Tigres from D.R. finish third in Miami tourney

MIAMI -- More than just pride was on the line at Marlins Park on Sunday afternoon in the inaugural Serie de las Americas. The Tigres del Licey from the Dominican Republic were able to salvage the weekend by edging the Navegantes del Magallanes from Venezuela, 4-2, to claim third place in the four-team event.

Rymer Liriano's RBI double highlighted a two-run ninth inning that put Licey in front to stay. Magallanes, which pulled even at 2 in the eighth inning, had two losses in the tournament.

"I enjoyed the experience immensely," Licey manager Lino Rivera said. "Hopefully, we continue to play in this event. We're leaving very satisfied."

The Serie de las Americas was established to expose Caribbean-style baseball to South Florida.

Both rosters featured players on big league clubs, including Royals No. 1 prospect Raul Mondesi, who had a double in four at-bats for Licey.

In the ninth inning, Liriano, the Padres' No. 12 prospect, provided the go-ahead RBI double, and Logan Moore provided an insurance run with a sacrifice fly.

Licey went ahead, 2-1, in the sixth inning on Juan Miranda's RBI single to right, which scored Jason Rogers, who doubled to lead off the inning.

The lead held until two outs in the eighth inning when Magallanes tied it at 2 on Frank Diaz's RBI single to left, which scored Samuel Diaz, who delivered a two-out double.

Jenrry Mejia of the Mets started for Licey and gave up one run on two hits with two strikeouts. The right-hander, who closed in the early part of 2015 for New York, was suspended July 28 for 162 games for a second positive performance-enhancing drug test.

Magallanes right-hander Enderson Franco gave up one run on two hits in four innings.

Some miscommunication proved costly for Licey, and it cost the Tigres a run in the second inning. Magallanes took a 1-0 lead on Jose Briceno's two-out, RBI double on a routine fly to short-right field. But second baseman Emmanuel Burriss and right fielder Jorge Bonifacio got crossed up, and both watched the ball drop. Ruled a two-base hit, Frank Diaz, who doubled to lead off the inning, scored.

But in the top of the third, Bonifacio atoned for his mental miscue. His sacrifice fly to center scored Mondesi, the 20-year-old who made his MLB debut in the World Series with the Royals. Mondesi doubled to open the inning.

Magallanes threatened in the fifth inning when Luis Domoromo tripled to lead off the inning. But Mitch Atkins worked out of the jam.

"The fans really embraced the spectacle of these games thus far," Magallanes manager Carlos Garcia said. "It was all healthy competition. We got a chance to familiarize ourselves with a team from the Caribbean, which has Major League stars and a lot of tradition."