Indians beat Giants to spark deciding seventh game final

Mayaguez. A single by shortstop Jeremy Rivera to left field in the bottom of the ninth drove in runner Brett Rodríguez from second base and the Mayagüez Indians stayed alive in the final series of the Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League (LBPRC) by prevail 2-1 on Tuesday.

It is the first time in at least four seasons that the final series of the Puerto Rican winter ball has been extended to the maximum. Of the last four, two were decided via sweep and the other two 4-1.

So the Indians, who haven’t won a championship since 2014, travel to Carolina on Wednesday to try to clinch the elusive 19th crown in their history, which has eluded them for the past few years despite being in seven of the last nine finals, including the current one.

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But with his back against the wall and only one out, Danny Ortiz led off the bottom of the ninth with a single drive to left that brought a roar from the stands. In the next turn, that of designated, it corresponded to Anthony García, who on Tuesday was in that position instead of Henry Ramos. He responded with a hit to center that left runners on first and second.

Roberto Pérez, then, went to the batter’s box and put a bunt that sought to overtake the runners, but the Carolinian defense managed to force the runner on third base for the first out.

Brett Rodríguez came in to run for García on the second sack, and he was perfect for the play, in which the lefty Rivera hit a line drive down the field from third that allowed Rodríguez to score from second base.

The Indians had a big scare as they dominated 1-0 from the fourth inning and right-hander Ronnie Williams had a dominant outing in which he struck out six in 6.1 innings and gave up just two hits and a walk to sustain the sale he gave him. their offense and keep the Giants tied up.

The first run of the game came in the bottom of the fourth inning, when third baseman Emmanuel Rivera opened the shootout with a double against the fence between left and center against pitches from starter Luis Leroy Cruz.

On the next turn, Josh Palacios made him cross the plate with a single to left field that left the score 1-0.

Already at that time Williams dominated the visitors’ lineup at ease.

The import, who in the second challenge of the final series allowed six runs in a first inning in which he could only hang one out, remained dominant on the mound until the seventh inning, when after hitting the first out eliminating Gabriel Cancel .

But, he gave up a hit to Anderson Feliz in the next at-bat and then walked José Sermo to put men on first and second, prompting manager Mako Oliveras to pull him off the mound.

Williams finished his impressive night with 6.1 innings of work in which he gave up just two hits and one walk. Fan six giants.

He was relieved by Carlos Francisco in the sixth.