Escogido and Licey Share Dominican League Lead After Sunday Victories
The Escogido extended their winning streak to eight while the Licey stopped a five-game losing skid, leaving both teams at 9-4 in the Dominican Professional Baseball League.
By Justin Barnes ·
The Dominican Professional Baseball League stands tied at the top following a slate of games played on Sunday.
The Leones del Escogido defeated the Águilas Cibaeñas 2-1 to extend their winning streak to eight consecutive games. Yamaico Navarro hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning with Junior Lake on base to account for all of the Escogido's scoring. The team recorded ten hits but could not extend their lead against the Águilas bullpen. The Escogido pitching staff limited the opposition to four hits. Ángel Sánchez pitched four innings, and Kelvin Hernández earned the win to improve to 2-0. Austin secured the save. The Águilas scored their lone run in the eighth inning when Steward Berroa scored on a ground ball by Luis Liberato. The Santiago team now holds a 3-9 record after suffering its ninth loss in twelve games.
In San Pedro de Macorís, the Tigres del Licey beat the Estrellas Orientales 2-1. The victory snapped a five-game losing streak for the Licey and moved their record to 9-4, placing them in a tie with the Escogido for first place. The Licey scored in the second inning and broke a 1-1 tie with a run in the seventh. Gustavo Núñez and Bryan Lavastida led the offensive with two hits each.
The Gigantes del Cibao defeated the Toros del Este 13-7 in San Francisco de Macorís. The Cibao team recorded 15 hits. Luis Ferreras hit three times, including a two-run home run in the sixth inning, and finished with five runs batted in. Carlos Jorge contributed three hits, a two-run home run, and three runs scored. Elehuris de los Santos went 4-for-5 with three runs batted in.
In the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League, the Caribes de Anzoátegui beat the Leones del Caracas 7-1 to extend their winning percentage in their last ten games to eight victories. The Caribes improved to 14-4. Balbino Fuenmayor led the team with two hits and three runs batted in. Hernán Pérez hit his sixth home run of the season, scored twice, and drove in one run. Gabriel González recorded three hits. The Caribes took the lead on Pérez's first-inning home run, added three runs in the fifth, and scored two more in the eighth and one in the ninth. Nine pitchers combined to limit the Leones to four hits and one run while striking out 11. Liarvis Breto took the win to improve to 1-0, while Connor Van Scoyoc took the loss to drop to 0-2. Víctor Bericoto hit a solo home run in the sixth inning for the Leones.
The Cardenales de Lara defeated the Tiburones de La Guaira 4-2 in Barquisimeto to improve to 11-4. The Tiburones took an early 2-0 lead in the first inning. Lara tied the game in the fifth and took the lead with two runs in the seventh. The team capitalized on three consecutive walks issued by reliever Caleb Freeman. Rafael Ortega hit a double and drove in one run. Alí Sánchez and Ildemaro Vargas each drove in one run.
The Bravos defeated the Tigres de Aragua 8-5 in Margarita. Alexi Amarista led the offense with two doubles and two runs batted in. Moisés Gómez, César Idrogo, and Kevin Vicuña each drove in two runs. Edward Olivares recorded two hits and scored twice.
The Navegantes del Magallanes beat the Águilas del Zulia 4-1 in Valencia. Luis Torrens hit three times. Rougned Odor hit a solo home run in the second inning and finished with two hits. Renato Núñez hit a solo home run in the fifth, his fourth of the season, while Breyvic Valera drove in one run on a double. Seven Magallanes pitchers combined to limit the Águilas to five hits and one run while striking out 11.
