Yermín Mercedes led in two rounds, and Erick Mejía hit a round from home to lead a twelve-shot attack that Tigres del Licey bombarded Águilas Cibaeñas to secure a 5-1 victory in the second game of a double days held this Sunday at Cibao Stadium.
Despite the distribution of honors, Cibaeños qualified for the semifinals by combining their victory in the first game (3-2) with another Toros del Este over Leones del Escogido in the capital.
Las Águilas (16-13), who are in second place in the tournament in the middle of the first, have already completed their matches as owners and will end the regular season again playing the 30th match against Licey on Tuesday at the Quisqueya Juan Stadium Marichal.
In order for Licey to secure the 11th victory of the tournament, with 16 defeats, and to keep alive its aspirations to advance in the playoffs, Mercedes shot a single and double RBI from racing pairs, as part of awakening the offense that responded in an efficient and excellent pitch that limited Cibaeños to just four hits.
With three games left to celebrate, the blues are half a game away from the fifth place occupied by Leones del Escogido (14-16) – there are no more games waiting – and a game and a half from the fourth, where Gigantes del Cibao is and Estrellas Orientales, with a mark of 13-13.
The team that finished fifth and only two games apart from the fourth will be able to play a mini-series for the last ticket to the semifinals.
In the third half, Mejía hit his first round at home of the tournament to open the scoring in favor of Licey against eagle starter Yoanner Negrín.
Blue’s lead lasted just over an exit at the end of the third, when the Eagles equaled a tournament starter, Jean Carlos Mejía, to a single break from Juan Lagares who led in Ramón Torres.
The imported catcher, Roberto Peña, hit an RBI single for the Blues to take the lead again in the fourth half, and with two more rounds in the fifth and one in the seventh they condemned the game.
Mercedes added the third touchdown with a single field from the left that removed Luis Barrera, and Pablo Reyes equalized the fourth with a loaded base walk in the fifth.
Mercedes returned to produce a race in the seventh, pulling a double that propelled Jorge Bonifacio to the tire.
At the end of the seventh, Licey’s diaper Hansel Robles hit Aneury Tavárez and Rangel Ravelo with balls, causing both teams’ benches to be emptied in an attempt to fight, in which he momentarily forgot the physical distance he stipulates the health protocol of the tournament, imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Robles ended the match without major misfortunes to seal the blue victory.
Mauricio Cabrera won (2-0) in a half without a score, with two shots and two shots.
Negrin lost the right (3-3) while allowing nine shots and four runs, going for a walk and a shot in four 1/3 innings.