Cabrera, Bautista help Dominicans top Mexico 1-0 at Olympics

YOKOHAMA, Japan (AP) — Melky Cabrera hit a run-scoring single with two outs in the fifth inning, Jose Bautista threw out the potential tying run at home plate and the Dominican Republic beat Mexico 1-0 Friday at the Olympics to even its record at 1-1.

Charlie Valerio, a 30-year-old catcher with Sioux Falls in the independent American Association, doubled leading off the inning against Theodore Stankiewicz (0-1), a 27-year-old right-hander who pitched in Boston’s minor league system and now is with Tijuana. Cabrera, a 15-year big league veteran who last played with Pittsburgh in 2019, sliced a single to left.

Mexico threatened in the sixth after Isaac Rodriguez reached on a bunt single; a video review reversed the initial out call by the first base umpire. Rodriguez advanced on Valerio’s passed ball, and Joey Meneses singled to left.

Bautista, a six-time All-Star who is 40 and made his last big league appearance in 2018, threw a one-hop strike to Valerio for the tag. With two on and two outs, Daniel Espinoza hit a flyout that centerfielder Emilio Bonifacio snagged with a backhand grab on the warning track.

Jumbo Diaz walked his leadoff batter in the eighth and Mexico advanced a runner to third with one out before Sebastian Elizalde flied to Bonifacio in short center — pinch runner Jose Cardona held on Bonifacio’s off-line throw — and Meneses flied out.

Ángel Sánchez (1-0), a 31-year-old right-hander whose only time in the major leagues was eight games with Pittsburgh in 2018, allowed two hits in five innings. Luis Castillo, a 25-year-old Arizona Triple-A right-hander, got three straight outs for the save, completing a four-hitter.

Stankiewicz allowed six hits in 4 2/3 innings, struck out five and walked one in a nearly empty Yokohama Stadium.

The Dominican Republic (1-1) was coming off an opening loss to Japan (1-0) in which it wasted a ninth-inning lead. Mexico was playing its Group A opener.

Dominican second baseman Gustavo Núñez was shaken up in a third-inning collision with Seattle prospect Julio Rodríguez on a flyout by Isaac Rodriguez that the right fielder grabbed as he struck Núñez’s face. Núñez was replaced by Yefri Pérez to start the fourth.

Bautista sent a drive just outside the left-field foul pole leading off the fourth, a call upheld by a video review.

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