Vizcaíno, Mejía contribute in Licey no-hitter

That’s how you keep an opposing lineup’s bats cool in winter ball.

Tigres del Licey found the formula in thrilling fashion Tuesday night, when five pitchers combined to no-hit a Toros del Este team featuring three ranked prospects in its 2-0 victory in the Dominican Winter League.

Left-hander Elniery Garcia did the heavy lifting, fanning seven and not allowing a baserunner over five innings in relief of Lisalverto Bonilla’s one-inning start. A trio of relievers then clamped down the final nine outs, with former Braves closer Arodys Vizcaíno, Brewers righty J.C. Mejía and Jairo Asencio all logging scoreless innings in the effort.

Mejía, who appeared in two games for Milwaukee in 2022, struck out the side in the eighth and Ascencio retired Red Sox No. 18 prospect Enmanuel Valdez and Brewers No. 8 prospect Esteury Ruiz in the ninth to lock down the last two outs. Asencio last appeared in the Majors with the Orioles in 2013, while Vizcaíno made a comeback with the Royals last season, logging seven appearances for Kansas City.

On Tuesday, they combined to hold the Toros to one baserunner, which came when Bonilla issued a one-out walk to Wendell Rijo in the first. Bonilla retired the next hitter, Marlins outfielder Jesús Sánchez, and the next 25 Toros batters went down in order. The Tigres’ runs came on a solo home run from Twins farmhand Jair Camargo and a Trenton Brooks sac fly. Reds top prospect Elly De La Cruz also chipped in offensively, with a hit and a walk. The 20-year-old, ranked the 14th-best prospect in baseball, keeps putting on a show playing mostly second base in winter ball, hitting .400 with a 1.135 OPS so far on the circuit.