Zapopan, Jalisco. The Tomateros de Culiacán staged an amazing comeback, scoring six runs in the eighth inning to beat 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 with 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, without an answer.
The Tomateros’ offensive exploded in the eighth inning. Sepúlveda opened with a triple, Córdova was hit by a pitch, and Amador hit a single to center field, driving in the first run. Drake followed with a hit, and an error allowed two more runs. Meneses drove in another with a sacrifice fly, Vergudo hit a single, and finally Florial hit the home run that completed the six-run rally.
The victory went to L. Chávez, who pitched a scoreless relief inning, while C. Greene took the loss after allowing three runs in the crucial inning. The Mexican offense connected 14 hits.
For the Leones del Escogido, Franchy Cordero led the attack, batting 2-3, with two home runs, two runs scored and two RBIs. Captain Jimmy Paredes also stood out with two hits in four at-bats, including a home run.
The two consecutive home runs by the Dominicans evoked a historic moment, a back-to-back-to-back in the Caribbean Series on February 11, 1990, at the Orange Bowl in Miami, starring Barry Jones, Carlos Baerga, and Héctor Villanueva.
It was recalled that Howard Johnson (Tigres del Licey) was the first player from a Dominican team to hit two home runs in a game, on February 4, 1983 in Caracas, followed by George Bell in 1984.
Radhames Liz opened for the Leones, pitching four innings, allowing five hits, two runs, two walks and striking out four. Phillips Valdez pitched the fifth and sixth innings.
M. Barreras started for the Tomateros, with a performance of 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, again 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.
