Deividas Vilbikas.

“This is the first time we’ve had balks called on him,” said Vilnius manager Virmidas Neverauskas, whose frustration showed on his face when asked about the balk calls. “We played tournaments in St. Louis in the spring and those umpires said it was OK, so who is to say?”

Falcon has the final say in this game despite trailing 4-3 in the fourth and the fifth. The Venezuelans retook the lead in the sixth with just one hit – an RBI single by Santiago Chirino. They took advantage of one Vilnius error and two balk calls.

In all, three Vilnius pitchers were called for five balks, but their defense didn’t help them either as the Lithuanians committed 10 total errors.

The game was anything but pretty as Falcon committed three errors and one balk.

Gonzalez earned the win for Falcon with two innings of hitless and scoreless relief. Vilnius scored three runs in the fourth via two hits and two Falcon errors, but was held scoreless the rest of the game.

In all, seven Falcon batters had at least two hits. Three had four and one had three.

Second baseman Santiago Chirino led the way with four singles, three RBIs, and two runs in five at-bats. Catcher Johan Luque had a double, three singles, a walk, two RBIs and two runs.

Lost in all the offensive fireworks, mental miscues and defensive gaffes was a fairly solid mound effort by Vilnius starting pitcher Dovydas Neverauskas.

Neverauskas went five innings, allowing six hits and six runs (only three of which were earned). He allowed four walks and struck out three batters.

Edvardas Matusevicius and Valentinas Krukis led the Lithuanians offensively with two singles apiece. Krukis also scored a run and Matusevicius stole a base.

Vilnius ends its World Series pool play with an 0-4 record while Venezuela keeps its hopes of defending its 2006 title alive by improving to 2-1. Falcon will play East champ Freehold Township, N.J., today with a spot in Friday’s semifinal round hanging in the balance.

LATIN AMERICA 22, EMEA 4

(Pool B, Wednesday)

Vilnius, Lithuania Falcon, Venezuela

ab r h bi ab r h bi

Vlbks,2b-p 3 0 0 1 Alvrdo,p-cf 6 3 1

Jcvcius, c 3 1 1 1 Murillo, p 0 0 0

Brdskas,1b 2 0 1 0 Chirino, 2b 5 2 3

Jsnsks,rf-p 4 0 0 0 Pina, ss 6 1 0

Mtsvcs,lf-rf 3 0 2 0 Gnzlz,cf-1b 5 3 2

Krukis,rf-p 3 1 2 0 Luque, c 5 2 2

Nvrskas,p 3 0 0 0 Yedra, pr 0 1 0

Deksns,p-lf 0 0 0 0 Primera,rf 4 3 0

Dnkvsks,ss 1 1 0 0 Lugo, lf 4 3 1

Kalanta,cf 1 0 0 0 Zea,1b-cf 5 1 6

Znkvcius,cf 1 1 0 0 Prince,3b 5 3 0

Totals 24 4 6 2 Totals 45 22 21 15

EMEA 001 300 0 – 4

Latin America 020 113 (15) – 22

E-Dankovskis 5, Vilbikas 2, Jasinskas, Kalanta, Zinkevicius; Alvarado, Pina, Zea; LOB-Lithuania 6, Latin America 8; 2B-Zea, Luque; 3B-Alvarado; S-Dankovskis, Zinkevicius, Vilbikas; SB-Matusevicius

EMEA IP H R ER BB SO

Nvraskas (L,0-1) 6 6 6 3 4 3

Deksnys 1 2/3 6 6 3 0 0

Vilbikas 0 3 4 3 0 0

Mtusevicius 0 4 6 3 1 0

Krukis 1/3 2 0 0 0 0

Latin America

Alvarado 4 6 4 0 4 0

Gonzalez (W,1-0) 2 0 0 0 0 4

Murillo 1 0 0 0 0 1

WP-Neverauskas; BK-Neverauskas, Deksnys 2, Vilbikas 2; Alvarado; PB-Luque.

T-2:44; A-200 (est.)