Escogido Chases Trevor Bauer in First, Holds Sole LIDOM Lead

Leones del Escogido scored five runs in the first inning and chased Trevor Bauer before he completed the frame, rolling to a 10-2 victory over Estrellas Orientales on Tuesday night, November 10, at Estadio Tetelo Vargas. The win moved Escogido to 14-6 and preserved its one-game lead atop the LIDOM standings.

• Final: Leones del Escogido 10, Estrellas Orientales 2
• Trevor Bauer: 0.2 innings, four hits, five runs, three earned, two walks, one strikeout
• Sauryn Lao: Five innings, two hits, one unearned run, five strikeouts, no walks
• Standings: Escogido 14-6, Licey 13-7, Gigantes 10-10

Escogido attacks Bauer immediately

Marco Hernández opened the game with a double, and the Leones never allowed Bauer to settle in. Gregory Polanco drove in the first two runs with a double before a defensive error extended the inning. Michael de la Cruz then doubled home Yamaico Navarro and Andy Ibáñez as Escogido completed a five-run opening burst.

Bauer faced nine batters and recorded only two outs. He allowed four hits and two walks, with three of the five runs charged to him earned. It was his first loss of the LIDOM season.

The damage continued in the third inning. Another Estrellas error, a passed ball and an RBI single from Erik González produced three more runs. Hernández and González added runs in the fifth, pushing the lead to 10-1.

González finished 3-for-3 with two RBIs. Polanco and De la Cruz also drove in two runs apiece, giving Escogido production throughout the middle of the order.

Lao gives Leones five controlled innings

While Escogido’s offense built the early lead, Sauryn Lao kept Estrellas from mounting a response. The right-hander allowed only two hits and one unearned run over five innings, struck out five and did not issue a walk.

Lao improved to 3-0. Four Escogido relievers protected the advantage, with Estrellas scoring its second run only in the ninth inning.

The result carried added weight because Tigres del Licey lost 5-4 to Gigantes del Cibao in 11 innings on the same night. Escogido therefore remained alone in first place at 14-6, one game ahead of Licey. Gigantes returned to .500 at 10-10, while Estrellas fell to 8-11 and 5.5 games behind the leaders.

Escogido has now won four of its five meetings with Estrellas this season. After its 10-game winning streak ended last week and the top of the standings tightened, the Leones answered with an emphatic road win built on a decisive first inning and Lao’s command.