The Stars were placed one game away from first place this Thursday by beating the Águilas Cibaeñas 6-4 in a match corresponding to the semifinal series of the 2021-2022 fall-winter baseball tournament held at the Tetelo Vargas Stadium in this city.
The victory also allowed the Stars to extend the streak to five, which began last Saturday.
The offense was supported by Jeremy Peña, who hit a two-run homer in the fourth, as well as an RBI double from Robinson Cano.
The green troop also had a good pitching performance by Mexican Wilmer Ríos, who pitched ball for five complete innings of seven hits, two runs (clean) and seven strikeouts after facing 21 batters to annex his first victory.
The setback was for Yunesky Maya (0-1), who worked three episodes of five hits, five runs and a walk. The save went to Diógenes Almengó, who pitched the ninth inning retiring all three batters he faced in a row.
Those of the “Sultana del Este” visit the Cibao Giants this Friday in a match scheduled for 7:00 at night at the Julián Javier Stadium in San Francisco de Macorís. Taiwanese Wei-Chieh Huang is the designated pitcher to face the Giants.
Ríos was escorted by Samuel Zazueta (1.0), Daniel Duarte (0.2), Fernando Abad (0.2), Gerson Moreno (0.2) and Almengó (1.0).
Meanwhile, Maya was replaced in the fourth inning by Yohan Ramírez (2.0), followed by Jake Sánchez (1.0), Edgar Escobar (0.1), Darío Álvarez (0.2) and Michael Tonkin (1.0).
The Stars took control of the game in the bottom of the first inning with three runs, two of them on a double by Robinson Cano, while Phillip Evans drove in another with a drive to center field.
In the fourth episode, the green troop increased its advantage with another three laps, one with a strong line to the central field by Domingo Leyba and another two by a home run by Jeremy Peña to the first pitch by reliever Ramírez through the left meadow.
In the fifth, the Eagles scored their first two runs, one on a line drive to left field by Víctor Robles, and another on a short fly ball to right field by Ramón Torres.
In the eighth, the visitors discounted another two laps as a result of a home run by Melky Cabrera to left field.
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