SANTO DOMINGO. – In a dramatic finish that thrilled the fans present at the
Quisqueya Juan Marichal Stadium, the
Tigres del Licey prevailed
4-3 over the Leones del Escogido in the opening game of the
2025-2026 Winter Baseball Tournament, dedicated to the immortal
Juan Marichal.
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The game, which marked the official start of the
LIDOM season, was decided in extra innings when
Henry Sosa, the scarlet pitcher, made a
wild pitch that allowed
Gustavo Núñez to score the winning run in the tenth inning.
Right-handed pitcher
Ulises Joaquín (1-0) was the winner in relief for the Tigres, while
Indigo Díaz (0-1) took the loss. Veteran
César Valdez had a solid start for the national champions, pitching four innings with five hits, one run, one walk, and five strikeouts. For the Escogido,
Grant Gavin worked three innings with one earned run, one hit, three strikeouts, and four walks.
Match Development
The
Tigers opened the scoring in the second inning with a run-scoring single by
Domingo Leyba to center field, which brought
Griffin Conine to the plate.
In the fourth, the
Lions tied the scoreboard thanks to a double by
Alexander Canario and a run-scoring single by
Franchy Cordero.
The blue advantage returned in the fifth chapter, when
Leyba negotiated a walk, advanced with a sacrifice bunt by
Emilio Bonifacio, and scored after an unstoppable hit by
Gustavo Núñez, making the score 2-1.
The Licey bullpen —led by
Adonis Mejía, Jairo Asencio, Ryan Watson and JC Mejía— kept the red offense at bay until the ninth, when a
balk by Mejía allowed the tie 2-2.
In the tenth episode,
Junior Lake hit a producer single to put Escogido up 3-2, but the Tigres reacted immediately. With the bases loaded,
Liover Peguero hit a sacrifice fly to center field to tie the game, and shortly after a
wild pitch by Henry Sosa sealed the blue victory 4-3.
Match Highlights
By the
Licey:
- Gustavo Núñez, went 1-3, with one run scored and one RBI.
- Domingo Leyba, went 1-2, with one run batted in and one run scored.
- Armando Álvarez, went 2-3, with one walk.
By the
Chosen:
- Junior Lake, 5-2, with one RBI.
- Franchy Cordero, 4-1, with one RBI.
- Alexander Canario, with a double and a run scored.
Context and Opening Ceremony
The meeting was part of a special day in which
Juan Marichal and
Vladimir Guerrero Sr., both members of the
Cooperstown Hall of Fame, made the
ceremonial first pitch to officially inaugurate the 2025-2026 season.
The president of Licey,
Ricardo Ravelo Jana, highlighted the team’s commitment to maintaining the competitive level that led them to conquer the
national and Caribbean titles in the past season.
With this victory, the
Tigres del Licey (1-0) begin the defense of their crown with strength, while the
Leones del Escogido (0-1) will seek to recover in their next game.
