It’s a Long-Ball World for Ortiz and Dominicans

How appropriate that the clash of Latin titans from the Dominican Republic and Venezuela in a World Baseball Classic opener was held at a Disney sports complex Tuesday.

The game was a sanitized thrill ride, marquee players performing in front of the upper crust among their countrymen, those who could afford tickets and travel. There was flag-waving, horn-blowing and dancing in the aisles, a fiesta to be sure, but the spotless ballpark at Disney Wide World of Sports no more resembled a gritty Latin stadium than the Enchanted Tiki Room does the road to Hana.

Call it the Great Caribbean Baseball Adventure.

Or, Papi’s Wild Ride.

Designated hitter David Ortiz, known from Boston to Santo Domingo as “Papi,” keyed an 11-5 Dominican victory by opening the scoring with a second-inning home run, then hitting a two-run blast that struck a television trailer beyond the right-field wall in the ninth after Venezuela had clawed to within one run.

Former Dodger Adrian Beltre hit a three-run home run in the fifth and followed Ortiz with a two-run shot in the ninth, when the Dominican Republic broke the game open with five runs, sending their red-, white- and blue-clad fans into a samba-tinged celebration.

“The atmosphere out there is something that pretty much every Latin person has going on in their blood,” Ortiz said. “Everybody has a lot of passion for baseball. It’s something we live every day. And everybody, every single player, the coaches, the fans, everybody that is involved in the game puts a lot into it.”

There was more camaraderie than rivalry between the teams. Players exchanged hugs beforehand and downplayed suggestions that this was a grudge match between countries trying to establish superiority in the American pastime. In the stands, there was decorum amid the delirium.

And no griping from the losing team.

“I think we showed what Latin baseball is all about,” said Venezuelan starter Johan Santana, who struck out five in 3 1/3 innings but gave up two runs.

“From either side, Dominican Republic and Venezuela, we showed how the passion is about the game and how the fans are appreciative of what we do on the field.”

The only confrontation, oddly, involved an umpire from the Netherlands, Fred van Groningen.

Venezuela Manager Luis Sojo vehemently protested when the third base umpire ruled that a drive by Miguel Cabrera in the seventh was not a home run -- which would have been his second of the game and tied the score. Instead, it was a double that drove in a run to cut the Dominican lead to 6-5.

The ball hit the top of the wall and bounced back onto the field. Sojo argued that it grazed the scoreboard, which would have made it a home run, but the call stood and Cabrera was stranded.

Actually, the outcome might have come down to a decision that transcended countries and cultures -- a manager simply over-managing. Sojo brought in minor league left-hander Carlos Hernandez to face Ortiz with one out and a runner on second in the ninth. Never mind that Ortiz had hit his first homer against the left-handed Santana, or that Hernandez had a 5.56 earned-run average at double-A last season.

“I told you from the beginning that I manage by instinct,” Sojo said. “If we walked [Ortiz], then we had to face another great hitter in Moises Alou. Hernandez threw a couple of good sinkers, then that last pitch was a little high, was smack in the middle of the plate.”

Venezuela is supposed to have the best pitching in the WBC, but the most effective pitcher was Dominican starter Bartolo Colon, who tossed three scoreless innings.

Venezuela must defeat Italy and Australia in its remaining Group D games to advance to the second round along with the Dominican Republic. Both teams anticipate a rematch.

“I could see playing them again,” Ortiz said. “It’s premature to talk about it, but I could see that.”