Tigres del Licey take the lead after defeating Leones del Escogido
The Tigres del Licey climbed to the top of the standings after a 5-4 victory over the Leones del Escogido in an exciting duel held at the Quisqueya Juan Marichal Stadium. The blue victory was driven by a decisive offensive attack in the fourth inning and a high-level pitching performance by Albert Abreu.
Abreu established himself as a key piece in the feline rotation. The pitcher completed five innings of work, allowing only three hits and two runs, while striking out five rivals. With this performance, he became the first pitcher of the tournament to reach at least five innings in his first three starts, recording his first win of the season with a 1.80 ERA.
The blue reaction
Although the Leones took an early 2-0 lead in the third inning, the Licey’s response was immediate. In the fourth inning, the team led by the blue squad unleashed a four-run rally that changed the fate of the game:
- Cristhian Adames started the attack with a sacrifice fly.
- Bryan Lavastida hit a key single to left field to drive in Ronny Mauricio and Estevan Florial.
- Ángel Ortiz capped off the inning with a single that allowed Lavastida to score.
Licey added one more run in the sixth inning thanks to a double by Sergio Alcántara, who later scored after an RBI single by Ángel Ortiz. For their part, Escogido tried to close the gap with a two-run hit by Michael de la Cruz, but the blue bullpen, led by Wander Suero, managed to secure the save and seal the victory.
With this result, both Licey and Escogido tie their record at 12-6, but the Tigres take first place thanks to their 3-0 dominance in the head-to-head series between both clubs.
Offensive leaders
On an individual level, Ángel Ortiz (4-2, 2 RBIs) and Bryan Lavastida (4-1, 2 RBIs) stood out for the winners. For the Leones, Vidal Bruján had a brilliant day by connecting for three hits in three official at-bats, in addition to drawing two walks.
The next commitment for the Tigres del Licey will be this Monday at 5:00 in the afternoon at the Quisqueya Stadium, where they will host the Águilas Cibaeñas in search of maintaining their good pace in the season.
