Juncos wins a Double A record 11th championship

Juncos is the only franchise with 11 Double-A titles, two more than Cidra. (Eileen Quintero)

By THE STAR STAFF

The Juncos Mulos became the champions of the Double-A Superior Baseball League on Friday by blanking the Patillas Leones 4-0 at Mariano “Niní” Meaux Stadium in Juncos.

Juncos is the only franchise with 11 Double-A titles, two more than the Cidra Bravos (Braves). The Mulos (Mules) closed out the 2025 Brava Lubricants Final Series in six games, ending a six-year wait.

Star left-hander Luis Cintrón combined with right-hander Héctor Quiñones to hamstring the Patillas offense. Cintrón earned his second win of the series, pitching 15 scoreless innings in three appearances. In the championship game, he pitched the first five innings, striking out two and allowing just two hits. Quiñones completed the tour with a flawless performance -- no hits with three strikeouts -- and the save.

The champions took the early lead in the second inning with two runs, thanks to a sacrifice fly by José “Blanky” Rivera that drove in Luis Román and an RBI single by Kalvin Monge.

The Leones’ (Lions’) most serious threat came in the fifth inning, when they loaded the bases with no outs, but the Mulos’ defense executed a spectacular triple play when Joel Santiago hit a ground ball to third baseman Román, who stepped on third and threw to Rivera for the force out at second, who then relayed to Jean Ortiz at first to complete Juncos’ second triple play of the series.

Román was recognized as the finals’ Most Valuable Player.

Patillas left-hander Ryan Muñoz took the loss after allowing two runs in 2.1 innings. He was followed in relief by Sidney Duprey and Luis López.

In the eighth inning, the Mulos secured the victory with two runs, scored on a sacrifice fly by Jan Rivera and a solo home run by Ortiz, the only round-tripper of the series.

The final out of the championship came when Monge made a highlight-reel catch in center field on a fly ball by Elerie Rivers.

After the game, Puerto Rico Baseball Federation President Dr. José Daniel Quiles presented the championship trophy to Mulos manager Dr. Jeovhanni Nieves, accompanied by franchise executive director Efraín Williams and Julio Rosa, vice president of Brava Lubricants. Also present was Juncos Mayor Alfredo “Papo” Alejandro Carrión.