by Pim van Nes
Last night two European players reached headlines in American Minor League games:
Dutch outfielder Roger Bernadina hit his first homerun in the new season with all bases loaded. His grand slam is more remarkable, because Bernadina is known as a speedy base runner and most of his hits are singles and a few doubles. Yesterday in Harrisburg, when his SENATORS were trailing 3-4 in the sixth inning of their Double A home game versus NEW HAMPSHIRE, aware of two outs, Bernadina understood it was all or nothing. So it was all for the SENATORS gaining the first lead in the game 7-4. After eight-and-a-half innings the victory stayed at home with 8-4 for SENATORS. Roger Bernadina improved his batting average to .255 thanks to yesterday’s two hits in five at-bats.
Italian pitcher Alessandro Maestri, this year debuting in the Minors as a starter for his DAYTONA CUBS, kept home team PALM BEACH scoreless during his first six innings. In Class A Advanced Maestri started his third game, which were all won by his team. As a pitcher he is now at 1-0. The first game lasted less than five innings for Maestri. Though he left a lead for his reliever, the pitcher’s win went to one of his teammates on the mound. His second outing lasted long enough to get the win awarded. Yesterday the CUBS winning run was scored only in the tenth inning. Maestri combined in the 1-0 shutout in Palm Beach, striking out four, walking one and conceding only two hits in six innings. His season’s ERA went down to 1.15. He has struck out twelve (six walks) in 15.2 innings pitched.
Pim van Nes
Baseball writer for
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