SAN FRANCISCO DE MACORÍS.– A three-run rally in the eighth inning changed the course of the game and led the Leones del Escogido to a 4-2 victory over the Gigantes del Cibao, on Monday night at the Julián Javier stadium, to maintain their undefeated record in the Round Robin of the Dominican professional baseball tournament.
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The national and Caribbean champions, who improved their record to 3-0 and are solidifying their lead in the Round Robin, reached the eighth inning at a disadvantage 2-1, but reacted forcefully when they needed it most. With two outs and Raimel Tapia on first, Jorge Mateo hit an infield hit to the shortstop against Wandy Peralta, advancing Tapia to second base. Immediately afterwards, Elier Hernández hit a double to center field that drove in both runners, turning the score around. Hernández later scored thanks to an RBI single by Pedro Severino, also to center field, completing the decisive capital attack. The first run for the reds came in the fifth episode, when Socrates Brito hit a run-scoring single to right field against starting pitcher Antonio Santos. The Giants took an early lead in the game with a solo home run by Luis García Jr. in the first inning against Conner Greene, who made his debut as a starter for the Leones and pitched five innings of two runs, leaving without a decision. The francomacorisanos added another run in the fifth with a double by Hanser Alberto to left field. From the bullpen, Aneurys Zabala pitched brilliantly, throwing a scoreless inning, with two strikeouts, preserving the Lions’ lead in the eighth. The victory went to “Carlos Teller (1-0)”, after retiring “one third without runs”, while the defeat fell on “Wandy Peralta (0-1)”, punished with the three decisive runs of the eighth inning. “Patrick Weigel (1)” took care of the ninth without allowing liberties to score the save. With the setback, the Gigantes del Cibao remain without victories in the Round Robin, with a record of 0-3, located in last place.Offensive Highlights
For the Leones, Elier Hernández hit 3-1, with a double, two RBIs and one run scored; Sócrates Brito, went 5-2, with one RBI; Jorge Mateo, went 4-2, with one run scored, and Pedro Severino, went 4-1, with one RBI. For the Giants, Luis García Jr. went 1-3, with a home run, one RBI, and one run scored, while Hanser Alberto finished 1-3, with a run batted in. Both teams will face each other again this Tuesday, starting at 7:15 PM, at the Quisqueya Juan Marichal stadium, in Santo Domingo..



