El Llano – Marlins Puerto Cruz 0-9, 5-6
MPC 210 600 000 9 15 2 LLA 000 000 000 0 4 3 MPC 320 010 000 6 11 5 LLA 101 200 100 5 12 3
After struggling at the beginning of the season the MARLINS are back on track and they practically closed the gap to the first-ranked clubs SANT BOI and BARCELONA in the standings. They swept the series against EL LLANO and are now 9-3.
Leslie Nacar led them to 9-0 shutout in game one. He threw eight scoreless innings, allowing just three hits, while striking out one. Daniel Martinez was 2-for-4 with two runs and three RBI. Dewis Navarro drove in two. Elvis Polanco got the start for the team from Gijon and gave up ten hits, nine runs (8 ER) and a walk in 3 1/3 innings.
The second game was more thrilling, as EL LLANO cut the deficit a few times, but was not able to convert chances to tie the contest. Ivan Granados pitched six solid innings for the win. He was charged with eight hits, four runs (1 ER) and three walks. PUERTO CRUZ slugger Richard Montiel delivered on the offensive side. He hit a three-run homerun in the first and had three hits total. Ariel Ledesma started for the suspended Miguel Rizo and took the loss after 4.2 innings pitched, eight hits, six runs (3 ER) and four base on balls.
Rizo, who attacked an umpire a week ago, is at least suspended for a month, until a final decision about his status is made.
FC Barcelona – San Inazio Bilbao 7-2, 1-2 (11)
INA 000 001 001 2 4 1 FCB 301 300 00X 7 13 1 INA 100 000 000 01 2 5 1 FCB 010 000 000 00 1 11 0
First-ranked BARCELONA had to settle for a split at home against SAN INAZIO. They won the first match by a score of 7-2. Jesus Golindano had three hits, three RBI and two runs scored in the game. He also ran all the way to home after hitting a double into right field, when Tomas Zuazola made a throwing error. Lets put it that way: it was an inside-the-parker assisted by the defense. Miguel Mora drove in two. Juan Salazar scored three times. Homer Baez pitched 5 2/3 one-hit innings, walking two and striking out six. Joan Lopez was responsible for ten hits, seven runs and a bb in four innings, as he lost the game.
The second part of the twin bill was a eleven inning nail biter. BILBAO scored the winning run in the second extra inning on a bases loaded walk by Carlos Vicario. BARCELONA tried to come back in the bottom of the frame, but Jordi Valles struck out looking with two runners in scoring position. Pedro Belmonte started for SAN INAZIO. He allowed nine hits, a run and three walks in nine innings. Jorge Balboa opposed him and was conceded three hits, an unearned run and five bb in eight periods. Sergio Acha received the win. Andoni Ortiz took the loss.
CD Pamplona – Baseball Navarra 3-15, 3-15
NAV 006 300 6 15 17 1 PAM 200 010 0 3 8 2 NAV 010 230 414 15 15 2 PAM 000 030 000 3 5 3
Last weekend at Burlada the newly found BASEBALL NAVARRA faced their local rivals from CD PAMPLONA and crushed them twice by a score of 15-3. In the first match they used two six-run innings to decide the outcome. Juan Jose Lopez hit a homerun, scored three times and drove in four. Javier Zabalza had three RBI. Raul Aristu was four-for-five with two RBI. German Arroyo threw only four innings and struck out eight. Juan Jose Lopez received the win for three relief innings. Alexis Fumero was charged with eight hits, nine runs and four bb in 3 1/3 innings.
The second game on Sunday morning was as lopsided as the first one. Juan Jose Lopez even topped his great performance from Saturday. He hit two homeruns, scored five runs and drove in four again. Gorka Andueza had four hits and two RBI. Alberto Espanol pitched five solid innings for the win. Alberto Casanellas took the loss after giving up nine hits, ten runs (4 ER) and three walks in 6 2/3 innings.
Astros Valencia – CB Viladecans 0-5, 2-3
VIL 400 000 100 5 7 0 AST 000 000 000 0 3 8 VIL 001 000 002 3 7 3 AST 000 000 011 2 7 2
The ASTROS still have to wait for their first victory of the season. VILADECANS beat them twice and closed the gap to the teams ranked sixth and seventh in the standings. They scored four fast runs in the first match to decide the outcome early. Felix Cano had the big hit with a two-run double. They added a fifth run in the seventh and celebrated a shutout, which could have been more lopsided, as VALENCIA made eight errors. However they hero of the day was starter Yulman Ribeiro who struck out 16 in a three-hit-one-walk complete game shutout. Norman Nelson Cowes allowed three hits, four runs (2 ER) and a bb in four innings to lose his fourth game of the season.
The score in the second part of the doubleheader was much closer. Camilo Gonzalez provided the winning runs in the top of the ninth with a two-run shot over the fence in right field. The ASTROS had tied the match an inning earlier through a RBI groundout by Edward Vasquez and cut the deficit in the bottom of the ninth to a run on a homerun by Eric Frank Cowes. But it was too little too late. Alberto Magallon gave up two runs (1 ER) on eight hits in a complete game victory. Jorge Gomez matched him for most of the game and took the hard luck loss. He was charged with seven hits, three runs (2 ER) and two bb in nine innings as well.
CB SANT BOI had a bye last weekend.
Photo: © Didac Lazaro