Kurt Bevacqua’s 1977-78 Mayagüez Indios Season Highlights a Colorful Career: Part II

Part I ended with Bevacqua in the February 4-9, 1977 Caribbean Series (CS) with Caguas. Part II picks up with his 1977-78 Puerto Rico Winter League (PRWL) MVP season for the Mayagüez Indios. Bevacqua was a journeyman from 1967 to 1977, traded multiple times, but found fame in San Diego (1982-1985), after his 1978-79 and 1980-81 Mayagüez seasons, to be covered in Part III. Part II concludes with the CS for February 4-9, 1978.

Background on 1977-78 Indios

Mayagüez signed Bevacqua, Ron LeFlore, Jim Dwyer, John «Buck» Martínez, and lesser-known imports. e.g., pitchers Tony Chevez, Don Collins, Bobby Cuéllar, Steve Grilli, and Gerry Hannahs. GM Carlos Pieve pried Bevacqua away from Ponce, whose GM was Luis «Tite» Arroyo. Pieve felt that Dwyer—with Arecibo in 1974-75 and Licey in 1976-77 in the Dominican Republic (DR)—was a good acquisition—Ditto for RHP Danny Darwin, who joined the Indios after Hannah’s release.

A pre-season trade with Caguas brought RF Jesús «Bombo» Rivera, DH José M. Morales, LHP Willie Hernández, and two others to the «Tribe.» Bombo, Caguas’s 1976-77 fifth OF, behind Cheo Cruz, Sixto Lezcano, Jerry Morales, and Tony Scott, hit sixth for Mayagüez. José Morales, from St. Croix, USVI, became Mayagüez’s captain, cleanup hitter, and top motivator for PR born natives. Pieve told Mayagüez owner Luis Gómez that «José’s presence made this a PRWL championship-caliber team.»

Fourth-Place Finish

Rene Lachemann led Mayagüez to a 29-31, fourth-place finish. The Indios became the first team in PRWL history to finish fourth and then win the playoffs. (They were the first club to finish fourth and win the February CS.) Mayagüez’s .284 team BA and a franchise-record 65 HR were mainly due to batting and SB champ LeFlore (.396 BA, 34 SB), RBI leader Bevacqua (.308 BA, 64 RBI), Dwyer (.350 BA, league-leading 66 runs), and DH Morales (.331 BA, 59 RBI). Darwin emerged as a Top 5 SO hurler with 58, fourth-best. Table I includes standings and BA leaders.

Table I: 1977-78 PRWL Regular Season Standings, and BA Leaders

ARE: Arecibo Wolves, BAY: Bayamón Cowboys, CAG: Caguas Criollos, MAY: Mayagüez Indios, PON: Ponce Lions, SAN: Santurce Crabbers. ! Bevacqua’s BA was in the Top 10, and listed after Morales. Source: José Crescioni Benítez, El Béisbol Profesional Boricua, 1997.

Kurt Bevacqua, 1977-78 Indios. Personal collection of Roberto Mercado. Coloring: Joe Torres.

Dwyer and Morales tied for most hits. Table II has the most runs, RBI, doubles, and SB.

Table II: 1977-78 PRWL Leaders in Runs, RBI, Doubles, and SB

Source: José Crescioni Benítez, El Béisbol Profesional Boricua, 1997.

Sportswriters chose four Indios on the PRWL All-Star Team: Ramón Avilés-2B, Bevacqua-3B, LeFlore-CF, and José Morales-DH. The others were: Rick Sweet-C (ARE), Otto Vélez-1B (PON), Iván de Jesús-SS (ARE), Sixto Lezcano-LF (CAG), Cheo Cruz-RF (CAG), Dennis Lamp-RHP (ARE), and Scott McGregor-LHP (CAG). Arecibo skipper Jack McKeon was voted

Manager of the Year. His rookie OF Carlos Lezcano earned Rookie-of-the-Year honors. Bevacqua became the seventh Mayagüez player in three decades to earn PRWL MVP laurels, after Luke Easter (1948-49), Canena Márquez (1953-54), Ronquito Garcia (1956-57), Wito Conde (1959-60), Bob Dustal (1962-63), and Héctor Cruz (1975-76).

Avilés/the author met in Elmira, New York, in July 1992, before a New York-Penn League game between the Batavia Clippers and the Elmira Pioneers. Avilés was the skipper of Batavia, a Phillies Short Season Class A farm team. «I was thinking about that [Mayagüez] 1977-78 team en route to Elmira,» noted Avilés. «Our lineup was outstanding, top to bottom, with multiple .300+ [BA] hitters. Maybe I’m a good-luck charm—came from behind to win in 1977-78; our Arecibo «Cinderella» club won it in 1982-83, the year after Ponce took the title. I took over as Caguas manager [for Tim Foli] in the 1987 CS, and we were champs.» Avilés was GM of San Juan’s 1994-95 Dream Team, undefeated in CS play, to accomplish the CS «trifecta»: two titles as a player, one as a manager, and one as a GM. No one else in PRWL history can claim this.

