With great determination, Panama dashes expectations in Caribbean Series

MIAMI — Panama could not have asked for a better start to its participation in the 2024 Caribbean Series played at LonDepot Park in Miami, after winning its first three matches of the competition, giving Chiquiri Federal a victory to advance. Kept in solid state. Round.

Panama defeated Nicaragua’s representative Rivas Gigantes by six runs to three on Sunday, thanks to a solid performance from the Federals’ starter, Brazilian Heitor Tokar, who threw 6.0 innings with four hits, three walks and two strikeouts. .

Before 12,342 fans in attendance, mostly Nicaraguans, Panama defends its undefeated To momentarily occupy the top of the Caribbean Series standings.

In this way, Chiriquí became the first surprise of the championship, in an attempt to win a third Caribbean crown (1950, 2019).

Their manager José Agustín Mayorga said, “We know we are not favourites, but we have a very brave team.” “I have great confidence and trust in each of them. “I think they’re ready to do a tremendous job for the remainder of the tournament.”

However, if Federal came to Miami with the goal of winning the competition, the club did exactly what it needed in the first half of its first round schedule, defeating Curaçao, Mexico and Nicaragua, before facing Puerto Rico, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic. Had to do. Republic, in matches that will define the semi-finals of the event.

“Continue game by game, we’re on the right track but we’re not finished,” Mayorga said. “It’s not going to be easy. The message is to keep doing what we’re doing, try to get to the next round.”

At the same time, Mayorga understands that when it comes to comparing winter leagues, Panama is not at the same level as their next rivals, Puerto Rico, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic. However, Pilot is also hopeful that good international performances will help his country rise up the local tournament.

“The level of baseball is good throughout Panama. We know other leagues have other levels and resources. This is a call to support us more with more teams. But there are countless (good) players in our country.”

Case in point, what the feds are doing in Miami. Now, it is their turn to shed the ‘surprise team’ label and show that they have what it takes to compete at the top, just as they did in 2019.

Because in the end, as cliché as it may sound, Panama is doing just that, with Tokar’s pitching nature reflected in words – and off the mound:

“The game of baseball is decided on the field.”