Julio Rodríguez hit a rocket to center field and the Águilas Cibaeñas left the Giants on the field, 8-7, in the Round Robin match held on Friday night at the Cibao Stadium, decided in the tenth inning.
Rodríguez’s hit, which caused an explosion of joy, occurred with the bases loaded and the score tied at seven runs.
Ezequiel Durán, who was the ghost runner, scored the tying run on a single by Alfredo Reyes, and Jerar Encarnación was transferred, setting the stage for Rodríguez to become the hero of the game.
With the victory, the Eagles placed their record at 2-3, while the Giants remain winless in the Round Robin (0-5).
The victory went to reliever Yohan López (2-0), while the defeat fell to Adisyn Coffey (0-1). Right-hander Jorge Tavárez started for the Águilas and worked 5.0 scoreless innings; He faced 19 batters, allowed only one hit, walked two and fanned three opponents.
Then Carlos Belén (6), Junior Fernández (7), Jean Carlos Henríquez (8), José Cuás (8), Burch Smith (9), Brady Feigl (10) and Yohan López (10) paraded through the yellow box.
Left-hander Steve Moyers started for the visitors, who pitched 3.0 scoreless innings; He faced 10 batters, allowing two hits, one walk and striking out four.
The Giants relief team included Aidan Anderson (4), Luis Frías (5), Wandy Peralta (6), Raymin Guduan (7), Yovanny Cruz (7), Jimmy Cordero (8), Adisyn Coffey (10) and Bryan Rodríguez (10).
The Águilas Cibaeñas offense was led by Jonatán Clase and Jerar Encarnación, with a home run and single each; Steward Berroa hit a home run; Cristhian Adames, two singles; Ángel Genao, a double; while Alberto Rodríguez, Alfredo Reyes, Leody Taveras and Julio Rodríguez contributed an unstoppable hit.
For the Giants, Leury García hit a home run and two singles; Pablo Reyes, two hits; and Johan Rojas, Francisco Mejía, Ismael Munguía and Deivy Grullón, an unbeatable each.
The Águilas broke the ice in the sixth inning with a double by Ángel Genao, a sacrifice by Steward Berroa, and Genao scored from third with a ground ball to the infield by Leody Taveras.
The visitors responded in the seventh with a transfer to Pablo Reyes, a single by Leury García and a sacrifice fly by Melvin Mercedes.
The Eagles flew high in the seventh inning, when Jonatán Clase and Jerar Encarnación hit consecutive home runs (“back to back”) to left field, and two outs later Steward Berroa also took it out to make the score 4-1.
The Giants rebelled in the eighth and took control of the game with a five-run rally, capped by Leury García’s home run with two runners on.
The Eagles responded in the bottom of the eighth to tie the score at six runs, when Alfredo Reyes scored from third and Alberto Rodríguez from second after a deflected pitch.
