Baseball fans in Santo Domingo, La Romana, San Pedro de Macoris, Santiago and San Francisco de Macoris are reviving their enthusiasm for their local teams as the batters and pitchers take to the playing fields in those cities. The tournament opened early with the Escogido Lions seeking to defend their pennant.
In the first day of play of the Dominican Baseball League’s 2012-2013 Baseball Championship on Sunday, 14 October games were played in Santo Domingo (Quisqueya Ball Park), San Francisco de Macoris (Julian Javier Ball Park) and San Pedro de Macoris (Tetelo Vargas Ball Park).
In Santo Domingo, the champion Leones del Escogido lost to their eternal rival, the Tigres del Licey in a dramatic duel that befitted the inaugural game (7-6). In San Francisco de Macoris, the home team Gigantes del Cibao lost to the Aguilas Cibaenas (9-5). And in San Pedro, the home team Estrellas Orientales defeated the Toros 2-1 in the final inning.
The League reports that in Santo Domingo and San Francisco de Macoris this year’s games will start at 7:30pm from Monday to Friday, and on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays games will start at 5pm.
At the Santiago and La Romana stadiums, games will start at 7:30pm Monday to Saturday, and at 5pm on Sundays and holidays. In San Pedro, games will start at 8pm Monday to Saturday and on Sundays and holidays at 5pm.
This year, the semi-finals are scheduled to start 27 December. There will be no games on 31 December, and Mondays 1, 7 and 12 of January.
The good news for this year is that the standard of the players will be positively affected given that the World Baseball Classic will take place in March 2013 and some big leaguers interested in playing for the Dominican Republic will use the winter ball tournament to get in shape.
Tickets are for sale at the ballparks.
See the games calendar at http://ligadom.com/
And the team websites at:
www.licey.com
www.escogido.com
http://lostorosdeleste.com/
www.gigantesdelcibao.com
www.estrellasorientales.com.do/
www.aguilas.com.do/