Luis Ángel Sánchez drove in the winning run with a single in the bottom of the ninth inning, lifting the Cocodrilos Matanzas to a 9-8 victory over the CTBC Brothers in the first game of Day 2 of the Baseball Champions League.
The Taiwanese team took an early lead with three runs in the first inning off starting pitcher Yoennis Yera. Chun-Lin Huang drove in a run with a triple, Shao-Yu Hsu brought in another with a double, and Meng-Chi Hu added a third with a single. The CTBC Brothers extended their lead to 5-1 with two runs in the third inning, courtesy of RBI singles by Meng-Chi Hu and Jui-Chun Lin.
Matanzas began their uphill climb in the game thanks to a stellar relief performance by Rafael Perdomo, who pitched 3.1 scoreless innings of relief, allowing just one hit, issuing no walks, and striking out four batters. Perdomo’s relief work paved the way for the Cuban team’s big rally—which occurred in the pivotal seventh inning—when the Crocodiles crossed the plate six times to turn the tide and take an 8-6 lead.
Yulieski Remon ignited the Crocodiles’ seventh-inning rally with a two-run homer; he was followed by Yasiel González, José Noroña, Andrys Pérez, and Yariel Duque, each of whom contributed an RBI single. The CTBC Brothers tied the game in the top of the ninth inning with an RBI single by Chun-Lin Huang and a sacrifice fly by Meng-Chih Hu. Thus, the contest headed into the bottom of the ninth inning deadlocked at 8-8.
Yasiel González led off the inning for the Cocodrilos with a single; pinch-runner Juan Martínez stole second base; Andrys Pérez was issued an intentional walk; and—with two outs already recorded—Luis Ángel Sánchez delivered a clutch hit to send Juan Martínez across the plate with the winning run.
The Cocodrilos will return to BCL action on Thursday, March 26, to face the Dantos of Nicaragua at 7:00 PM at Alfredo Harp Helú Stadium; earlier that same day—at 10:00 AM—the CTBC Brothers will square off against the Kane County Cougars.
Offensive performance by the Cocodrilos de Matanzas (Cuba) in their matchup against the CTBC Brothers in the Baseball Champions League:
1️⃣ Yuliesky Remón (2B): 5-3, R, HR, 3RBI, E (.600)
2️⃣ Luis Vicente Mateo (SS): 2-0, R, RBI, 3BB (.000)
3️⃣ Eduardo Blanco (CF): 5-1, R, K (.200)
4️⃣ Yasiel González (1B): 4-2, R, RBI, HBP, 2E (.500)
🔀 Juan Miguel Martínez: 0-0, R (.000)
5️⃣ José Amaury Noroña (RF): 5-2, R, RBI, 2K (.400)
6️⃣ Andrys Pérez (C): 4-1, RBI, BB, 2K (.250)
7️⃣ Brayan Peña (DH): 2-0, BB, K (.000)
🔀 Yariel Duque: 1-1, RBI (1.000)
🔀 Hanyelo Videt: 1-0 (.000)
8️⃣ Luis Ángel Sánchez (3B): 5-2, R, RBI, Walk-off H (.400)
9️⃣ Esteban Terry (LF): 4-2, 2R, 2B (.500)
Pitching:
Yoennis Yera: 2.2 IP, 7H, 5R, 4ER, BB, 3K (68 Pitches-42 Strikes)
Rafael Orlando Perdomo: 3.1 IP, H, 0ER, 4K (44-30)
Yosney García: 0.0 IP, 2H, ER, BB (11-5)
Luis Manuel Hernández: 1.0 IP, 0H, 0ER, BB, K (16-10)
Frank Abel Álvarez: 1.0 IP, 0H, 0ER (11-6)
Armando Dueñas: 0.0 IP, 2H, 2R, ER, BB (23-14)
Brander Guevara: 1.0 IP, 0H, 0ER, 2K, W (1-0) (14-9)