Águilas Cibaeñas (21-4) 6, Gigantes del Cibao (11-14) 1 – On Monday night, the Águilas Cibaeñas stormed into the ballpark with the same intensity that has defined their dominant start to the season.
Leody Taveras finished 2-for-3 with two walks, two runs, and a stolen base, while starter Jorge Tavárez delivered five innings of three-hit, one-run ball with five strikeouts. Reliever Jean Henríquez added two solid innings with four strikeouts.
Aderlin Rodríguez ripped a line-drive double to left, his seventh of the season, bringing home Steward Berroa and Taveras in the top of the first. Adael Amador drilled a line-drive single to center to score Rodríguez.
In the top of the second, Ezequiel Durán followed by lining a single to right to bring in Angel Genao to make it 4-0. José Rodríguez delivered a sharp line-drive single to left, with Leury García charging but unable to make a play, allowing Taveras to race home standing up to extend the rally.
Deyvison De Los Santos crushed a line-drive shot to left-center for his second homer of the season, launching it on a frozen rope in the bottom of the fourth to get the Gigantes on the board.
In the top of the sixth, Durán hit a hard grounder up the middle and into center, bringing Berroa home to score to make it 6-1.
Tigres del Licey (10-16) 6, Toros del Este (13-13) 3 – On Monday night, the Tigres del Licey came alive with relentless energy, dominating every phase of the game as Radhames Liz pitched five innings, allowing three hits and two earned runs with seven strikeouts.
Manuel Peña crushed a fly ball to right field for his first homer of the season, driving in Bryan De La Cruz in the top of the third for a 2-0 Toros lead.
David Hensley hit a ground-ball single to shortstop Denzer Guzman, bringing Luis Campusano home in the bottom of the fourth, and then Luis Barrera’s single brough in Hensley to tie the game.
In the seventh, Luis Campusano drilled a line-drive single to left, driving in Esteury Ruiz to give Licey a 3-2 lead. Mel Rojas Jr. lined a single to left, bringing home Cal Stevenson and Ramon Hernandez to make it 5-2.
In the bottom of the eighth, Bryan De La Cruz hit a solo homer to left-center field for his fourth of the season to make it 6-3. De La Cruz went 4-for-4 with a home run, a double, two RBIs and two runs scored in the loss for the Toros.
