MAZATLÁN – The results of the matches between Panama and Puerto Rico and Mexico against Venezuela, on Thursday in the fifth day of the Caribbean Series 2021, will leave one of the four semifinals to be played on Friday at the Teodoro Mariscal Stadium.
In the “matinee” at 11:00 local time (13:00 ET), Panamanians and Puerto Ricans will jump on the field. At 15:30 (17:30 ET), the Dominican Republic faces Colombia, the first ranked and the second eliminated.
In the evening, at 20:00 (22 ET), Mexico faces Venezuela, where the host must win to avoid headaches with TQB (Team Quality Balance).
Scenario 1: Puerto Rico and Venezuela win, which would force and use TQB to define 3rd and 4th places, and in this scenario Venezuela must beat Mexico with four races to advance.
Scenario 2: Panama and Mexico win, which would force them to use the famous TQB to define 2nd, 3rd and 4th places and it depends on the races marked by all to define the places in Puerto Rico, Mexico and Panama. Here Panama must defeat the Puerto Ricans with three races to avoid the Dominican Republic in the semifinals.
Scenario 3: Puerto Rico and Mexico win, Venezuela is eliminated and the semifinals would be Mexico against Puerto Rico and Panama against the Dominican Republic.
Scenario 4: Panama and Venezuela win, Mexico is eliminated and the semifinals will remain Puerto Rico against Panama and Venezuela against the Dominican Republic.
PANAMA VS PUERTO RICO
Puerto Rico comes with three wins in a row after beating Colombia in the ninth inning on Wednesday with a horse race.
The Puerto Ricans lost the first game and, with another victory, will reach the second place behind the Dominican Republic and will avoid them in the semifinals.
COLOMBIA VS. DOMINICAN
Sol y sombra, the Dominican Republic arrives with nine consecutive victories in 2020, while Colombia arrives with nine consecutive defeats in the same period and with the suitcases ready to return to their country.
The Dominican Republic is trying to finish the undefeated round 5-0 and that would force them to finish the tournament undefeated if they want to win the championship twice.
Columbia is trying to win its first game in its history in the Caribbean Series and avoid being the fourth team with at least 10 losses in a row.
VENEZUELA VS. MEXICO
The host risks his life, and Tomateros de Culiacán tries to advance to the semifinals, after being the only team that did not advance beyond the eliminatory round of a series played in Mexico since 2013.
In 2013, Yaquis from Ciudad Obregón won the final in Hermosillo, and in 2017, Águilas from Mexicali lost it in Culiacán. In 2018, Culiacán was left out of the semifinals in Guadalajara.
Venezuela, in turn, is looking for the victory that will lead it to the semifinals for the second year in a row, after remaining on the road in 2019.