What Happened
Bocas del Toro responded with authority on Tuesday night, defeating Colón 7-2 at Calvin Byron Stadium in Changuinola to level their semifinal series in the 2026 National Major Baseball Championship. The defending champions turned the game around with a decisive sixth-inning rally after Colón briefly took control.
Colón opened the scoring in the fifth inning when Jesús López delivered an RBI single that brought Edgar Muñoz home. Bocas del Toro answered quickly, seizing momentum in the bottom of the sixth with a string of key hits that flipped the scoreboard and put the home team ahead for good.
The Turning Point
The decisive inning featured consecutive singles from Nicaraguan hitter Melvin Novoa, Yeremy Lezcano and Jonathan Mendoza, each helping drive in runs during the comeback. That burst gave Bocas del Toro a 4-2 lead at the moment and shifted the pressure firmly onto Colón.
The Bocatoreño offense stayed active the rest of the night, finishing with 12 hits and continuing to build on its advantage. Novoa led the lineup with a 3-for-4 performance, while Mendoza and Edwin Walden each drove in two runs. Lezcano also contributed two hits in a balanced attack.
Pitching Holds the Lead
On the mound, Enrique Saldaña delivered 5 2/3 innings for Bocas del Toro, allowing five hits and two runs, one earned, while striking out nine. Jezler Báules then shut down Colón over the final 3 1/3 innings, holding the visitors without a hit and striking out seven.
Colón starter Harold Arauz also pitched well but took the loss after working 5 2/3 innings, allowing seven hits and four runs while striking out eight without issuing a walk. The Colonense offense managed only five hits in the game, with Anmi Ortega going 2-for-4 and Jesús López driving in the team’s lone run.
What Comes Next
The series now pauses for a rest day on Wednesday before resuming Thursday at Roberto Mariano Bula Stadium in Colón. With the semifinal tied, both teams will look to take control in what remains a closely contested matchup between two of the country’s top baseball clubs.