Ramón Avilés, Bevacqua’s Indios teammate, also earned a World Series ring with the 1980 Philadelphia Phillies as a utility infielder. Photo credit: www.mainlineautographs.com. 

Bevacqua Flew Prinair in 1977-78

During 1977-78, Bevacqua resided in the Isla Verde (tourist) section of San Juan rather than in Mayagüez. After home night games, he and teammate Jorge Aranzamendi caught the 11 p.m. Prinair flight out of Mayagüez’s Eugenio María de Hostos Airport, 75 miles to San Juan’s Luis Muñoz Marín Airport. Jorge Colón Delgado emailed Bevacqua in 2018, who mentioned that he (Bevacqua) loved the succulent roasted pork (lechón asado) served at the El San Juan Hotel. Bevacqua deeply appreciated the Indios team chemistry and joked with DH José Morales about leaving a few runners on base for him to drive in.

Semi-Finals Versus First-Place Caguas (January 17-21, 1978)

Mayagüez upended Caguas, four games to one, in the semis, outscoring the Criollos, 28-17. Game 1: 5-2 Indios win, in 10 frames. Bevacqua, 1-for-2, two runs, two walks. Boogie Colón’s two-run triple in the 10^th decides it. Jesús Hernáiz goes 8.1 innings, allowing seven hits, two earned runs, three SO, and five BB. Dave García goes 0.2 frames (SO, two BB), and Bobby Cuéllar saves it, inducing an Eddie Murray double-play grounder.

Game 2: Don Collins outpitches Dennis Martínez, in a 5-2 win. Collins’ CG reflects nine hits allowed, four SO, four BB. Bevacqua went 0-for-4.

Game 3: A (5-1) Indios win, with Danny Darwin’s CG—four hits allowed, three SO, four walks. Bevacqua’s 0-for-2 game included a run/three walks. «That [winter] season did a lot for my career,» testified Darwin. «It was a great atmosphere—we were ready for the playoffs.»

Game 4: Scott McGregor posts Caguas’s only win, 6-4, aided by Cheo Cruz’s two-run HR, Eddie Murray’s solo shot, and Willie Montañez’s three-run blast. Bevacqua goes 2-for-5. Tony Chevez: 6.1 IP, six hits, five runs, three earned, five SO, two BB. Steve Grilli: 2.2 IP, two hits, earned run, one SO, two BB.

Game 5: Indios score six in ninth to erase a 5-3 Caguas lead, and win it, 9-6. Bevacqua draws a walk, goes 1-for-4 with an RBI. Bobby Cuéllar (2.1 IP, four hits, unearned run, one SO, two BB) relieved Hernáiz in the seventh. Hernáiz, in 6.1 frames, allowed five hits, two earned runs, with one SO, four BB. Mike Cuéllar, the fourth of six Caguas hurlers, was tagged with the loss.

January 25-30, 1978 Finals versus Bayamón

José A. Pagán’s Cowboys won a seven-game semi-final against Arecibo, including one high-scoring contest. Their 19-year-old shortstop Dickie Thon, and 2B Danny Monzón were a fine double-play combo. Veterans Art Howe and Manny Sanguillén were battle-tested. Boston prospect Ted Cox was their DH. Their starting pitching was questionable going into the finals.

Game 1: Mayagüez (15) Bayamón (6). The Indios 22-hit attack included six doubles, one apiece by Avilés, Bevacqua, Boogie Colón, Dwyer, SS Ed Romero, and Leflore. Bevacqua’s 4-for-5 night featured four runs and four RBI. Darwin walked 10 Criollos in six IP, fanned six, allowed six hits, and three earned runs. Dave García walked three in one frame, allowing three runs and two hits, but Steve Grilli fanned five in two innings, giving up one hit.

Game 2: Bayamón (18) Mayagüez (2). Bevacqua 0-for-2, had two walks, and pitched the ninth. He walked one, gave up two runs (one earned), two walks, with his knuckler. Don Robinson threw seven scoreless frames for the victors. Don Collins (3.1 IP, seven hits, eight runs, one SO, seven walks) was followed by: Juan Veintidós (2.2 IP, five hits, four runs, two walks), Willie Roena (1 IP, three hits, four runs, one SO, one BB), Bobby Cuéllar (1 IP, two hits, one SO).

