They beat the Tigres del Licey and Gigantes del Cibao last night. Roenis Elias and Andy Otero shone on the mound
The Águilas Cibaeñas and the Estrellas Orientales began 2023 with victories to stay in first place in the semifinal series of the 2022-2023 autumn-winter baseball tournament by defeating the Tigres del Licey 6-2 and the Gigantes del Cibao 3- 0, respectively. Águilas and Estrellas broke a four-way tie they had at New Year’s Eve to now record a 5-4 record, while Tigres and Gigantes have a 4-5 record.
At Estadio Quisqueya Juan Marichal, Roenis Elias (3-0) pitched a ball for 5 innings and two-thirds of a run and nine strikeouts. The only return the Cuban pitcher allowed was a home run to left field by Mel Rojas Jr. in the fourth inning. This hit broke 104 innings in a row that recorded the pitching of the yellow team without allowing a home run. It was the second victory for the Águilas against a setback by Licey in the All Against All of the tournament.
The setback was for Raúl Valdés (1-1), who pitched six innings of five hits, four runs (three of them earned), with four walks and four strikeouts. Zoilo Almonte led the attack by driving in two of the four runs that the Eagles made in the same first inning as a result of a double.
Juan Lagares and an inappropriate movement (balk) by Valdés produced the other two laps. In the seventh, the Águilas returned to the attack with another two due to a sacrifice fly by Yoenis Céspedes and a single by Johan Camargo.
The Blues tied their second run in the bottom of the seventh episode.
In San Francisco de Macorís, the Stars defeated the Giants for the third time in a row in a clash held at the Julián Javier Stadium.
Andy Otero (2-1) earned the win by pitching five good innings, allowing just three hits, two walks and striking out four of the 18 batters he faced.
The setback was for starter Willy Peralta, who worked five innings of five hits, one run and six strikeouts. The save was the second for Ronel Blanco, after pitching the ninth episode without any problems.
The Stars scored the first run of the game in the top of the second inning. Cristian Pache singled to left field, and scored from second base Danny Santana.
In the seventh, the eastern team increased its lead to 3-0, through a wild pitch from reliever Luis Perdomo, which Emilio Gustave took advantage of to enter the race. Then, Gustavo Núñez produced the second with a single to the left field.
