On Friday night, 30 November, the Gigantes del Cibao shut out the Leones del Escogido, 6-0, and drew away from their closest pursuers for the final play-off position in the standings. Good pitching by Fabio Castro, Erick Abreu, Enerio del Rosario, Juan Perez and Johnny Nunez extended the Escogido’s scoreless streak to 14 innings. In a 13-inning game at the Quisqueya Stadium, the Tigres del Licey defeated the Toros del Este 7-6, in an error-filled game. This was just the 13th win for the Tigres in this year’s championship. A single by Jonathan Solano brought home Anderson Hernandez with the winning run, as the Tigres staged a come-from-behind victory. Losing 5-6 going into the bottom half of the thirteenth inning, a lead-off triple down the right field line by Engel Beltre was followed by a single by Hernandez, driving in Beltre to tie the game. Hernandez then stole second base and came home with the winning run on Solano’s game winning single. In San Pedro de Macoris, the Estrellas Orientales defeated the Aguilas Cibaenas 6-2 and returned to first place in the standings. Brad Snyder and Junior Lake hit homeruns to guide the Greens to victory.
On Saturday 1 December, the Estrellas won their 23rd game, defeating the Tigres del Licey 5-1, as Felix Pie and Junior Lake shone for the Estrellas once again. In Santiago, in a game that will be remembered because of the three players who were hurt, two of them seriously, the Aguilas Cibaenas defeated the Leones del Escogido with a clutch hit in the bottom of the ninth inning by Elian Herrera by a score of 3-2. Unfortunately, a line drive by Erick Almonte hit pitcher Joel Carreno on the right side of his head, and Carreno is currently in hospital undergoing treatment for serious injuries. Almonte, deeply worried about the play, had to be removed from the game. In the other incidents, second baseman Omar Luna was inadvertently spiked in the hand when he tried to steal second. In the third game of the day, Ronny Gil and Robinson Diaz were the big bats as the Gigantes del Cibao defeated the Toros del Este 7-4 in La Romana.
On Sunday 2 December, the Aguilas Cibaenas went to Santo Domingo to play their biggest traditional rival, the Tigres del Licey in the Quisqueya Stadium. The result was a disastrous meeting for Licey, which fell 14-1 in a walkover victory. Rafael Ynoa, a rookie, got his first homerun and it was a grand slam. Pitcher Michael Bowden worked seven good innings, striking out four rivals. In La Romana, the Leones del Escogido, in a desperate struggle to get out of fifth place in the standings, defeated the Toros del Este 9-4, behind the pitching of Daniel Corcino and Conor Jackson’s three-run homerun. In San Francisco de Macoris, the Estrellas Orientales continue their run of success, as they defeated the Gigantes del Cibao 5-4 on a ninth inning homerun by Alfredo Marte.
Standings
TEAM
WINS-LOSSES
AVG
GAMES BEHIND
ESTRELLAS
24 – 14
.632
—
AGUILAS
23 – 14
.622
0.5
TOROS
19 – 19
.500
5.0
GIGANTES
18 – 19
.486
5.5
ESCOGIDO
15 – 22
.405
8.5
LICEY
13 – 24
.351
10.5
Today’s games (Monday 3 December) and possible starting pitchers:
* Estadio Quisqueya, Santo Domingo 7:30pm – Escogido (N. Figueroa) vs. Licey (J. Mejia)
* San Francisco de Macoris, Julian Javier Stadium, 7:30pm – Aguilas (M. Batista) vs. Gigantes (R. Colon)