Santurce, Ponce win in LBPRC

Starter Kazuto Taguchi pitched six innings, allowing four hits and striking out eight to earn his first win as Ponce improved to 4-1 in the LBPRC.

By THE STAR STAFF

The Santurce Crabbers and Ponce Lions secured victories on Wednesday night in Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League (LBPRC by its initials in Spanish) games.

Santurce remained undefeated after walking off against the Carolina Giants, 7-6.

With the come-from-behind win, the Crabbers (Cangrejeros) took sole possession of first place in the LBPRC standings with a 5-0 record. Carolina, meanwhile, is 4-1 and is now tied for second place with Ponce.

Santurce hit four home runs in total, the last of which came against Giants (Gigantes) pitchers Eduardo Rivera and Ramesis Rosas in the ninth inning with the home team trailing 6-3. Jack López hit a solo home run off Rivera, followed by a two-run shot from Spencer Packard off Rosas, tying the game at 6-6.

Rosas then walked Roy Morales and hit Rubén Castro with a pitch, creating another threat at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in Hato Rey. That was the end of the line for the left-hander, who was relieved by Luis Rodríguez. Brian Navarreto drew a walk against the reliever as Santurce loaded the bases. Andrew Velázquez then singled, driving in pinch-runner Javi Vaz for the winning run.

Santurce’s aggressive hitting was on display in the first inning when they unleashed a barrage of doubles to left field. After one out, Brian Rey connected for the first. Giants starter Raymond Burgos retired Hemmanuel Rosario on an infield hit before Morales doubled home Rey for a 1-0 lead.

Crabbers starter Adalberto Flores dominated the first five innings. The right-hander allowed only one hit and struck out four. The Giants bats finally broke through in the sixth inning with the entry of reliever Juan Echevarría. The right-hander struck out Alan Espinal before allowing consecutive singles -- to Delvin Pérez, Gabriel Cancel and Jonathan Rodríguez -- giving Carolina its first run.

Echevarría was replaced on the mound by Tristan Garnett, who issued a walk to Abimelec Ortiz to load the bases. That set up Deniel Ortiz’s sacrifice fly, which gave Carolina a 2-1 lead.

The advantage was short-lived, however. The Cangrejeros struck again with one out in the bottom of the inning. Singles by Morales, Rubén Castro and Johneshwy Fargas combined to bring another run home, tying the game 2-2.

A four-run rally gave the Giants a 6-2 lead in the seventh inning, the runs coming on an infield hit by Espinal, a single by Rodríguez and a sacrifice fly by Abimelec Ortiz.

Santurce got one run back in the eight on a double by Morales, his second of the night, making it 6-3.

The win went to right-hander Edwin Sánchez (1-0) after a scoreless ninth inning, in which he allowed only one hit. Rosas (0-1) took the loss.

Meanwhile, the Ponce Lions handed the Caguas Criollos their fifth loss of the season with a 1-0 shutout at Francisco “Paquito” Montaner Stadium in Ponce.

It was the Criollos’ second consecutive shutout loss.

Once again, the Lions’ (Leones) pitching staff was airtight. Starter Kazuto Taguchi (1-0) pitched six innings, allowing four hits and striking out eight. Relievers Franny Cobos, Gabriel Rodríguez and Andrew Marrero followed suit. The latter notched his third save of the season, becoming the league leader in that category in the young campaign.

The Lions scored their only run in the first inning, with leadoff man D’Shawn Knowles coming home on a sacrifice fly to left field by Edwin Díaz.

Caguas threatened with the bases loaded and one out in the ninth inning, but Bryan González and Noah Myers were retired on a pop-up and a groundout to first base, respectively.

The loss went to Criollos starter José de León (0-2), who allowed one hit and struck out four in two innings.

Ponce improved to 4-1 with the win, while Caguas fell to 0-5.