SANTO DOMINGO – The Final Series didn't begin Wednesday night. It began weeks earlier, when the Leones and Toros understood that they weren't coming from the same place, but they did have the same need. One team was used to being there. The other was convinced that they had to earn their spot game by game. Thirteen years had to pass before they met again in a final, and when they did, it wasn't going to be an easy game.
The Leones del Escogido reached their 30th final after defeating the Gigantes del Cibao 5-1. They enter as defending champions and are looking to repeat for the first time since 2013. Since 2009, they have won five of the last six finals they have played. Their path hasn't been one of total dominance, but rather one of meticulous attention to detail: a reliable bullpen, keen reading of each inning, and a style of play that prioritizes patience over haste.
The Toros del Este returned to the finals for the first time since 2020, when they had a perfect season. This is their seventh appearance in the finals. They came from behind, improving throughout the season, relying on a solid rotation, a defense that didn't give up any outs, and a balanced offense. In the Round Robin, they split the series with the Leones, three wins apiece. Nothing was decided before the first game.
A first game that set the tone
The Lions struck first. They attacked Enny Romero in the first inning and took a 2-0 lead. But the Bulls responded immediately. Eloy Jiménez opened the final with a double to left field, and Eddie Rosario tied the game with a home run. From there, the Romanenses built their lead with small gains: walks, timely contact, and constant pressure. In the third, two consecutive doubles and a single to center field made it 5-2. In the eighth, they added another run: 6-2. The game seemed to be tilting in their favor.
Then came the inning that changed everything. Héctor Rodríguez led off with a single. Erik González followed. Sócrates Brito drove in a run with a double. Junior Lake brought in another with an infield hit. An intentional walk, a solid line drive by Alcides Escobar between second and third, and the game was tied. There wasn't a monumental hit; it was a series of well-executed at-bats at the right time.
Franchy Cordero's sacrifice fly brought in the seventh run. That was all it took. The Lions won 7-6, not having been the better team for most of the game, but becoming more accurate when the game opened up. Aneurys Zabala earned the win, Stephen Nogosek got the save, and Jean Carlos Mejía, who had come off a clean sweep in the Round Robin, took the loss.
That's how the final began. A game that seemed under control was turned on its head in a matter of minutes. It left the feeling that this series won't depend on who plays better for longer periods, but rather on who makes fewer mistakes when the game is at its most intense.
