Florida enters Game 4 with a 2-1 lead in Double A baseball finals

By The Star Staff

The Florida Titans defeated the Yabucoa Azucareros 6-1 on Saturday in Las Piedras in the continuation of the 2024 Lubricants Brava Final Series of the Double A Superior Baseball League.

With the victory, Florida regained the lead in the series 2-1 as the Titans seek their first national championship since 1982.

Héctor Santiago allowed five hits, two walks and struck out eight for Florida to earn his first victory in the finals. He improved his record to 13-2 on the year. Right-hander Jonathan Castellanos and left-handed closer Pedro Rodríguez, who picked up the save, pitched in relief.

A wild pitch by Yabucoa left-hander Noel Pinto in the first inning allowed Daniel Figueroa to score the Titans’ first run. In the third inning, Florida increased its lead to 3-0 with a single by Ángel Guzmán and an error by catcher Rubén Castro.

In the fourth inning, a sacrifice fly by Figueroa extended Florida’s lead by another run. A two-run single by Ángel Maldonado in the eighth inning accounted for the final score after Jan Hernández drove in Yabucoa’s only run with a double in the seventh.

Pinto took the loss for the Azucareros, going seven innings and allowing four runs, two unearned. He gave up five hits and struck out seven.

Game 4 was slated for Sunday at 5 p.m. in Manatí.