Josh Lester Guides Estrellas Orientales to Victory with Decisive Home Run
San Pedro de Macorís – In a night full of emotions at the Tetelo Vargas Stadium, Josh Lester became the hero by hitting a home run that secured the victory of the Estrellas Orientales over the Leones del Escogido with a score of 6-4.
The hit, an impressive launch that traveled 394 feet at an exit velocity of 105.5 mph, came in the tenth inning, with a teammate on base, culminating a comeback that propelled the Stars to fifth place in the standings and relegated the Lions to last place.
The Excitement of the Tenth Inning
The Estrellas entered the tenth inning with a 4-3 disadvantage. With two outs, Raimel Tapia hit a single to center field, driving in Magneuris Sierra to tie the game 4-4. Despite initially being called out trying to advance to second, the decision was reversed after a successful appeal by the eastern team.
With momentum on his side, Josh Lester quickly proved his worth. On Stephen Nogosek’s first pitch, Lester hit a home run that unleashed euphoria in the dugout and among the fans present at the Tetelo Vargas.
Meeting Details
The match was full of key moments:
- 4th inning: Yamaico Navarro hit a solo home run to put Escogido up 1-0. Rodolfo Castro tied the game 1-1 with a bases-loaded walk.
- 5th inning: An error by Robinson Canó allowed Héctor Rodríguez to score, putting the score at 2-1 in favor of Escogido.
- 6th inning: Las Estrellas took the lead 3-2 thanks to a wild pitch by Kenny Hernández and a run-scoring single by Castro.
- 8th inning: Franchy Cordero drove in Junior Lake with a groundout to tie the game 3-3.
- 10th inning: Dervy Ventura drove in Lake with a hit, giving Escogido a 4-3 lead, before Tapia’s response and Lester’s home run.
Party Decisions
Carlos Belén (2-1) was the winning pitcher, while Stephen Nogosek took the loss.
Impact on the Standings
This triumph propels the Estrellas Orientales to fifth place, while the Leones del Escogido fall to the last place in the standings.
