2019 Pan American Games Qualifier

The 2019 Pan American Games Qualifier was the first international baseball tournament for 2019. Held in Brazil from January 29 to February 3, the top four teams made it to the 2019 Pan American Games. Competing were Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Nicaragua and Panama. Venezuela was a late withdrawal for economic reasons. Canada, Colombia, the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua won the four spots, though Mexico finished with a better record than Canada and was the only team to beat the #1 Dominicans. All four teams had played in the 2015 Pan American Games, while the three teams that missed out had not. With their losses, Brazil and Panama were eliminated from any chance at the 2020 Olympics; Mexico still had a chance because they were in the 2019 Premier 12.

Games[edit]

January 29[edit]

Canada 5, Panama 1. Panama leads 1-0 after 5 before the defending Pan American Games winners score four in the 6th. Ryan Kellogg gets the win, while Scott Richmond had allowed only one run in five, on a homer by Ariel Serrano. Wes Darvill and Kellin Deglan both homer for Canada, Deglan driving in two. Oriel Caicedo took the loss.

Brazil vs. Nicaragua delayed by rain in the 4th with a scoreless contest.

Dominican Republic vs. Mexico had previously been delayed due to late arrival of the Dominican team.

January 30[edit]

Colombia 10, Panama 4. Colombia continued its strong international run that began in 2015. Álvaro Noriega's second-inning homer gets things going for Colombia and they keep on rolling. This means that Canada and Colombia will win Group B, advancing to the Pan American Games, before Group A has finished a game. Gabriel Ramos was handed the defeat.

Continued rain and poor field conditions at Mie Nishi Stadium in São Paulo caused delays of Nicaragua/ Mexico and Brazil/ Dominican Republic

January 31[edit]

Dominican Republic 10, Nicaragua 3. Garabez Rosa goes 3 for 4 with a homer and four RBI and the Dominicans bang out 15 hits. Former major leaguer Wilton López gives up 10 hits and 6 runs in 5 for Nicaragua, while Leuris Gómez allows only one run in five for the win. Veteran Willie Vásquez goes 3 for 4 in a losing cause.

Mexico 13, Brazil 3. The hosts go ahead early when Tiago Magalhães hits a two-run homer off Raul Carrillo but Carrillo allowed no other runs in his five innings of work and Mexico came back against Tiago Da Silva, no stranger to Mexico (having played in the Mexican League the prior year). Mexico finishes with 18 hits, including homers by Leo Germán and Ricky Rodríguez (who drove in four in this game).

Nicaragua 12, Mexico 4. In a must-win game for Nicaragua, they trounce Mexico, chasing starter Francisco Haro with four first-inning runs while Leonardo Crawford gives up only one run in five innings. Jilton Calderón goes 3 for 5 with a homer.

Dominican Republic 3, Brazil 2. The hosts nearly pull off an upset, as Felipe Natel blanks the Dominicans for six while Brazil goes up 1-0 against Porfirio López. The Dominicans went ahead in the 7th with two homers off André Rienzo, by Charlie Valerio and Willy García. In the 9th, a passed ball by Daniel Molinari let in the decisive run, making a winner of Juan Sandoval.

Canada vs. Colombia delayed due to the need to reschedule earlier games

February 1[edit]

Mexico 3, Dominican Republic 2. Mexico joined the Dominicans at 2-1 as Jonathan Castellanos got the win over Carlos Pimentel, Esteban Haro notching a save by inducing a double-play grounder with the bases loaded in the 9th. Ronny Paulino was 4 for 4 in a loss.

Nicaragua 6, Brazil 2. In a resumption of the rain-delayed game from day one, Nicaragua secures a spot in the 2019 Pan American Games (as do the Dominicans), as Mexico loses the tiebreaker between the three 2-1 teams (fewest runs allowed). It was the second tiebreaker to fall against Mexico in 3 years as they were also affected in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. Carlos Téller got the win while Jilton Calderón drove in 3.

Colombia 8, Canada 6. Colombia scores twice in the 8th to break a tie with Canada.

February 2[edit]

Dominican Republic 10, Canada 7. Canada nearly wins it in the 9th but Tristan Pompey is thrown out at home trying to score on a Kellin Deglan single. In the 10th, Garabez Rosa hits a 3-run homer off Dustin Molleken.

Colombia 5, Nicaragua 4. Colombia also moves to the title game.

February 3[edit]

Nicaragua 14, Canada 12. In a wild game for 3rd place, Canada commits seven errors in yet another extra-inning loss. Phillippe Aumont fans 9 in 4 innings as Canada goes up 3-1 but Nicaragua rallies for 5 in the 5th and one in the 6th, aided by miscues by Canada. Down 7-3 in the 7th, Canada rallies as Eric Wood hits a grand slam, Andy Yerzy doubles in two and Tristan Pompey drives in one. Two more Canadian errors and a wild pitch by Andrew Case help Nicaragua tie it. The game was 10-10 entering the 10th. In the 10th, Nicaragua scores one and has the bases loaded with no outs. Tristan Pompey robbed a batter of a grand slam with a catch over the wall; all the Nicaraguan runners had come home in the meantime. Canada appealed to the umpires for a triple play but all three umpires said Nicaragua was safe. Nicaragua wound up scoring three more runs, so Canada's two extra in the bottom of the inning weren't enough.

Dominican Republic 17, Colombia 4. The Dominicans secure first place in the tournament with a rout. Ronny Paulino has four hits and one of five Dominican homers; the others come from Charlie Valerio, tourney MVP Garabez Rosa (his 5th of the series), Willy García and José Rosario. Leuris Gómez improved to 2-0.

Awards[edit]

MVP: Garabez Rosa, Dominican Republic
Best Defensive Player: Charlie Valerio, Dominican Republic

All-Star Team[edit]

Primary Sources[edit]

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