Summary
The Venezuela home team, represented by the Leones del Caracas, won its first Caribbean Series title since 1989 after a dramatic rally with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning led them to a perfect 6-0 finish, the 9th time this had happened in the Series.
Managed by Carlos Subero, Venezuela outscored their opponents 45–15 while the defense committed only three errors. Triple Crown winner Ramón Hernández was named the Series Most Valuable Player after leading all players with a .542 batting average (13-for-24) and eight RBIs, while tying with Edgar González with three home runs. Hernández also hit for the cycle in Game Two, to become the first player to do it in the Series history.
Other notable contributions came from Alex Cabrera (.360, 2 HR, 7 RBIs), Álex González (.409, 1 HR, 7 RBIs), Marco Scutaro (.304, 7 runs, 5 RBIs, 2 HR, including a grand slam), Luis Rodríguez (.310, 3 doubles, 5 runs, 8 RBIs) and Franklin Gutiérrez (.364, 4 runs, 4 RBIs). Overall, the Venezuelan club hit .327 with nine home runs. The pitching staff posted a collective 2.62 earned run average and was led by Geremi González, who went 1-0 and topped all pitchers in ERA (1.20) and innings pitched (15), striking out 12 batters while walking just three.
In addition, Subero, at 33, became the youngest manager to win a Caribbean Series championship. Manny Acta was 34 when he guided the Dominicans to the title in 2004.
The Dominican Republic finished the series in second place with a 4–2 record. Both losses were to Venezuela. The team was managed by Rafael Landestoy and included players as Alexis Gómez, who led his teammates with a .500 BA (10-for-20), and Miguel Tejada (.273, 1 HR, 8 RBIs), Sandy Martínez (.300, 1 HR, 5 RBIs), Napoleón Calzado (.321) and Rafael Belliard (.304, 1 HR).
Puerto Rico was guided by Lino Rivera and finished third at 2–4, both its wins coming against Mexico. Other than starter Willie Collazo (0-1) and relievers Iván Maldonado and Orlando Román, the pitching staff was ineffective. The offense was led by Luis Figueroa (.364, 1 HR, 5 RBIs), Rubén Gotay (.368, 1 HR), Alex Cintrón (.308, 1 HR) and José Valentín (.269, 1 HR).
The defending champion Mexico did not win a game in the series. Managed by Juan José Pacho, it was the fifth time a Mexican team had been held winless in Caribbean Series history. Edgar González led the attack with a .524 BA (11-for-21) and three solo home runs. The team also included veterans players such as Trenidad Hubbard, Oscar Robles and Francisco Campos.
The forty-ninth edition of the Caribbean Series was played held from February 2 through February 7 of 2008, featuring the champion teams from Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice, and the games were played at Roberto Clemente Stadium in Carolina, Puerto Rico.
The fourth edition of the Caribbean Series was played in 1952. It was held from February 20 through February 26, featuring the champion baseball teams of Cuba, Leones de la Habana; Panama, Carta Vieja Yankees; Puerto Rico, Senadores de San Juan and Venezuela, Cervecería Caracas. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice, and the games were played at Panama City. The first pitch was thrown by Alcibíades Arosemena, by then the President of Panama.
The twelfth edition of the Caribbean Series was a baseball tournament held from February 10 through February 15, 1960 featuring the champion teams from Cuba (Cienfuegos), Panama (Marlboro), Puerto Rico (Caguas) and Venezuela (Rapiños). The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice, and the games were played at Estadio Nacional of Panama City.
After nine years of absence, the thirteenth edition of the Caribbean Series was revived in 1970 without the representing baseball clubs of Cuba and Panama. It was held in Caracas, Venezuela from February 5 to February 10 at Estadio Universitario, featuring the original members of the first stage. Puerto Rico was represented by the Leones de Ponce, while the host Navegantes del Magallanes represented Venezuela. The Dominican Republic debuted in the Series and was represented by the Tigres del Licey to complete a three-team tournament. The format consisted of 12 games, with each team facing the other competitors three times. Because the series was so small, each team had to face each other in one night.
The fiftieth edition of the Caribbean Series was played in 2008. It was held from February 2 through February 7, featuring the champions teams from Mexico, Yaquis de Obregón; Venezuela, Tigres de Aragua, and two teams from Dominican Republic: Águilas Cibaeñas [1] and Tigres del Licey [2]. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice, and was played at Estadio Cibao, home of the Águilas. Licey finished second in the Dominican League, but made the Series due to the cancellation of the Puerto Rican League season due to financial problems. It was the first Series fully held in the city of Santiago de los Caballeros and the first round-robin of its kind to feature two teams from the Dominican Republic.
The fourteenth edition of the Caribbean Series baseball tournament was played in 1971. It was held from February 6 through February 11 with the champions teams from Dominican Republic, Tigres del Licey; Mexico, Naranjeros de Hermosillo; Puerto Rico, Cangrejeros de Santurce, and Venezuela, Tiburones de La Guaira. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice, and the games were played at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico, which boosted its capacity to 18,000 seats. The first pitch was thrown by Bowie Kuhn, by then the Commissioner of Major League Baseball.
