The Toritos de Cayey beat the Peces Voladores de Salinas in seven games to win the 2022 edition of the Superior Puerto Rican Double-A League.
It was the third consecutive time that the final series ended in seven games.
Toritos won the rubber game, 7-2 in front of 5,000 fans.
They took the lead scoring four runs in 2.2 innings against starter Yadier Rolon and didn't look back.
Left-hander José Carlos Burgos went 7.1 innings and earned the win. His brother Juan Carlos, also a lefty, took care of the final five outs.
All the results
Peces Voladores-Toritos 4-2 (15 innings)
Peces Voladores-Toritos 7-4
Toritos-Peces Voladores 2-0
Toritos-Peces Voladores 4-2
Toritos-Peces Voladores 6-4
Peces Voladores-Toritos 4-2
Toritos-Peces Voladores 7-2
The Toritos won for the second time in the last four editions. They succeeded the Grises de Humacao. Juan Igor Gonzalez managed both teams to the title, becoming the second manager to win back-to-back titles with different clubs after Victor Vitin Melendez, who led Manati (1972) and Vega Baja (1973) to the league honours.
"We deserved to win. I feel privileged.," commented Gonzalez. "We made history."
Kelvin Perez earned MVP honours.
"This final series was a great way to end a season full of wonderful stories," commented Puerto Rican Federation president José Quiles Rosas. "This league showcased the level of baseball the Puerto Rican fans deserve."
The baseball season has more to offer in Puerto Rico. The women's Double-A league opened last weekend.
Eight teams are participating in the 2022 season. First-year clubs Ladies Yankees de Guánica, Petroleras de Peñuelas and Vejigantes de Ponce joined the defending champions Lobas de Arecibo, the runner up Artesanas de Las Piedras, the Maceteras de Vega Alta, Poetas de Juana Díaz and Cafeteras de Yauco.
Each team will compete in a 14-game regular season, after which the top four finishers will advance to the play offs. The semifinals and finals will be a best-of-three series.
