Baseball fans stunned by memorable walk-off to give Licey 23rd Dominican title

"Licey Campeon!" was the chant reverberating around the Estadio Quisqueya Juan Marichal stadium after the club won their record 23rd championship. The team from Santo Domingo celebrated a historic 2-1 win on Wednesday night. Tigres del Licey defeated Estrellas Orientales to win the LIDOM championship in five games.

In a tightly contested game, it took extra innings to separate the two sides. After a back-and-forth battle, the teams remained deadlocked. Mel Rojas Jr. stepped up to play the role of the hero late in the game. Rojas Jr., who has bounced around the minors, will be remembered for years to come after a crucial walk-off in the bottom of the 10th.

Baseball fans took to Twitter to discuss the magical walk-off that sealed the Dominican Winter League title.

Although Estrellas had more hits, they were unable to capitalize on their chances. The team from San Pedro de Macoris fell short of their fifth championship, and their first since 2019.

The turning point in this game came in the fifth inning when former MLB star Robinson Cano tried to race home from first base on a double. A miscalculation from the former New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners star ended up costing Estrellas.

Tigres del Licey won a Dominican Winter League record 23rd championship off a Mel Rojas Jr. walk-off

Outfielder Rojas Jr. Mel #24 of Kt Wiz bats during the KBO League game in Incheon, South Korea.

Rojas Jr.'s hooked shot to right field will go down in Tigres history. The 32-year-old was signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates but has not been able to make the jump to the MLB.

Licey is regarded as one of the biggest and most well-supported teams in the Dominican Republic. They now have the championships to back up the talk. The 23rd championship places Licey in a league of their own, overtaking rival Aguilas Cibaenas. Aguilas stands at 22 titles, with third-place Leones del Escogido at 16 titles.