Pujols led Leones to victory vs. Giants

SANTO DOMINGO – With a hit to the right-field safety zone, Albert Pujols drove in the fourth race of the Leones del Escogido, which in the end made the difference to beat the Gigantes del Cibao on Wednesday 4-3 in the Quisqueya Juan Marichal stadium.

Pujols found Engel Beltre running into the anteroom, where he had arrived after hitting a double into left field, and going to third on a grounder from Rickard to shortstop. At Ángel De Jesús’ first pitch, Pujols hit the decisive blow, bathing outfielder Moisés Sierra in the clear.

The winning pitcher was Gerson Bautista (1-1), who threw the seventh inning on scoreless; the loser was De Jesús (0-1), whom the Chosen One marked the winning race in the seventh. The rescue was for Steven Wilson (1), who did not allow freedoms in the final chapter.

After the match, the reds (6-6) remain in third place in the championship, now tied with the Toros del Este. Northeast (5-7) drop to fourth place.

For the Scarlets, Pujols was 4-2 with a double and two RBIs; Urbáez, 5-3, with one scored, and Beltré, 3-1, with a double, two runs scored and a base on balls. For the Giants, Sierra went 4-2, with a run scored, and Marte, 4-2 with a double, scored and RBI.

This Thursday is free in the Dominican winter baseball, but the Lions will stay in the Quisqueya as visitors against the Tigres del Licey at 7:15 at night.

The first touchdown of the game came in the bottom of the third against the francomacorisanos starter, Dustin Crenshaw, when Erik González and Francisco Urbáez hit home, and moved to third and second with a sacrifice bunt by Engel Beltré for third. An infield-hit by Joey Rickard down the anteroom led Gonzalez to the rubber.

In the visitors’ room, Sierra and Kelvin Gutierrez both hit home base starters Penn Murfee to get into the corners with one out. A hit by Alfredo Marte to the center-back pushed Sierra and moved Gutiérrez to second, from where he scored twice to the right field by Carlos Peguero against Víctor Santos that took Marte to third base. A sacrifice fly by Webster Rivas to the left field produced the third for the Cibaeños.

The long-haired men tied in the fifth inning, in which Francisco Urbáez hit the center back uncogchable and Beltré was transferred by Luis Santos. Subsequently, a punch from Joey Rickard for third moved the runners to scoring position, and a wild pitch by Santos allowed Urbáez to enter the race and Beltré went to third base from where he scored by Pujols’ undisputed center.