Águilas Cibaeñas (18-3) 8, Estrellas Orientales (10-15) 7 – On Friday afternoon, Ezequiel Durán went 1-for-4 performance with a home run, a walk, two RBIs and two runs as the Aguilas took the first end of the doubleheader.
In the top of the first inning, J.C. Escarra ripped a ground-ball single into center field, scoring Steward Berroa for a 1-0 Aguilas lead. Jonatan Clase followed with a sac fly that scored Duran.
In the top of the second, Tapia hit his fourth double of the season, clearing the bases as Rodolfo Durán, Eguy Rosario and José Tena all came home to make it 3-2 Estrellas.
In the top of the third, Rodolfo Durán drilled a line-drive homer to left for his second of the season, scoring Wilin Rosario to make it 5-4 Estrellas.
In the bottom of the sixth, Julio E. Rodríguez shot a ground-ball single up the middle to center field, scoring Anthony Garcia and Durán to give the Aguilas an 8-7 lead.
Raimel Tapia went 4-for-5 with a double and three RBIs for the Estrellas.
Águilas Cibaeñas (19-3) 5, Estrellas Orientales (10-16) 4 – In Friday night’s sevond game, the Águilas Cibaeñas capitalized with a big fifth inning to keep their win streak rolling.
Steward Berroa went 2-for-4 with a home run, three RBIs and a run scored and Adael Amador finished 1-for-2 with a home run, two walks, an RBI and a run.
Wilin Rosario singled on a fly ball to left fielder Juan Lagares to score Angel Martínez, and in the top of the second, Raimel Tapia grounded out to second baseman Adael Amador to bring home Ismael Munguía and make it 2-0 Estrellass.
Adael Amador launched a towering drive to center for his second home run of the season, getting the Aguilas on the board.
Robinson Canó rolled into a sharp, well-turned double play, first baseman Raynel Delgado to shortstop Alfredo Reyes and back to Delgado, but it was enough to bring Josh Lester home in the top of the third and make it 3-1
Steward Berroa crushed a fly ball to left for his first home run of the season, a three-run shot that brought home Webster Rivas and Alfredo Reyes. The Aguilas got a fourth run when Juan Lagares stole home as part of a double steal, with Julio E. Rodriguez taking second.
Robinson Canó followed with a towering drive to right-center for his first home run of the season, a no-doubt blast the moment it left his bat. Canó went a 2-for-5 night with a home run, an RBI and a run in the loss for the Estrellas.
Leones del Escogido (11-12) 4, Gigantes del Cibao (8-13) 1 – On Friday night, the Leones del Escogido dominated from the first pitch, showcasing timely hitting and shutdown pitching to take the first game of the doubleheader from the Gigantes del Cibao.
Franchy Cordero went 1-for-3 with a home run, an RBI and a run scored, Jorge Mateo added a 1-for-3 performance with a walk, a run and a stolen base, and pitcher Travis Lakins Sr. worked five innings, allowing two hits and one earned run while striking out five.
In the top of the first, Deyvison De Los Santos grounded into a force out, shortstop Erik González to second baseman Jorge Mateo, but Johan Rojas raced home to score and make it 1-0 for the Gigantes.
In the bottom of the third, Jasson Domínguez hit a sacrifice fly to left field, sending José Marmolejos home and tying the game.
An inning later, Gio Urshela ripped a sharp double to left field, driving in Héctor Rodríguez and Jorge Mateo for a 3-1 Leones lead.
In the bottom of the sixth, Franchy Cordero launched a towering solo home run to right field, his fourth of the season, putting the game further out of reach.
The Leones finished with four runs on six hits, including one home run, while Gigantes managed a single run on three hits.
Gigantes del Cibao (9-13) 10, Leones del Escogido (11-13) 2 – Jordan Diaz went 2-for-5 with a home run, three RBIs and a run scored and Leury García was 2-for-2 with a double, two walks, an RBI and three runs scored as the Gigantes took the second game of the doubleheader.
Diaz launched his first home run of the season to left field, sending Leury García home for a 2-0 Cibao lead in the first. The Gigantes added three more in the second, taking advantage of a pair of wild pitches by Escogido starter Diogenes Almengo and getting an RBI ground out from Melvin Mercedes.
In the top of the third, Junior Lake crushed a two-run homer to left field, bringing Sócrates Brito home and cutting the lead to 5-2.
Kenny Piper’s triple to center field drove in Julio Carreras, making it 6-2. Leury García ripped a ground-ball single to center field, scoring Piper to extend the lead. Jordan Diaz then lined a single into center field to drive in Melvin Mercedes, and Nomar Mazara’s sac bunt got Diaz Garcia home for a 9-2 lead.
Carlos Peguero’s sharp single to right field brought Leury García home to make it 10-2 in the top of the sixth.
Junior Lake went 2-for-4 with a home run, two RBIs and a run for the Leones in the loss.
Toros del Este (11-11) 7, Tigres del Licey (9-13) 6 (10 Innings) – The Toros took game one of the doubleheader when a bases-loaded walk to Denzer Guzman in the bottom of the 10th pushed the winning run across the plate.
Yairo Muñoz went 4-for-5 with two doubles and four RBIs,
, and Ulises Joaquin went 1-for-2 at the plate while carrying a 4.50 ERA on the mound.
Cristhian Adames grounded into a force out, first baseman Manuel Peña to shortstop Denzer Guzmán, but Gustavo Núñez raced home to score during the top of the first.
In the bottom of the inning, Manuel Peña singled on a line drive to left fielder Cal Stevenson, driving in Gilberto Celestino, and Bryan De La Cruz followed with a single on a ground ball to shortstop Sergio Alcántara, bringing Jared Oliva home. Yairo Munoz capped the inning with an RBI single, making it 3-1.
In the third, Ramon Hernandez’s line-drive single to right field drove in Gustavo Nunez and Cal Stevenson to put Licey ahead 4-3, and Mel Rojas Jr.’s sac fly gave the Tigres a two-run lead.
In the bottom of the fifth, Yairo Muñoz lined a double to left, bringing Bryan De La Cruz home and cutting the Licey lead to 5-4.
Two innings later, Yairo Muñoz lined a single to left field, driving in Manuel Pena in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game for the Toros.
Cristhian Adames hit an RBI single in the top of the 10th, scoring Emilio Bonifacio for a 6-5 Licey lead.
Muñoz crushed a ground-ball double to right, bringing Bryan De La Cruz home in the bottom of the 10th to tie the game. Two batters later, Guzman walked, and Ronaldo Hernandez scored to end the game.
Gustavo Nunez went 4-for-5 with two runs scored and a stolen base for Licey in the loss.
Toros del Este (12-11) 4, Tigres del Licey (9-14) 2 – The Toros del Este took the second game of Friday’s doubleheader behind Yairo Muñoz, who went 1-for-2 with a double, a walk, two runs scored and a stolen base.
In the bottom of the second, Ronaldo Hernández grounded out, second baseman Domingo Leyba to first baseman Cristhian Adames, but Yairo Muñoz scored to make it 2-0.
Ronaldo Hernández lined a double into left field, sending Yairo Muñoz sprinting home for a 3-0 Toros lead.
Bryan De La Cruz launched a towering solo homer to left field, making it 4-0 in the fifth.
In the ninth, Liover Peguero lined a crisp infield single to second, driving in Mel Rojas Jr., and Angel Ortiz followed with a sacrifice fly to left field, bringing Michael De La Cruz hometo cut the lead to 4-2.
The Toros racked up four runs on five hits, including a home run, while the Tigres managed two runs on five hits.
