Comerío ends a 23-year drought: Pescadores sweep Yabucoa to win the Doble A championship
Comerío is celebrating, and with good reason. The Pescadores del Plata were crowned national champions of the Liga de Béisbol Superior Doble A on Saturday night, August 22, beating the Azucareros de Yabucoa 2-1 at Yldefonso Solá Morales Stadium in Caguas to complete a 4-0 sweep of the Championship Series in front of more than 4,100 fans 1. The title is only the second in franchise history and the first since 2003, ending a 23-year wait that several generations of Comerío faithful carried on their shoulders 1.
The star of the night, and of the entire series, was left-hander Luis Leroy Cruz. The pitcher threw his second complete game of the final and was untouchable: 11 strikeouts, a single walk and just one hit allowed, Jan Hernández's solo home run in the third inning that put Yabucoa up 1-0 1. Comerío tied it in the fifth on Wilson Agosto's RBI single and took the lead in the sixth, when Luis Fernando Colón delivered the single that brought Kevin Ayala home with the championship run 1. Cruz, who finished the series with 26 strikeouts and a 1.00 ERA, was named Most Valuable Player of the final 1.
Where this story comes from
The entire 2026 Championship Series was played in Caguas, with Yldefonso Solá Morales serving as a neutral site for both teams. Comerío reached this final for the first time in 23 years and made it clear from game one that they were not there to sightsee 3. That opener was pure drama: on Friday, August 14, the Pescadores won 5-4 in 11 innings before more than 4,500 fans, with a game-tying single by José Ortiz and the decisive hit by Kevin Bermúdez on a 1-2 count against reliever Marcos Santa 3. Héctor Hernández carried eight innings of one-run, five-strikeout ball in that first game 3.
In game two, Cruz gave the first warning of what was coming: a complete game with 15 strikeouts, no walks and just five hits in a 5-2 win that made the series 2-0 4. When the final resumed on Friday, Comerío won 5-1 behind another pitching gem, this time from Héctor Hernández with seven innings and eight strikeouts, plus a two-run double by José 'Pocholo' Rivera in the fifth and a two-run single by Kevin Millet in the seventh, before more than 4,000 people 2. With the table set at 3-0, Cruz closed the book on Saturday with his second masterpiece 1.
The numbers behind the sweep
The data tells the story of Comerío's dominance on its own. A 4-0 sweep, the first in a Doble A Championship Series since 2012 1. Final scores of 5-4 (11 innings), 5-2, 5-1 and 2-1 1234. Cruz: two complete games, 26 strikeouts, a 1.00 ERA and the MVP award 1. Yabucoa managed only eight runs in four games, and in the deciding game their entire offense was Jan Hernández's solo homer, the only hit Cruz allowed 1. Attendance in Caguas stayed above 4,000 fans per game, peaking at 4,500 for the opener 123.
What it means for you
If you are from Comerío, this is pure history: a mountain town that had been waiting since 2003 finally has a national champion again, and that translates into a victory caravan, a town-wide party and an emotional and economic boost for local businesses. If you follow Doble A from any other municipality, the takeaway is that this league remains one of the liveliest in the country: packed stadiums in Caguas, first-class pitching and finals decided by inches. And if scouting is your thing, write down the name Luis Leroy Cruz, because a championship series with 26 strikeouts and a 1.00 ERA does not come along every year.
How to do it / Checklist
- Watch the official social media accounts of the Pescadores del Plata and the Liga Doble A for the date and route of the championship caravan in Comerío.
- If you want to relive the final, look for game replays on the league's official broadcasts on Facebook and YouTube.
- Visit beisboldobleapr.com for the official schedule and announcements for the 2027 season 1.
- If you have never been to a Doble A game, plan a trip to Yldefonso Solá Morales in Caguas or your hometown ballpark next season: tickets usually cost just a few dollars and the atmosphere is first-rate.
- Follow the sports coverage of Primera Hora, NotiCel and El Nuevo Día for award ceremonies and postseason moves.
What comes next
Comerío now shifts into celebration mode, with the award ceremonies and the town festivities that come with every Doble A championship. Then comes the hard part: defending the crown in the 2027 season, with Cruz established as the league's premier pitcher and a core that blended veterans and youth throughout the postseason 1. Yabucoa leaves with a thorn in its side but with a team that won its section and reached the final, so no one should be surprised if the Azucareros are back in the hunt next year 2. Doble A baseball closes its 2026 season with full stadiums and a new champion, a sign that hometown baseball is more alive than ever.
Sources
- Primera Hora — Los Pescadores acaban con una sequía de 23 años al ganar el campeonato nacional de la Doble A
- NotiCel — Los Pescadores del Plata se colocan a las puertas del campeonato
- El Nuevo Día — Comerío abre ganando la final del Béisbol Doble A con un triunfo sobre Yabucoa en 11 entradas
- Wapa Deportes — Leroy Cruz domina con 15 ponches y Comerío toma dominio 2-0 en la Serie Final de la Doble A
Sources
Reported by the CoquiList Newsroom · Facts backed by the sources cited above
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