The seventh edition of the Caribbean Series was played in 1955. It was held from February 10 through February 15, featuring the champion baseball teams from Cuba, Alacranes de Almendares; Panama, Carta Vieja Yankees; Puerto Rico, Cangrejeros de Santurce, and Venezuela, Navegantes del Magallanes. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice. The games were played at Estadio Universitario in Caracas, the capital city of Venezuela, which boosted capacity to 22,690 seats, while the ceremonial first pitch was thrown by Marcos Pérez Jiménez, by then the President of Venezuela.
The ninth edition of the Caribbean Series was played in 1957. It was held from February 9 through February 14, featuring the champion baseball teams of Cuba, Tigres de Marianao; Panama, Cerveza Balboa; Puerto Rico, Indios de Mayagüez, and Venezuela, Leones del Caracas. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice. The games were played at Estadio del Cerro in Havana, the Cuban capital. The first pitch was thrown by Ford Frick, by then the Commissioner of Major League Baseball.
The fifth edition of the Caribbean Series was played in 1953. It was held from February 20 through February 25, featuring the champion baseball teams of Cuba, Leones de la Habana; Panama, Chesterfield Smokers; Puerto Rico, Cangrejeros de Santurce, and Venezuela, Leones del Caracas. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice. The games were played at Estadio del Cerro in Havana, the Cuban capital.
The fifty-first edition of the Caribbean Series was played in 2009. It was held from February 2 through February 7 with the champions teams from Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice. The games were played at Estadio Casas GEO in Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico.
The twenty-third edition of the Caribbean Series was played in 1980. It was held from February 2 through February 7 with the champions teams from Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice. The games were played at Estadio Quisqueya in Santo Domingo, D.R., which boosted capacity to 14.000 seats, and the first pitch was thrown by Antonio Guzmán, by then the President of Dominican Republic.
The twenty-fifth edition of the Caribbean Series was played in 1983. It was held from February 4 through February 9 with the champion teams from Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice. The games were played at Estadio Universitario in Caracas, Venezuela. Bowie Kuhn, the Commissioner of Major League Baseball, attended the Series, and the first pitch was thrown by Oscar Prieto, Leones del Caracas majority owner and one of the series brainchild.
The twenty-sixth edition of the Caribbean Series was played in 1984. It was held from February 4 through February 9 with the champion teams from Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice. The games were played at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The twenty-seventh edition of the Caribbean Series of baseball was played in 1985. It was held from February 2 through February 7 with the champion teams from Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice. The games were played at Estadio Teodoro Mariscal in Mazatlán, Mexico.
The fifteenth edition of the Caribbean Series was played in 1972. It was held from February 1 through February 6 with the champions teams from Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice. The games were played at Estadio Quisqueya in Santo Domingo, D.R., which boosted capacity to 14.000 seats, and the first pitch was thrown by Joaquín Balaguer, by then the President of Dominican Republic.
The twenty-second edition of the Caribbean Series was played in 1979. It was held from February 4 through February 9 with the champions teams from Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice. The games were played at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico, which boosted capacity to 18.000 seats.
The eighteenth edition of the Caribbean Series was played in 1975. It was held from February 1 through February 6 with the champions teams from the Dominican Republic, Águilas Cibaeñas; Mexico, Naranjeros de Hermosillo; Puerto Rico, Vaqueros de Bayamón and Venezuela, Tigres de Aragua. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice, and was played at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico. For the first time in Series history, the designated hitter was adopted following the implementation of this rule by the American League during the 1973 MLB season.
The nineteenth edition of the Caribbean Series was played in 1976. It was held from February 4 through February 9 with the champions teams from the Dominican Republic, Águilas Cibaeñas; Mexico, Naranjeros de Hermosillo; Puerto Rico, Vaqueros de Bayamón and Venezuela, Tigres de Aragua. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice, and was played in Dominican Republic. For the first time in Series history, the games were played at two different venues, the Estadio Quisqueya in Santo Domingo and the Estadio Cibao in Santiago de los Caballeros.
The twentieth edition of the Caribbean Series was played in 1977. It was held from February 4 through February 9 with the champions teams from the Dominican Republic, Tigres del Licey; Mexico, Venados de Mazatlán; Puerto Rico, Criollos de Caguas and Venezuela, Navegantes del Magallanes. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice, and the games were played at UCV Stadium in Caracas, Venezuela.
The twenty-eighth edition of the Caribbean Series was played in 1986. It was held from February 4 through February 9 with the baseball champion teams of the Dominican Republic, Águilas Cibaeñas; Mexico, Águilas de Mexicali; Puerto Rico, Indios de Mayagüez, and Venezuela, Tiburones de la Guaira. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice. The games were played at Estadio Luis Aparicio El Grande in Maracaibo, Venezuela.
Venezuela 
Dominican Republic 
Puerto Rico 
Mexico