The 75th season of winter baseball in Puerto Rico closed with the Santurce Crabbers capturing their 13th league title and first since 2000. A curious note indeed in that was the last year Puerto Rico won the Serie de Caribe, which will be played in February in Puerto Rico.
The Crabbers defeated Mayaguez 5 to 3 and clinched the final series in six games coming from 1-0 and 2-1 deficits to tie it twice before winning two in a row to crown its championship and will represent Puerto Rico in the upcoming Caribbean Series. The MVP of the series is Jorge Padilla, whose double with the bases loaded clinched matters.
But Santurce did not feel safe until its bullpen closed matters.
“The game is not over until the number 27 is out”
as veteran reliever and former New York Yankee Jonathan Albaladejo and Fernando Cabrera confirmed by finishing off Mayaguez, who finished second at 22-16 and 8-5 in the round robin qualifying for the final series. Santurce, who was third in the season, finished first in the round robin at 8-4 to gain entry to the finals and its eventual six game victory.
