Staying with the topic of baseball I thought I write about my 2nd favorite baseball league, the Dominican Winter Leagues. I have been a big fans of the winter league since 1986 when I 1st went back to DR to live with my grandparents for the 1st time in 15 years since coming to the states as a 6 month baby. Back in those days my team were Los Leones del Escogido because they had a young Fred McGriff hitting cleanup Marquis Grissom leading off and a very young & skinny, (jerry curls styling Sammy Sosa) batting 7th just to name a few. They were managed by Felipe Alou and they were my favorite team simply because they had the most big league talent that I could remembered from back in the states. El Escogido went on to win 3 straight titles in what would be the franchise best years. But I have to say that for the last 15 years or so, I have changed my alliances & have become a fan of my home town team from Santiago de Los Caballeros, Las Aguilas Cibaenas, who since 1995 & along with Los Tigeres Del Licey (the 2 winniest franchises) have split all of the Dominican titles.That is why last night game 9 of the Dominican finals, yup you heard right, game 9!, between Los Leones Del Escogido & Los Gigantes Del Cibao, was something that has been rare in Dominican winter leagues finals for a while now.
To give you more insight, Los Leones were looking to become champions for the 1st time since the 1992 season, while los Gigantes Del Cibao, the newest franchise in the league, playing in only their 13th season, was looking for their 1st title ever.
Los Gigantes almost had that 1st title the previous night when in game #8 of the series with the game tied at 2 a piece, Wilson Betemit went deep for Los Gigantes to give the young franchise a 3-2 lead in the top of the 9th, it was pure pandemonium as this game was being played at El Estadio Julian Javier which happens to be los Gigantes home park. Rounding the bases you saw Betemit whaling his arms in the air in total celebration mode along with the crowd who were blasting their horns and whistles & waving their red team color flags as they were sensing the victory that was just 3 outs away. When Betemit got to the dugout the camera focused on him & he took notice, aiming his eye at the camera lens Betemit then started a self celebratory dance which his teammates joined in for the ESPN Deportes cameras to see, welcome to Dominican baseball where you start to party & celebrate victory before the 27th out. But Los Gigantes still needed 3 more outs and Manager Felix Fermin gave the ball to former big leaguer Dario Veras who came in in the 9th to try & seal the deal for the big save, Veras who is currently 2nd all-time in Dominican beisbol in saves, gave up a lead off hit which was followed by an error by the SS Wilson Valdez as los Leones went on to tie the game to send it into extra innings where they won it in 11 innings to force this decisive game 9.
In this decisive game 9 Escogido manager Ken Oberkfell gave the ball to his ace Francisco Liriano while Gigantes manager Felix Fermin went with former NY Mets disgrace Victor Zambrano who lasted only 1 2/3 giving up 3 runs as Los Leones had the early 3-0. Liriano went for 5 scoreless innings while striking out 10 as the Minnesota Twins must had called Oberkfell and told him to shout him down. The game was still 3-0 when in came NY Mets starter and Dominican winter league regular, Nelson Figueroa to replace Liriano. Figueroa was doing just fine pitching a scoreless 6th & 7th but ran into some trouble in the bottom of the 8th when with 2 outs los Gigantes finally got on the board when Mexican born catcher from los Gigantes, Saul Soto, when over the wall to make it 3-1. Figueroa gave up another hit and was yanked and replace by former NY Yankee Jose Veras who could not stop the fire as Los Gigantes scored another run & loaded the bases with 2 outs as they now were 1 hit away from claiming the lead. Los Leones were now feeling the heat but were able to get some relief from Claudio Galva who relived Veras & got out of the jam still up 3-2.
In the top of the 9th Los Leones were able to get those 2 runs back to make the score 5-2 as they now entered the bottom of the 9th with Los Gigantes down to their last 3 outs. In came in Oakland A's standout Santiago Casilla for the save, and with a runner on 1st and 2 outs he got Freddy Pegeuro to ground out to 2nd baseman Alberto Callaspo for the 27th out as Los Leones del Escogido had ended their 18 year drought to win their 13th Dominican Title ever. For the 1st time in a long time the Dominican Winter leagues had a champs that was not Licey or Aguilas.
Moises Alou in his 1st year as the GM for Los Leones got the job done and was seen in full celebration with the fans along with the entire Escogido squad who shared their celebration with a large group of Escogidistas who made the trip to San Francisco de Macoris to take it all in.
Well there you have it, for those of you baseball lovers; if you never witness a Dominican winter league baseball game, make sure you take a trip down to Quisqueya la Bella & make that happen and make sure you bring your ear plugs cause it can get loud, for the entire game.
Los Leones Del Escogido will now represent the Dominican Republic in this year Carribean World Series which will take place in Venezuela.
