Senators defeat Cangrejeros and are one win away from the Final in LBPRC

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San Juan defeats Santurce to be one step away from its first championship series since 1997-1998, while Criollos equals the series with Indios with three home runs by Nelson Velázquez


SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The Senators of San Juan they bowed to the Santurce Crab Eaters 3-1 on Saturday, to take a 3-1 lead in the semifinal and get close to a win of advance to the Final Series of the Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League (LBPRC).

San Juan has the opportunity to qualify for the championship series for the first time since the 1997-1998 season.

The Senators had a good performance from pitchers Miguel Martínez, Alexander Castro, Nick Horvath and Ralph Garza Jr. Castro (1-0) took the win after striking out the only batter he faced and Garza Jr. got his first save in the postseason.

San Juan secured the victory in the seventh inning. With a full house, Kevin Santa drove in the first with a grounder to the infield and Jan Mercado sacrificed himself with a bunt to drive in Jadiel Sánchez. In the eighth, Brantley Bell’s single drove in the third run.

Right-hander Jordan Johnson (0-1) suffered the setback by allowing two runs and failing to get an out in the seventh inning.

VÉLAZQUEZ HITS THREE HOME RUNS

Right-hander Dereck Rodríguez pitched six solid innings and Nelson Velázquez homered three times to lead the Criollos de Caguas to an 8-3 victory.

In the series, everything has happened and at the same time nothing has happened. The series between the Mayagüez Indians and Caguas is tied 2-2.

Rodríguez allowed no runs, allowed just two hits and recorded six strikeouts to earn his first victory of the postseason. Meanwhile, Velázquez went 4 for 5 with six RBIs and three runs scored.

Velázquez hit his first home run with the bases loaded, off right-hander Orlando Ortiz-Mayr, to give the Criollos an early four-run lead in the second inning.

In the sixth inning, Velázquez hit a home run again, his fifth of the series, off reliever Héctor Hernández and made the score 7-0. Velázquez hit the third home run against Josimar Cousin in the eighth inning.

The loss belonged to Ortiz-Mayr (0-1) as he allowed four runs in his two-inning performance, in which he struck out four and walked two.