European Cup Matino: Fortitudo Bologna – FC Barcelona 2-1
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FORTITUDO BOLOGNA won a pitching dominated duel 2-1 against the FC BARCELONA in Matino on Saturday and qualified as second team besides L&D AMSTERDAM for the European Champions Cup in Barcelona (June 20/21).
The Italian Baseball League club decided the outcome in the bottom of the seventh, plating the winning run thanks to a throwing error by catcher Orlando Diaz. Juan Infante, who had reached base with a single, scored all the way from first on the sac bunt try by Giovanni Pantaleoni, as Diaz threw the ball away.
BARCELONA had tied the contest in the top of the frame through a RBI single by Jorge Miqueleiz. The Catalonian corner infielder later was thrown out at the plate by center fielder Eddy Garabito, trying to score from third on a flyout. Joseph Mazzuca had put FORTITUDO up in front with a RBI single in the sixth.
Jesus Matos (W 1-0) got the win for eight brilliant innings. He no-hit BARCA for the first five innings and allowed four hits, a run and two walks overall. He struck out nine. Fabio Milano closed it out in the ninth, pitching around a leadoff double by Jason Friedman. Pedro Belmonte (L 0-1) took the loss, inducing six hits, two runs (1 ER) and four bb in eight innings.