Zapopan, Jalisco. The Tomateros de Culiacán staged an amazing comeback, scoring six runs in the eighth inning to defeat the Leones del Escogido 10-7, who lost their undefeated streak in the 68th Caribbean Series Guadalajara 2026, at the end of the fifth day.
The decisive rally culminated in a two-run home run by Estevan Florial, sealing the Mexican victory and leaving the Dominican team, which now has a record of 3-1, with no answer.
The Tomateros’ offense exploded in the eighth. Sepúlveda led off with a triple, Córdova was hit by a pitch, and Amador singled to center field, driving in the first run. Drake followed with a hit, and an error on the throw allowed two more runs. Meneses drove in another run with a sacrifice fly, Vergudo singled, and Florial finished with a home run to right field, completing the six runs.
The victory went to L. Chávez, who pitched a scoreless relief inning, while C. Greene took the loss after allowing three runs in the key inning. The Mexican offense connected 14 hits in the game.
For the Leones del Escogido, Franchy Cordero led the attack, batting 3-2, with two home runs, two runs scored and two RBIs. Jimmy Paredes also stood out with two hits in four at-bats, including a home run.
The two consecutive home runs by the Dominicans recalled a historical event, a back-to-back-to-back in the Caribbean Series, which occurred on February 11, 1990, at the Orange Bowl in Miami, in a game between the Senadores de San Juan and the Leones del Escogido, starring Barry Jones, Carlos Baerga, and Héctor Villanueva.
Also, it was recalled that the first player from a Dominican team to hit two home runs in a game was Howard Johnson (Tigres del Licey) on February 4, 1983, in Caracas, while the first Dominican to achieve this was George Bell in 1984.
In the mound, Radhames Liz opened for the Leones, working four innings, allowing five hits, two runs, two walks and striking out four. Phillips Valdez followed, pitching in the fifth and sixth innings.
For the Tomateros, M. Barreras started, pitching five innings, allowing five hits, five runs, four walks, and three strikeouts.
The Lions took the lead early with three runs in the first inning, thanks to a double by Sócrates Brito and a groundout by Cristian Adames. Culiacán responded in the third with a home run by Sepúlveda with a runner on base and scored again in the sixth, driven in by the same player.
In the fourth, Franchy Cordero hit his first home run of the night, and in the sixth he repeated the feat, followed by a home run by Jimmy Paredes, extending the Dominican lead. In the seventh, Socrates Brito scored after stealing second and third and taking advantage of an error in the catcher’s throw.
Mexico scored in the seventh inning against reliever Telles, before completing the final comeback in the eighth.
On Friday at 4:00 PM (Dominican time), Leones del Escogido and Tomateros de Culiacán will face each other in the first semifinal of the tournament. The winner will advance to the final, while the loser will be eliminated.
