Emilio Bonifacio Reaches 500 Hits as Licey Erases 5-0 Deficit

Emilio Bonifacio reached 500 career regular-season hits in the Dominican winter league as Tigres del Licey erased a 5-0 deficit to beat Toros del Este 9-5 on Wednesday, November 4, at Estadio Francisco Micheli in La Romana.

The 41-year-old Licey captain finished 2-for-5 with two doubles, one run and one RBI, ending the night on 501 hits. His milestone arrived inside a comeback that kept the Tigers in second place at 10-5, half a game behind Leones del Escogido.

Licey turns the game in a five-run sixth

Toros built their lead steadily. Jesús Sánchez doubled home Bryan De La Cruz in the second inning, then De La Cruz hit a two-run homer in the third after Gilberto Celestino’s sacrifice fly. Celestino drew a bases-loaded walk in the fourth to make it 5-0.

Left-hander Evan Grills held Licey to one run through five innings, but the Toros bullpen could not protect the advantage. Kevin Alcántara opened the sixth with a double, Ronny Mauricio singled and Ramón Hernández drove in a run. After Bryan Lavastida walked and Jesús Madé added another run on a fielder’s choice, Bonifacio delivered a two-out RBI double against Ángel Felipe.

Gustavo Núñez followed with a two-run single that completed the turnaround and put Licey ahead 6-5. Núñez finished 3-for-5 with three RBIs, giving the Tigers their biggest hit of an inning in which they sent nine batters to the plate.

Lavastida provides breathing room

Licey added two runs in the seventh after Sergio Alcántara and Mauricio executed a double steal. With two outs and the bases loaded, Lavastida doubled home both runners to stretch the lead to 8-5. He doubled again in the ninth and scored on Michael de León’s single.

Seven of Licey’s nine runs came with two outs, a sharp contrast to a start in which the Tigers stranded chances and watched Toros score in three consecutive innings. Carlos Vargas earned the win with a scoreless inning, while Felipe took the loss after allowing the go-ahead run.

Bonifacio’s 500th hit gave the night lasting weight beyond the standings. A fixture of Licey’s championship era and the club’s veteran leader, he reached the landmark while helping turn a seemingly one-sided game into one of the Tigers’ most resilient wins of the young 2026-27 LIDOM season.