Juan Carlos Miranda guides the Cibaeñas Eagles to victory
In an exciting Round Robin match, the Águilas Cibaeñas defeated the Gigantes del Cibao 5-4 at the Cibao Stadium, solidifying their position in the fight for the final.
Mexican pitcher Juan Carlos Miranda was the key figure, delivering an outstanding performance that propelled the Eagles to their ninth victory. With this win, the team maintains a record of seven losses and continues to compete fervently for a spot in the final.
The Eagles achieved a perfect sweep against the Giants, winning all six matchups of the semifinal series.
Miranda pitched six solid innings, allowing only one run and two hits, without conceding walks and striking out seven batters. Miranda earned the victory (1-0), while Cristopher Molina (0-1) took the loss. Matt Foster earned the save (1) in his debut.
The Eagles’ bullpen also delivered, with Junior Fernández in the seventh, Richard Rodríguez in the eighth, and Foster closing the ninth.
For the Giants, Cristopher Molina worked 1.2 innings, allowing four runs and four hits. The Giants’ bullpen included Blake Weiman, Frank Garcés, Wellington Díaz, Adisyn Coffey, and Tayron Guerrero.
On offense, Cristhian Adames and Rodolfo Amador stood out with a double and a single; Juan Carlos Gamboa and Geraldo Perdomo each connected two hits, while Steward Berroa and Jerar Encarnación contributed a hit.
Deyvinson De los Santos led the Giants’ attack with a home run and a double; Diego Hernández hit a home run and a single; Kelvin Gutiérrez added a home run, and David Bañuelos hit a single.
The Eagles took the lead in the second inning, combining a double by Amador, singles by Gamboa, Berroa and Perdomo, a walk to Leody Taveras and defensive errors, sending nine batters to the plate.
In the third episode, Diego Hernández hit a solo home run to bring the Giants closer, 4-1.
The Eagles’ lead was extended in the fifth inning, with a double by Adames and a run-scoring single by Rodolfo Amador, making the score 5-1.
The Giants reacted in the seventh with a double by De los Santos and a home run by Kelvin Gutiérrez, and tightened the game in the ninth inning when De los Santos connected again with a home run, leaving them only one run behind, although the Aguilas’ relief pitching managed to preserve the victory.
