Orientales struck early, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first inning off of starter Carlos Teller.
With two outs, Jonel Pacheco singled, then Juan Carlos Torres drove the ball into deep leftfield for a 2-run homerun.
Gigantes got one run back in the top of the third inning when Rubén Mateo led off with a homerun.
Yurendell de Caster followed with a double down the leftfield-line, but then got into a rundown on a following grounder by Luis Allen Salazar.
A double play-grounder by Dwight Britton followed, but ended in an error at first base.
Hereafter, centerfielder José Campusano made a great running catch on a drive by Ramón Flores, ending the inning.
Gigantes then came alongside in the top of the third inning.
Omar Obregón led off with a single, which was followed by an error that brought him to second base.
With one out, he moved to third base on a drive into deep leftfield by Jimmy González, which was caught just in front of the fence by Jonel Pacheco.
Moments later, Obregón scored the tying run on a single by Wuillians Vásquez.
In the bottom of the third inning, Orienales rallied for four runs to take a 6-2 lead.
With one out, Ofilio Castro and Jonel Pacheco walked, then Juan Carlos Torres followed with a runscoring single that gave the home team a renewed lead.
Donell Linares followed with a 2-run double, moved to third base on the throw to the plate, then scored when next batter Yosvany Guerra also doubled.
The latter tried to stretch it into a triple, but was thrown out at third base.
It marked the end for Teller.
He was replaced by Junior Téllez, who was greeted with the third consecutive double, this time hit by Janior Montes, but he was left behind.
Oriientales lifted the lead to 7-2 by scoring another run in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Juan Carlos Torres led off with a single, moved when Donell Linares walked, then scored on a single by Yosvany Guerra.
A double play followed, but then Renato Morales delivered a single.
Guerra advanced to third base, but overran the base and was eliminated, ending the inning.
After Gigantes had left two runners in the top of the fifth inning, it got on base again in the sixth.
Yurendell de Caster led off with his second double and advanced on a grounder, but was left behind.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, poor defensive play by the Gigantes led to another run for Orientales.
Juan Carlos Torres led off with a single, which was followed by an outfield-error.
He then advanced on a single by Donell Linares.
When a bad throw towards third base followed, Torres was able to score.
That brought Linares to second base and while another throwing error followed, he was unable to move another base.
Another pitching change followed and new pitcher Douglas Solis retired the next three batters, but Orientales now was leading 8-2.
But the game was far from over!
...Yurendell de Caster was 3-for-6 tonight...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
In the top of the eighth inning, Gigantes rallied for four runs off of lefthanded starter Róger Luque to narrow the deficit to 8-6.
First, Wuillians Vásquez (there he is again!) led off with his fourth homerun of the series.
With two outs, Luis Allen Salazar and Dwight Britton both walked and scored on a following double by Ramón Flores.
Hereafter, Luque was relieved by Jorge Bucardo, who started with a walk for pinch-hitter Darrel Campbell.
Moments later, Flores stole third base, then scored when Anderson Féliz followed with a single.
Campbell advanced and later also stole third base, but a strikeout ended the at bat.
After Orientales was retired in order in the bottom of the eighth, they were one out away from victory when Gigantes struck.
Wuillians Vásquez led off with a walk.
Darwin Cubillán then was brought in as new pitcher and he retired the next two batters.
The Venezualan briefly played in the Major League, appearing in 56 games in three years for four different teams.
With two outs and Vásquez on first base, next batter Luis Allen Salazar drove the ball into leftfield for a 2-run homerun, tying the score at 8-8!
A strikeout ended the at bat, but it was a new ballgame.
Orientales got a chance to decide the game in its favor after all in the bottom of the ninth when all kinds of things happened.
Jonel Pacheco led off with a single off of Berman Espinoza, who had come on in the previous inning.
He retired the next two batters, but then gave up a single to Yosvany Guerra.
Moments later, a pick-off attempt to first base was done by catcher Luis Allen Salazar.
Guerra got into a rundown, then first baseman Yurendell de Caster threw the ball to third base in an attempt to eliminate Pacheco.
But in the end, everyone was safe.
Janior Montes then grounded up the middle where short stop Omar Obregón made an error.
However, Guerra overran second base.
Obregón went after him, made a tagging movement, but barely missed touching him.
