In a dramatic finish at their home base Francisco Micheli Stadium in La Romana, the Toros del Este clinched their ticket to the postseason by defeating the Águilas Cibaeñas 7-6 in extra innings. The victory sets the stage for a highly anticipated playoff matchup between the Toros and the Leones del Escogido of Santo Domingo.
The result of the game marked a heartbreaking end for the Águilas, the team that had comfortably dominated the standings for most of the three-month regular season. Despite their early consistency, the Santiago-based team faltered in the final stretch, ultimately being eliminated by a resilient Romanense squad.
The game reached its boiling point in the bottom of the 10th inning. With the bases loaded and two outs, Jeimer Candelario showed veteran discipline, drawing a walk from left-hander Andrew Pérez. The “walk-off walk” allowed Bryan De la Cruz to cross home plate, sparking an immediate celebration as players and staff rushed the field to celebrate their advancement to the finals.
Back-and-forth battle
The Águilas initially looked poised to maintain their season-long dominance. They jumped to an early lead fueled by:
• An RBI single from Jerar Encarnación.
• Sacrifice flies by Cristhian Adames and Encarnación.
• An RBI hit by Juan Carlos Gamboa that put the Águilas up 4-0.
However, the Toros responded in the bottom of the third. Onix Vega blasted a two-run home run following a double by Candelario, cutting the lead in half. Shortly after, a fly ball by Sergio Alcántara resulted in an outfield error by the Águilas, allowing the Toros to tie the game.
Late inning drama
The lead swapped hands again in the sixth inning when the Águilas scored twice, but the Toros answered back. Eloy Jiménez sparked a rally with a double, and Sergio Alcántara once again delivered in the clutch with an RBI single to tie the game at 6-6.
In the 10th inning, the Águilas briefly took a 7-6 lead via a savvy double-play sequence that allowed Fernando Peguero to score before the final out was recorded. But the Toros refused to go quietly. In the bottom half, Alcántara tied the game yet again with a single, setting the stage for Candelario’s game-winning walk.
What’s next?
With this victory, the Toros del Este officially eliminate the Águilas and move on to face Leones del Escogido in the playoffs, a best-of-seven series that will now alternate between the Quisqueya Juan Marichal stadium in Santo Domingo and the Francisco Micheli stadium in La Romana.
The playoff winning team will represent the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean Series that begins on 1 February in Guadalajara.
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Listin Diario
20 January 2026