SANTIAGO.- Aneury Tavarez capped a 5-run rally with a two-run single in the eighth inning during a rebellion by the Águilas Cibaeñas who came from behind to beat the Cibao Giants 5-3, Saturday night at the Cibao stadium.
The victory was the eighth run in Santiago, putting his record 10-2 at home and a solid 17-7 overall, establishing himself in the leadership of the 2022-2023 season of the Dominican Professional Baseball League, dedicated to Tomás Troncoso Cuesta .
With the loss, the Giants dropped to 11-11 to take third place in the championship.
The victory went to Nick Hernández (1-1), the defeat to Michael Ynoa (0-1) and the game saved to Richard Rodríguez (8), leader in that category.
Cuban left-hander Roenis Elías started for the Eagles, who worked 5.0 innings of just one run, four hits, one transfer and one strikeout. He was followed by Julián Fernández (6), Hernández (6) and Richard Rodríguez (9).
Pedro Fernández started for the Giants, who pitched 5.1 hitless innings until in the sixth Ezequiel Durán hit a single to left field, which determined his departure, he was relieved by Luis Perdomo, who with a pitch forced Aneury Tavarez to hit for double slaughter, keeping the board without annotation for the harriers. Completing the pitching work were Michael Ynoa (8) and Tyler Cyr (8).
For the Eagles, Eguy Rosario, a double; Aneury Tavarez, single and two RBIs; Luis Valenzuela and Andretty Cordero, single and RBI and Ezequiel Durán, an unstoppable.
On offense, the Giants had Hanser Alberto and Edwin Espinal with two hits; Wladimir Balentien, a double; Wester Rivas, Eury Pérez and Kelvin Gutierrez, an uncatchable.
First annotations
The Giants were the first to score with a one-out streak in the fourth off eaglet starter Elias, combining a single to left by Pérez, who stole second and scored behind another single to left field by Alberto.
The northeasterners returned to the fray in the sixth with a two-run rally against reliever Fernández, which Gutiérrez started with a single opening the inning and then an RBI double by Balentién, Espinal continued with an undisputed hit behind shortstop, Alfredo Marte received a ticket to fill the bases and Richard Ureña rose to the center, remaining the bags full.
Nick Hernandez replaced Fernandez and Wester Rivas drove in the second with a single to left, before the new pitcher stopped the bleeding by overpowering Perez and Alberto with strikeout and foul ball to first, respectively.
The Eagles made all their runs in the eighth inning erasing a 3-0 deficit. Rosario started the movement with a double, Melky Cabrera reached first on an error by the center fielder, and Valenzuela pinch-hit an RBI single, arriving Yefri Pérez, who ran for Cabrera to third. Then Wilmer Difó reached base due to a blunder by the first baseman, scoring Pérez.
Cyr relieved Ynoa and Duran hit a sacrifice bunt for third advancing the runners and setting the stage for Tavarez’s two-RBI single. The Eagles’ fifth came via transfer to Jerar Encarnación, who stole the second and scored on Cordero’s RBI single.
