Cocodrilos de Matanzas (1-0) 9, CTBC Brothers (0-2) 8 – An RBI single in the bottom of the ninth by Luis Sanchez scored Juan Martinez to give the Cocodrilos a 9-8 come-from-behind win in their opener at the 2026 Baseball Champions League.
Luis Sánchez with a walk-off single and the Cocodrilos de Matanzas beats the CTBC Brothers 9-8 in the Baseball Champions League Americas! It’s the first walk-off hit in Baseball Champions League history pic.twitter.com/yXgfJGChmA
— Jeff Duda (@INTLBaseball24) March 25, 2026
The CTBC Brothers took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first behind an RBI triple from Huang Chun Lin, an RBI double by Hsu Shoa Yu, and an RBI single from Hu Meng Chih. In the third, the Brothers extended the lead on another RBI single by Hu that scored Huang and an RBI single by Lin Jui Chun that scored Hu to make it 5-0.
With no outs and runners on second and third in the bottom of the third, Luis Mateo grounded out to short, allowing Esteban Terry to score from third to get Matanzas on the board.
The Cocodrilos got another run in the fifth on an RBI single by Yuliesky Remon, and then took the lead in the bottom of the seventh. With Esteban Terry on second, Remon homered to right field to make it 6-4. Consecutive RBI singles by Yasiel Gonzalez, Jose Norona, and Andrys Perez made it 7-6 in favor of Matanzas, and then Yariel Duque capped the big inning with a pinch-hit RBI single to give the Cocodrilos a two-run cushion.
In the top of the ninth, the Brothers drew within one when Huang Chun Lin’s RBI single scored Chien Zih Kuan, and a sac fly by Hu Meng Chih scored Chang Shr Lun to tie the game again.
But the Cocodrilos didn’t quit, and Yasiel Gonzalez singled to lead off the bottom of the ninth. Juan Martinez entered the game as a pinch runner for Gonzalez and stole second, evading the tag of Chang at second base. After advancing to third on a fly out by Hanyelo Medina, Sanchez’ single got Martinez home with the game-winning run.
With the win, the Cocodrilos are 1-0 at the Baseball Champions League and will face the Dantos de Managua (1-0) in Wednesday evening’s game. The Brothers fell to 2-0 and now will need to win their two remaining games, one against the American Association’s Kane County Cougars and one against the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol’s Diablos Rojos del Mexico, by lopsided scores to hope to make the championship game on Sunday afternoon.
2026 Baseball Champions League Schedule
All times Eastern Daylight Time
All games at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helu, Mexico City
March 24
Dantos de Managua 17, CTBC Brothers 5
Kane County Cougars 14, Diablos Rojos del Mexico 7
March 25
Cocodrilos de Matanzas 9, CTBC Brothers 8
9 p.m. – Diablos Rojos del Mexico vs. Dantos de Managua
March 26
Noon – CTBC Brothers vs. Kane County Cougars
9 p.m. – Cocodrilos de Matanzas vs. Dantos de Managua
March 27
Noon – Kane County Cougars vs. Cocodrilos de Matanzas
9 p.m. – Diablos Rojos del Mexico vs. CTBC Brothers
March 28
Noon – Dantos de Managua vs. Kane County Cougars
6 p.m. – Cocodrilos de Matanzas vs. Diablos Rojos del Mexico
March 29
4 p.m. – Championship Game
Photo: Lin Jui-Chun of the CTBC Brothers slides home during the 2026 Baseball Champions League. (Photo courtesy of the WBSC)
