Crabbers win Game 1 of winter baseball finals

Santurce’s Rubén Castro stroked the game-winner to deep left field after Ponce reliever Gabriel Rodríguez walked Jeremy Arocho with one out in the bottom of the ninth.

By THE STAR STAFF

A walk-off RBI double by Rubén Castro in the bottom of the ninth inning lifted the Santurce Crabbers to a 5-4 victory over the Ponce Lions in the first game of the Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League championship series at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in Hato Rey on Monday night.

Castro stroked the game-winner to deep left field after Ponce reliever Gabriel Rodríguez walked Jeremy Arocho with one out.

A three-run home run by Nelson Velázquez -- coming after Ponce starter Bryant Salgado walked Rubén Castro and Yohandy Morales -- gave the Crabbers (Cangrejeros) a 4-1 lead in the third inning, but the Lions (Leones), powered by a pair of homers in the sixth and ninth innings, rallied to tie the score at 4-4. Ponce’s first round-tripper came off the bat of Edwin Díaz with the bases empty, making the score 4-2 in the top of the sixth. The second, a two-run shot to center field by Alex Dickerson with Emmanuel Rivera on second base, knotted the score in the top of the ninth.

The Lions scored first in the second inning after Crabbers starter Ashton Goudeau walked two consecutive batters -- Dalton Guthrie and Dickerson -- with two outs. Will Simoneit singled to drive in Guthrie for the first run of the game.

Santurce tied the score in the bottom of the inning when Jack López reached second base on a two-out hit down the right field line, and Andrew Velázquez drove him in.

The win went to right-hander Andrew Baker in relief, improving his postseason record to 2-1. Rodríguez (1-1) took the loss after giving up the winning run.

Game 2 was slated for Tuesday night at Hiram Bithorn. The best-of seven series moves to Francisco “Paquito” Montaner Stadium in Ponce for Game 3 on Thursday at 7 p.m.