Escogido Leones win Game Seven thriller to claim Dominican Professional Baseball League title
Escogido Leones won a Game Seven thriller to beat the defending champions, Licey Tigres, and claim the 71st Dominican Professional Baseball League (LIDOM) title. It's their 17th pennant, the first in nine years.
The rubber match went to the ninth inning, with the teams tied at five. Escogido dramatically broke the tie when third baseman Junior Caminero got to Jairo Asencio's sinking fastball and drove it 454 feet (or 138 metres) from home plate and over the centre field wall for a solo homer.
Licey didn't give up and had the potential winning runs on third and second in the bottom of the frame when Francisco Mejia faced closer Rafael Montero with two outs. Mejia sent a blooper to right field that Socrates Brito turned into the final out with a diving catch.
Caminero earned the series MVP honours. He went 9-for-26, a .346 batting average.
"I have no words," the 21-year-old Tampa Bay Rays prospect commented. "We clinched the 17th! I owe to my family and the Leones. I'm grateful for their trust."
"We celebrate a win because everybody put their heart into this series," added Brito.
The whole series was intense and thrilling. Licey won a pair of extra-inning dramas. They needed 14 innings to win the opener and 13 to send the series to game seven.
In Game Six, the Leones took a lead into the ninth. Gustavo Nunez tied the game with a two-out solo shot, and Escogido manager and former Major League Baseball (MLB) superstar Albert Pujols protested the use of an illegal bat. When the officials declared the bat clean, Pujols was fined 50,000 Dominican pesos ($810).
"It was a tough first year as a manager, Pujols commented, "I'm learning how to come to terms with criticism. It was a great season and a good final series. You don't have to credit me. Credit my players. I tried to do my best."
The Results
Tigres-Leones 4-3 (14 innings)
Leones-Tigres 3-2
Leones-Tigres 6-0
Tigres-Leones 9-3
Leones-Tigres 4-1
Tigres-Leones 7-4 (13 innings)
Leones-Tigres 6-5