Scruggs isn't flat for Cibao.  Ynoa good ballplayer when you see one.  A Julio DePaula sighting.

CIBAO 7, ESTE 4 IN CIBAO

Twins:  Jeremias Pineda was used as a defensive replacement for Cibao but did not bat.

Este:  Eugenio Velez (Milwaukee) was 2-for-4 with a home run and two runs.  Yasmani Grandal (San Diego) was 2-for-4 with a home run (his second) and a double.  David Purcey (White Sox) retired all five batters he faced, striking out one.

Cibao:  Xavier Scruggs (St. Louis) was 3-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs.  Alexi Casilla (Baltimore) was 2-for-4 with a double, scoring twice and driving in one.  Jose De Paula (San Francisco) struck out five in five innings, allowing one run on four hits and a walk.

The game:  Scruggs had a two-run single to highlight a four-run third for Cibao.  They led 7-1 after five.  Este got two in the eighth and one in the ninth but did not get the tying run up to bat.

ESCOGIDO 6, AGUILAS 5 AT ESCOGIDO

Aguilas:  Rafael Ynoa (Colorado) was 3-for-5 with three runs.  Audry Perez (St. Louis) was 2-for-4 with a double and a run.  Lay Batista (Atlanta) struck out two in 2.1 scoreless innings, giving up two walks.

Escogido:  Joc Pederson (Dodgers) was 2-for-3 with a walk, scoring twice and driving in two.  Jeudy Valdez (San Diego) was 2-for-5 with a double and two runs.  Julio DePaula (Baltimore) pitched 1.2 scoreless innings, allowing a walk.

The game:  Escogido led 4-1 after two but trailed 5-4 in the seventh when Denis Phipps delivered an RBI single to tie it.  Escogido won it in the ninth on back-to-back hit batsmen and an error.

ORIENTE 8, LICEY 6 IN ORIENTE

Licey:  Mel Rojas (Pittsburgh) was 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI.  Elmer Reyes (Atlanta) was 1-for-3 with three RBIs.  Dionis Soriano pitched a scoreless inning, giving up one hit with one strikeout.

Oriente:  Jordany Valdespin (MIami) was 1-for-3 with a two-run homer (his second) and a walk, scoring twice.  Junior Lake (Cubs) was 2-for-4 with a two-run homer.  Evan MacLane pitched 5.1 innings, allowing two runs on two hits and three walks with two strikeouts.

The game:  Oriente led 6-0 after five, but Licey scored four in the top of the seventh to tie it at six.  Lake singled in a run in the seventh to put Oriente back in front and Matt Fields (Kansas City) homered for an insurance run.

TODAY'S TILTS

Cibao at Escogido

Oriente at Aguilas

Licey at Este