Adeiny Hechavarria, shown here with the Atlanta Braves in 2020, capped the Gigantes de Carolina’s 19-inning win over the Leones de Ponce with a solo homer. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
By Leif Skodnick
World Baseball Network
Sometimes, a baseball game can turn into a marathon.
That’s what happened in Thursday night’s playoff matchup between the Gigantes de Carolina and the Leones de Ponce in Puerto Rico’s Liga Beisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente. The Gigantes edged the Leones 3-2 in a game that lasted 19 innings and took five hours and 46 minutes to complete.
Carolina got out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Adeiny Hechavarria singled to center to score Bryan Torres. An RBI double in the bottom of the fifth by Jan Hernandez sent Felix Stevens home for a 2-0 Gigantes lead.
Calvin Estrada’s two-run homer for Ponce in the top of the seventh evened the game at two-apiece.
The Gigantes had a chance to end the game in the 12th frame, getting two runners in scoring position with no outs when a double steal got Bryan Torres to third base and Aldemar Burgos to second. They’d load the bases when Ponce gave Hechavarria an intentional pass with two outs, but the threat ended when Brian Navaretto popped out to first base.
Seven innings later, Hechavarria ended the game with the solo homer.
Game four of the series is Friday at 6:45 p.m. EST. All LBPRC games are streamed live via the league’s facebook page.
Caguas 4, Santurce 2 – Vimael Machin went 2-for-4 with a walk, an RBI, and a run scored as the Criollos de Caguas took a 2-1 series lead on the Cangrejeros de Santurce.
Endrys Briceno allowed two runs on one hit to take the loss for Santurce. Briceno walked two batters and allowed an RBI single to Machin before being lifted for Fernando Cruz. Briceno was charged with the run scored by Machin when Cruz allowed a sac fly to Danny Ortiz, the first batter he faced after replacing Briceno.
Game four of the series is scheduled for Friday at 6:45 p.m. EST.
Estrellas Hot, Improve to 6-1 – With each passing day, the Estrellas Orientales and Tigres del Licey separate themselves further from the Gigantes del Cibao and Leones del Escogido in the LIDOM round robin playoffs.
With seven games completed, the Estrellas are 6-1 after a 3-0 shutout of the Leones on Thursday night despite being held to just four hits by the Leones’ pitchers.
Lewin Diaz clubbed his second home run of the playoffs for the Estrellas in the top of the second, and they’d add two more runs in the sixth. Diaz grounded into a fielder’s choice with Vidal Brujan on third, allowing him to score, and Miguel Sano followed Diaz with a solo homer.
Starter Esmil Rogers threw five shutout innings, allowing six hits and striking out three for the Estrellas.
Tigres del Licey 6, Gigantes del Cibao 3 – Oakland A’s infielder Miguel Andujar slugged two homers and had three RBI to lead the Tigres del Licey past the Gigantes del Cibao Thursday.
Andujar hit a two-run homer in the top of the first and a solo shot in the top of the ninth as the Tigres improved to 5-2 in the round robin with the win.
Nine Licey pitchers scattered six hits and four walks and allowed just three runs. The Gigantes fell to 1-6 in the round robin with the loss.
The Leones del Escogido face the Gigantes del Cibao Friday night at 6:15 p.m. EST, and the Estrellas Orientales face the Tigres del Licey at 6:30 p.m. EST. All LIDOM games are streamed live on MLB.tv with a paid subscription.
LAMP: Aguilas de Mexicali Win In 10th Inning to Cut Into Guasave’s Series Lead – Kennys Vargas hit an RBI single to left field that scored Norberto Obeso in the 10th inning to give the Aguilas de Mexicali a 3-2 win in game three of their playoff series in the Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacifico.
Xorge Carillo drove in Mexicali’s first run with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the second, and Javier Salazar’s one-out RBI double gave Mexicali an early lead.
Starter Marcelo Martinez allowed five hits and one run in five innings of work for the Aguilas, and four relievers combined to allow one hit the rest of the way.
Game four of the series in Friday night at 10:30 p.m. EST.
Naranjeros de Hermosillo 7, Mayos de Navajoa 6 – The Naranjeros withstood a late comeback attempt to edge the Mayos and take a 2-1 lead in their LAMP first-round series.
Starter Joe Van Meter allowed four runs on five hits and struck out six in 6.2 innings of work for Hermosillo. Isaac Paredes hit a two-run homer for Hermosillo in the seventh.
Game four of the series is Friday night at 9:30 p.m. EST.
Los Mochis 7, Culiacan 1 – Roland Bolanos was stellar for the Caneros, throwing 5.2 innings and allowing five hits and one run, walking four and striking out seven to earn the win, cutting the Tomateros de Culiacan’s series lead to two games to one.
Juan Camacho’s three-run homer punctuated a five-run fifth inning for Los Mochis. The Tomateros mustered just one run on six hits and stranded eight runners.
Game four of the series is scheduled for 9:05 p.m. EST Friday.
Jalisco 8, Mazatlan 3 – The Charros de Jalisco stomped the Venados de Mazatlan 8-3 to grab a 2-1 series lead on Thursday night.
Sebastian Valle went 3-for-4 with a solo home run in the second and a two-run homer in the eighth inning, and designated hitter Jesus Valdez went 4-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI for Jalisco.
Luis Rodriguez earned the win for the Charros, going six innings and allowing six hits and one run, walking two and striking out three.
Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacifico games can be streamed via Extrabase.tv for a fee.
Three Games Into LVBP Round Robin, Cardenales Unable to Take Flight – The Cardenales de Lara, who captured first place in the Liga Venezolana Beisbol Profesional regular season, have yet to win a game in the round robin playoffs, falling to 0-3 after an RBI single in the bottom of the 10th inning by Manuel Melendez gave the Tigres de Aragua a 6-5 win on Thursday night.
Trailing 5-4 in the bottom of the ninth, the Tigres tied the game on Alexi Amarista’s one-out sac fly that scored Yonathan Mendoza.
Margarita 4, Caracas 3 – Major League veteran Wilson Ramos clubbed a solo homer in the bottom of the eighth to give the Bravos de Margarita a 4-3 lead that held up, as the Bravos edged the Leones del Caracas Thursday.
Carlos Perez hit a solo homer for the Bravos in the second inning, who improved to 2-0 in the LVBP round robin.
The Bravos face the Tiburones de La Guaira Friday night at 6 p.m. EST, while the Cardenales will face the Leones del Caracas at 6 p.m. ET Friday. All LVBP games can be streamed via Beisbolplay.com with a paid subscription.