Mexico Defeats Defending Champion Dominican Republic to Reach Caribbean Series Final
Mexico Verde advanced to the Caribbean Series final by defeating the Dominican Republic, the defending champions, with a final score of 9-4. This semifinal match took place at the Pan American Stadium in Guadalajara. The victory marked the Tomateros de Culiacán’s second consecutive win against the Dominican team, known as the Leones del Escogido.
Match Overview
This triumph followed a comeback win by Mexico Verde on Thursday, where they overcame the Dominican side 10-7 in the final game of the preliminary round. In the semifinal, the Dominican Republic initially took the lead with two runs scored by Franchy Cordero and Sócrates Brito.
Key Plays
- David Reyes was the starting pitcher for Mexico Verde, allowing two runs in the early innings.
- Oscar de la Cruz started for the Dominican Republic, escaping a bases-loaded situation in the second inning.
- Kenny Hernández entered as relief pitcher, but Estevan Florial hit a home run, bringing in three runs for Mexico Verde.
- In the sixth inning, Mexico Verde added two more runs through a single from Luis Verdugo and a sacrifice fly from Alí Solís.
- In the seventh inning, a rally netted four additional runs for Mexico Verde, with Allen Córdoba, Yadir Drake, Víctor Mendoza, and Joey Meneses all scoring.
- Gustavo Núñez provided the Dominican Republic’s final run with a single in the eighth inning.
Pitching and Final Stats
Anthony Gose earned the win for Mexico Verde, while Kenny Hernández was charged with the loss for the Dominican Republic. The match stats were as follows:
| Team | Scores by Inning | Total Runs | Hits | Errors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico Verde | 0 0 0 3 0 2 4 0 0 | 9 | 13 | 1 |
| Dominican Republic | 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 | 4 | 10 | 1 |
As Mexico Verde prepares for the finals, they will face off against the winner of the semifinal game between Puerto Rico’s Cangrejeros de Santurce and Mexico Rojo’s Charros de Jalisco.
