The Tigres del Licey team, representative of the Dominican League, had excellent pitching work from the pitcher, Esmil Rogers, and his relievers to beat the Indios de Mayagüez, of the Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League of Puerto Rico, six rounds to four Rico on the third day of the “65 of the Simple TV Caribbean Series Gran Caracas 2023”, which took place at the Fórum de la Guaria stadium.
It was the second victory in a row for the Dominicans, since they defeated Cuba on Friday night and the second setback suffered by the Puerto Ricans.
The high school students took the Indians out of the game in the same first episode when they made four scores in the same first inning.
Esmil Rogers (1-0), who earned the win, pitched five innings, allowing six hits, two runs, three walks and three strikeouts. He then gave way to William Jerez who came on in the sixth act. In the eighth he came on to pitch left-handed Fernando Abad, then Jesús Liranzo and earned the second save for Jairo Asencio.
The defeat was charged by the Indios de Mayaguez of Puerto Rico, Luis Cruz, who was mercilessly attacked by the Dominican bats. Cruz barely got two outs in the first inning. He scored four runs, allowed five hits and walked one free. He was replaced by Alejandro Sanabria and Héctor Hernández.
This one achieved a wonderful relief retiring 11 consecutive batters until Bonifacio homered him. El Licey connected 10 hits without errors and Mayagüez 7, with two errors in the field.
For the Licey, the offense shone with Mel Rojas 4-2 with two RBIs and one run scored, Emilio Bonifacio 4-3, including a home run, two runs scored and one RBI, Ramón Hernández 3-2 with an RBI and one run scored and Robinson Canó 4-1 with an RBI.
For Mayagüez, Emmanuel Rivera 4-2 and Edwin Díaz 4-1 with an RBI.
The first to score were the Tigres del Licey in the same first inning when they attacked the left-handed pitcher, Luis Cruz, from Puerto Rico with three runs.
Emilio Bonifacio hit center field, Yamaico Navarro was balled, Robinson Canó lined out to the right field, on the play, Bonifacio stepped and runs to third, Ramón Hernández hit an RBI hit to the left field, then Mel Rojas followed with a double that brought two to the plate, Kelvin Gutiérrez followed with a single by the pitcher, Webster Rivas hit an RBI hit to left, on the play, the fielder made an error and Rivas anchored in second.
That hit decreed the departure of left-handed Luis Cruz, who was exploited by the bats of the Tigres del Licey. Danny Wirchansky entered in his place. Ramón Torres and Junior Lake both struck out and grounded out to third.
In the second episode, after one out, Navarro received four bad ones, advanced second due to a deflected pitch from the pitcher, Robinson Canó hit a double to the left, tug of the fifth run of the Licey. Hernández struck out and Rojas fouled out to first base.
In the second episode, the Puerto Ricans made a turn, Rubén Castro hit and advanced to second due to a deflected pitch from Rogers. Jesmuel hit an RBI hit to the right meadow.
In third, again, Puerto Rico made one. Rivera hit to right and Edwin Díaz brought him home with a double to left field.
Starting the seventh inning, Emilio Bonifacio hit a long solo home run to right field, extending Licey’s lead to 6-2.
In the ninth, reliever Jesús Liranzo issued three walks. Offerman replaced him with the closer Jairo Asencio and the batter Brayan Torres hit the center to drive in two and they came closer on the scoreboard 6-4.