Caguas Criollos, champions once again in Puerto Rico. CRIOLLOS CAGUAS

The Caguas Criollos won the Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente (LBPRC) for the 21st time. They triumphed in front of their home crowd, defeating the Carolinas Gigantes 4-1 in the eighth game of the best-of-nine series. They will now compete in the Caribbean Series in Miami from 1-9 February

The Criollos celebrated their winter championship on home soil, in Caguas, 25 km south of the capital San Juan. They defeated the Carolinas Gigantes 4-1 in the eighth game of the best-of-nine series to earn the right to represent the island in the Caribbean Series, which will be held in Miami, Florida, from 1-9 February, 2024. 

In the deciding game of a championship that has been played since 1938, the Caguas Criollos defeated the Carolinas Gigantes 5-3 in the best-of-nine final series to claim their 21st title in the Puerto Rico Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League (LBPRC) and take over from the Mayaguez Indios as the top team on the island of 3.2 million inhabitants. 


They will now go for the title in the Caribbean Series in Miami, a tournament that will also feature the winners of the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Panama, Venezuela, Curacao and Nicaragua. The Cagus Criollos have won the Series five times, the same number as their Boricua counterparts the Cangrejeros de Santurce, one behind the Águilas Cibaeñas of the Dominican Republic and well behind the Tigres del Licey of the Dominican Republic, who have won it 12 times.

In the eighth game, played in front of 8,920 fans at the Yldefonso Solá Morales stadium in Caguas, six Criollos pitchers limited the Gigantes to one run. Veteran right-hander Yacksel Ríos, in his 92nd Major League Baseball (MLB) game, pitched two scoreless innings out of the bullpen for the win, his second in the final. 

Ricardo Gómez, 45, got the final three outs for his third save of the series. Former MLB player Vimael Machín went 2-for-4 with a home run. Cuban-born Houston Astros prospect Pedro León added a solo shot.

Criollos manager and former MLB superstar, Yadier Molina, was ejected in the third inning after arguing with the home plate umpire over the pitch count. Molina suffered his first ejection in the LBPRC on the night he celebrated his first championship as a manager. 

Former MLB players Danny Ortiz, who hit .355, and Johneshwy Fargas (.350) led the Criollos' offense. Gigantes' JC Escarra went 10-for-27 with a .370 average to lead the series in hits. RJ Martinez pitched 12.1 scoreless innings for the Criollos.

Final Series Results:

Gigantes-Criollos: 3-2.

Criollos-Gigantes: 13-4.

Criollos-Gigantes: 4-2.

Gigantes-Criollos: 10-4.

Criollos-Gigantes: 3-2.

Criollos-Gigantes: 4-1.

Gigantes-Criollos: 5-1.

Criollos-Gigantes: 4-1.