Leones del Escogido from the Dominican Republic edged out Federales de Chiriquí from Panama 16-15 on the fourth day of the 2026 Caribbean Series, setting a new tournament record for combined runs in a game. The Dominican team remains undefeated and advances to the semifinals, while Panama's qualification hopes falter.
The 2026 Caribbean Series, held in Jalisco, Mexico, featured an exhilarating fourth day matchup between undefeated Dominican Republic and bottom-standing Panama. Leones del Escogido staged multiple comebacks to defeat Federales de Chiriquí 16-15 in a game brimming with drama and offensive rallies.
The contest shattered the previous record of 23 combined runs set in 2023 (20-3 between Leones de Caracas and Agricultores de Cuba), totaling 31 runs and surpassing the iconic 28-0 from Naranjeros de Hermosillo over Senadores de San Juan in 1990. It marked the highest-scoring game since 2007.
Starting in the second inning, Franchy Cordero tied it at 2-2, Marco Hernández added two more, and Erik González capped a rally. Lead changes persisted with strong hitting from both teams. In the eighth, the Dominican Republic extended to 16-14 on hits by Marco Hernández and Gustavo Núñez.
Panama mounted a late threat in the ninth, with Erasmo Caballero's line drive and Johnny Santos driving in the 15th run, but the Dominican third baseman executed a 6-3 double play to secure the win. Cordero earned MVP honors with a 4-for-4 performance and four RBIs.
This marked the Dominican Republic's third win in three games; they hadn't allowed 12 runs since 2018. Panama scored a tournament-high 15 for them since 1960. The Panamanians now need a win over Puerto Rico and favorable results to advance.
