Santiago de los Caballeros partied all night after the Aguilas Cibaeñas won their third consecutive title of the Dominican Winter Baseball League. It had been 12 years since the Aguilas had won a championship in their home city stadium. The Aguilas defeated the Licey in a dramatic game that ended 7-6. It was the sixth of a series of seven games, the first to win four. Tony Peña, manager of the team, was the hero of the game. Tony Peña became the first manager to win a championship in his first year as manager. With the bases full, and after two strikes, Peña batted a fly to the central field that drove in the final run that sealed the victory for the Aguilas. This was Peña’s last turn in professional baseball, as he had announced he was retiring as a player this year. Catcher and designated batter Guillermo García was elected the Most Valuable Player of the finals. In last night’s game, he batted for a three-run homerun in the third inning when the Aguilas were losing, 0-4, helps with the two runs of the sixth inning and batted for hit in the ninth, in spite of Jose Mesa’s pitching. The losing manager of the Licey, Dave Jauss, told the press, "I take my hat off to Peña." He admitted they played better in the important moments of the game. This is the 14th championship that the Aguilas win since the start of organized baseball in the D.R. in 1951. The Aguilas are also the Caribbean Series champions. The Aguilas Cibaeñas will represent the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean Series that opens in Puerto de la Cruz, Venezuela on 4 February. They will match teams from Mexico, Venezuela and Puerto Rico.