Game 3: Mayagüez (2) Bayamón (3). Bevacqua’s 10^th-inning miscue on Fernando González’s bases-loaded grounder off Bobby Cuéllar ended it. Bevacqua went 1-for-4. Dwyer and Bombo homered. Chevez: 7.1 IP, six hits, two runs, one earned, three SO, six BB. Grilli gave up an unearned tally in two IP, two hits, one SO, two BB. Roy Thomas won it after Whitson, and Joe Sambito pitched effectively.

Game 4: Bayamón (2) Mayagüez (4). Dwyer and Bombo clout HR. Bevacqua is 0-for-3, one BB. Hernáiz goes 6.1 IP, seven hits, two earned runs, four SO, one BB, and Bobby Cuéllar saves it—2.2 IP, two hits. Jim Burton gets the loss.

Game 5: Mayagüez (5) Bayamón (4). Bernie Carbo’s HR excites the Cowboys faithful, but Dwyer slams two more round-trippers. Bevacqua also homers in a 3-for-4 night, with a walk. Avilés goes 2-for-5 while Darwin goes seven, allowing four hits, three runs, one earned, six SO, five walks. Collins, Grilli, and winner Bobby Cuéllar pitch the remaining two innings.

Game 6: Bayamón (2) Mayagüez (17). The Indios slam four HR/four doubles to the delight of Indios fanatics. They win their fifth PRWL crown with 22 hits, four by Dwyer, his fifth and sixth finals homers—PRWL finals record. He scored four, knocked in five. Bevacqua’s three-run HR in six AB gave him 9-for-23, a .391 BA, seven runs, two HR, eight RBI, and four walks. Chevez went eight; allowed five hits, with three SO, three BB. Grilli allowed two hits in the ninth.  

Dwyer’s 14-for-27 performance, 12 runs, two doubles, six HR, 11 RBI, one SB, one BB, translated to a .519/.536/1.259 slash line, and 1.795 OPS. Mayagüez broadcaster Arturo Soto Cardona later opined that Dwyer was Mayagüez’s best reinforcement ever, factoring in his 1977-1981 regular seasons and postseasons. Bevacqua, batting third, complemented Dwyer, who hit second, in 1977-78. Kurt’s 10 HR, 49 RBI, .308 BA, .508 SLG, and hard-nosed play were a plus.

Jim Dwyer had the best final series in PRWL history. Photo courtesy of Jorge Colón Delgado.

Prelude to February 4-9, 1978 CS

Rene Lachemann, Mayagüez skipper, contacted Dennis Kinney, Ponce Lions LHP, before the playoffs, knowing that Kinney could contribute in the bullpen. Kinney posted the PRWL’s second-best ERA (2.22) behind Caguas’ Scott McGregor’s 2.18. Mayagüez just had one lefty (Don Collins) in the bullpen, and Kinney could start or relieve. GM Pieve signed Santurce RHP Tom Bruno, whose 67 SO placed him second in the league, behind teammate Bob Galasso’s 71. Bruno, in 1975-76, led the PRWL with a 1.23 ERA for Arecibo. «I would have been a 15-to-20-game winner in the majors if I pitched there as I did in PR,» recalled Bruno. «The [PR] fans were great, and I looked forward to helping Mayagüez.»

Lachemann battled Mayagüez’s management on adding multiple reinforcements. «The ownership wanted to bring other players, but I told them, These guys played for me all year and went through some tough times. They aren’t going to play for me unless my players don’t want to go or can’t make the trip.» Lachemann’s lineup stayed intact except for Rick Sweet replacing Buck Martínez behind the plate. (Arecibo’s Iván de Jesús and Henry Cruz made token appearances.) Mayagüez needed more pitchers and was fortunate that Bruno and Kinney said «yes.» (Pieve also signed Caguas’s Volanta Rodríguez.) A motivator for Lachemann was the $250 bonus he received from team owner Luis Gómez for each win.

Danny Darwin recalled the importance of the pitching [Bruno and Kinney] help. «No one could beat us,» claimed Darwin. «I won a CS game.»

Mazatlán, Mexico, hosts the 1978 CS

The Indios won five straight before losing a meaningless one to the Caracas Lions on February 9. Darwin blanked Águilas Cibaeñas, 2-0, on eight hits on February 4, fanning two and walking three. Dwyer’s two-run HR in the fifth drove in Sweet, who reached on a miscue by Jesús Alou.