The 2B Umpire made the right decision to rule him safe, but that led to some discussions.
A pop-fly ended the inning, leaving three runners behind.
And with that, the game went into extra innings for the second consecutive day.
More things happened in the top of the 10th nning.
Milton Benavides became the new pitcher for Orientales and retired the first two batters, but then gave up a single to Anderson Feliz.
Hereafter, Jimmy González reached on an error, with the ball jumping away from third baseman Ofilio Castro into foul territory.
There, the ball ended up near the border of the field.
As is custom in these games in Central and South America, several persons are standing on the field near the borders of the field towards the end of the game, including reporters, photographers, officials and police officers.
During the game, some cameramen and photographers are walking around in these areas near the dug-outs, but when a game approaches the end, it gets crowdier.
They are allowed to be on the field, as long as they are not interfering with the plays.
Castro picked up the ball between some of them.
Gigantes' Manager German Mesa argued and a heated discussion followed between him and the umpires.
The Cuban stated that his runners were entitled to an additional base, as the ball had become unplayable.
The umpires saw it differently (almost surely correctly) and in the end, Mesa was ejected.
The inning ended when González was forced out on a grounder by Wuillians Vásquez.
In the bottom of the 10th inning, Espinoza began by striking out pinch-hitter Moisés Flores.
Hereafter, a discussion followed between the Home Plate Umpire and Orientales' Manager Raul Marval.
Shortly thereafter, the Home Plate Umpire gave the 'P'-signal to the Official Scorer, which normally indicates a protest.
This was not understood in the press box and due to the loid noise in the stadium, he umpire was unable to add information verbally.
He then walk towards a cameraman, who was standing on the field, asking him to relay the information.
The protest probably was regarding the insertion of the pinch-hitter, who might not be announced.
When the game resumed again, José Campusano walked.
Next batter Ofilio Castro then lined out to short stop Omar Obregón.
While sitting on the ground, Obregón threw the ball to first baseman Yurendell de Caster for a double play-attempt.
A collission at first base followed.
De Caster injured his left leg, but was able to continue.
Initially, Campusano also returned to the base, but moments later, he was replaced by pinch-runner Darrel Walters.
He then advanced on a single by Jonel Pacheco, but a pop-fly then ended the inning.
As mentioned, all kinds of things happened in the final innings of this game.
In the top of the 11th inning, Rubén Mateo led off with a single.
The game was then suddenly halted and the next moment, a police officer was transported off the field on a stretcher, accompanied by three players of Orientales.
It is not known what happened.
During all games, there are some police officers inside the dug-out for security, as is the case in the American Major League.
When the game resumed, Yurendell de Caster singled.
Mark Joseph then entered the game as pinch-runner for Mateo and hereafter, the two runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Luis Allen Salazar.
With first base open, Dwight Britton was walked intentionally to set up a force play.
Pitcher Benavides followed with a strikeout, but then gave up a runscoring to Darrel Campbell that gave the Gigantes the lead for the first time in this game.
Benavides was then relieved by Roger Marín, who closed the inning with a strikeout.
In the bottom of the eleventh inning, Berman Espinoza retired the side to complete the remarkable come-from-behind victory of the Gigantes and ending the game after four hours and 24 minutes.
Related Articles:
 Orientales equals Nicaraguan Final with 13th inning win. (January 16)
Oriental narrow deficit by winning G3 Nicaraguan Final. (January 15)
Gigantes, De Caster also win Game 2 Nicaraguan Final. (January 13)
Gigantes open Nicaraguan Final with win; Former HCAW-player homers. (January 12)
Yurendell de Caster in Nicaraguan Final. (January 11)
Curt Smith moves into first place in Nicaragua with Tigres. (November 29)
Curt Smith homers in first game in Nicaragua. (November 27)
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Gigantes take lead in Nicaraguan Final with remarkable comeback-win
GRANADA (Nicaragua) -
The best-of-seven Champonship Final in the Liga de Béisbol Profesional Nacional in Nicaragua is full of drama and excitement.
So far, all games have been spectacular, but Game 5 on Sunday (January 17) was a remarkable one.
Gigantes de Rivas had won the first two games, then Orientales de Granada won the next two games to equal the series.
Both teams have won a game on the road.