Winter Ball Playoffs: Aguilas Cibaenas Hand Leones Their First ‘L’; Cangrejeros de Santurce, Leones de Ponce Even LBPRC Series

LIDOM

Aguilas Cibaenas (3-3) 4, Leones del Escogido (5-1) 1 – Ezequiel Duran singled home Leody Taveras in the first to get the Aguilas on the board, and Jonatan Clase’s single combined with an error by Leones second baseman Socrates Brito later in the inning got Duran and Aderlin Rodriguez home for a 3-0 lead. Rodriguez added an RBI single in the third, and Oscar De La Cruz threw six scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and a walk and striking out four to pin the first loss of the round robin on the Leones. Franchy Cordero singled home Jose Marmolejos for Escogido’s lone run in the eighth.

Jonatan Clase arrancó con todo el partido de esta tarde 🔥⚾#RoundRobinLIDOM #CopaBanreservas pic.twitter.com/DpvZbTq0cu

— LIDOM (@LIDOMRD) January 3, 2026

Toros del Este (4-2) 3, Gigantes del Cibao (0-6) 1 – Eloy Jimenez drove in Gilberto Celestino twice, once with a double in the top of the first and later by getting hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the third, and Celestino drove in Jeimer Candelario with a single in the sixth as the Toros got their fourth win of the round robin. Francisco Mejia drove in Gustavo Nunez with a groundout for the Gigantes only run. Joe Corbett earned the save for the Toros, allowing one hit and striking out one in the ninth.

Doblete productor de Eloy Jiménez 🔥#RoundRobinLIDOM #CopaBanreservas pic.twitter.com/TFeKyQnqe1

— LIDOM (@LIDOMRD) January 3, 2026

LBPRC

Cangrejeros de Santurce 6, Criollos de Caguas 2 – Ruben Castro hit a solo homer in the seventh and scored on a single by Jack Lopez in the eighth as Santurce evened the series with Caguas. Lopez and Shed Long Jr. each had RBI singles in the five-run top of the eighth, and Christian Vasquez had an RBI double in the big inning for the Cangrejeros. Cangrejeros starter Eduardo Rivera threw five scoreless innings, allowing two hits, three walks, and striking out eight. Luis Vasquez had a two-run double for Caguas in the bottom of the eighth.

Leones de Ponce 5, Gigantes de Carolina 2 – Emmanuel Rivera drove in three runs, hitting a solo homer in the top of the first, a sac fly in the top of the third, and an RBI single in the eighth as the Leones evened the series with Carolina at one game apiece. Starter Brady Tedesco went 5 2/3 innings for Ponce, allowing one run on four hits and a walk, the run coming on Gabriel Cancel’s solo homer in the third.

Sunday’s Winter Ball Playoff Schedule
All times Eastern Standard Time

LIDOM 
Streaming Live on MLB.tv with a subscription
6:30 p.m. – Gigantes del Cibao (0-6) at Toros del Este (4-2)
6:30 p.m. –  Leones del Escogido (5-1) at Aguilas Cibaenas (3-3)

LBPRC
Streaming Live on YouTube via the LBPRC’s Page
6:21 p.m. – Criollos de Caguas at Cangrejeros de Santurce – Game 3 – Series tied 1-1
6:21 p.m. – Gigantes de Carolina at Leones de Ponce – Game 3 – Series tied 1-1

Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacifico
Streaming Live on MLB.tv with a subscription
6 p.m. – Yaquis de Obregon at Aguilas de Mexicali – Game 3 – Mexicali leads series 2-0
6 p.m. – Naranjeros de Hermosillo at Charros de Jalisco – Game 3 – Series tied 1-1
7 p.m. – Tomateros de Culiacan at Caneros de Los Mochis  – Game 3 – Series tied 1-1
7 p.m. – Jaguares de Nayarit at Algodoneros de Guasave – Game 3 – Guasave leads series 2-0

Liga Venezolana de Beisbol Profesional
Streaming on BeisbolPlay with a subscription
Note – Saturday’s games were suspended by the league in the wake of U.S. military action in Venezuela. No announcement has been made by the league regarding Sunday’s games.
4:30 p.m. – Caribes de Anzoategui at Cardenales de Lara
6 p.m. – Aguilas del Zulia at Bravos de Margarita

Photo: The Toros del Este improved to 4-2 with a 3-1 over the Gigantes del Cibao Saturday night. (Photo courtesy of LIDOM)