Jesús Hernáiz was equal to the task on February 5, blanking the Culiacán Tomato Growers, 3-0, until Dennis Kinney saved it by retiring Romel Canadá. Hernáiz permitted three hits to leadoff hitter Jerry White and nothing else, with five SO and no walks. Ed Romero’s second-inning single drove in Avilés, who singled off Vicente Romo and reached second on Sweet’s walk.

Don Collins was hit hard on February 6, versus Caracas, departing after 4.1 innings. He allowed 10 hits, five runs (four earned), three walks, and one SO. Steve Grilli was sharper in two frames, giving up two hits, one earned run, with one walk. Volanta retired one and walked one. José Morales’ two-run double in the six-run fifth was crucial in a 7-6 win. Dennis Kinney, who saved it with 3.1 scoreless innings, two SO, and one hit allowed, said: «My pitching impressed Rene Lachemann. After the CS, he wrote a letter to Cleveland’s GM that boosted my chances to make the 1978 Indians roster…I was stuck in their minor-league system since 1970.»

Kinney won the February 7 contest versus AC, 3-2, in relief, after Chevez went nine and Bobby Cuéllar one-third of an inning. Boogie Colón homered, and Dwyer’s walkoff hit in the tenth drove in Avilés. They clinched the CS later that night when Culiacán topped Caracas, 7-2.

Tom Bruno bested Culiacán, 9-3, on February 8, pitching 6.1 frames, allowing four hits, with eight SO and one BB. Volanta relieved and finished it. George Brunet pitched well for Culiacán until the sixth, when a 1-0 deficit ballooned to a 7-0 Mayagüez lead.

Bobby Cuéllar started the February 9 finale for Lachemann, in the 7-2 loss to Caracas. He had his «cup of coffee» with the 1977 Texas Rangers, before success as a big-league and minor-league pitching coach, including with the 1995/1996 Seattle Mariners, where he was proud of Randy Johnson’s 1995 AL Cy Young Award. The bilingual Cuéllar, from Alice, Texas, played a role in Pedro Martínez winning the 1997 NL Cy Young Award with the Expos as their pitching coach from 1997-2000. In 2002, he taught Johan Santana how to throw the circle change in the minors, a difference-maker. Santana went 55-19, 2.75 ERA, 748 SO, and 0.96 WHIP, with two AL Cy Youngs (2004 and 2006) with Minnesota, between 2004-06.

Bobby Cuéllar pitched in four games: 1977 Texas Rangers, with a 1.35 ERA in 6.1 innings. He reinforced 1977-78 Mayagüez but never pitched in the majors again. Photo credit: Steiner Sports.

1978 CS Honors/Stats

Eight Indios were voted to the CS All-Star Team: Sweet-C, Colón-1B, Avilés-2B, Bevacqua-3B, Romero-SS, Bombo-RF, José Morales-DH, and Darwin-RHP. The others: LF-Leon Roberts and CF-Tony Armas, Caracas, plus LHP-Paul Mirabella, Caracas. Morales’ 8-for-19, .421 BA, gave him the batting crown. Dwyer went 6-for-27, one HR, four RBI. Bevacqua’s .333 BA (7-for-21), with one double, gave him a two-year .286 BA, 12-for-42, with one HR and two RBI, including his 1977 CS for Caguas. Unofficially, nine Mayagüez pitchers allowed 41 hits, 18 runs (15 earned), in 54 innings, fanning 31 and walking 13. The team ERA was 2.50 with a 1.00 WHIP. Mayagüez scored 24 runs and committed six errors. Pitching and defense won this 1978 CS.

Postscript

Bevacqua alerted Jorge Colón Delgado (in 2018): «I tell people that the 1977-78 Indios season was a decisive moment of my career and development as a player. The fans were second-to-none—awesome! Always have fond memories of Mayagüez’s fans and PR’s fans. Definitely one of the best eras of my career.»

Special thanks to Ramón Avilés, Kurt Bevacqua, Tom Bruno, Bobby Cuéllar, Danny Darwin, Dennis Kinney, and Rene Lachemann. Jorge Colón Delgado did the editing and photo placements.

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Tom Van Hyning

Tom Van Hyning se crió en Santurce, Puerto Rico. Su familia se mudó a esta preciosa Isla cuando tenía dos años. Tom es el autor de tres libros: “Puerto Rico’s Winter League”, “The Santurce Crabbers” y “The Caribbean Series: Latin America’s Annual Baseball Tournament 1949-2024, que fue publicado en 2025. Laboró como Economista de Turismo en el estado de Mississippi y es miembro de SABR, Capítulo Cool Papa Bell en Mississippi. Sus artículos han sido publicados por SABR en la revista National Pastime y Baseball Research Journal. Igualmente escribe para las páginas web negroleaguerspuertorico.com y safabpp.com.