Update: Recaps for Sant Boi – FC Barcelona series added.
CB Sant Boi – FC Barcelona 6-0, 2-1
Game 1:
FCB 000 000 000 0 3 4 BOI 023 010 00X 6 12 0
In game one of the duel between undefeated teams in the Spanish Division de Honor on Saturday evening in front of 200 people in attendance, Sant Boi shut out Barcelona 6-0. Junior Guerra (W 3-0) and Jose Guanchez combined to allow just three hits and three walks. The former Mets prospect struck out seven in seven innings for the win.
The CB offense came through early, putting five runs on the board until the end of the third, deciding things early. Jose Luis Riera went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI doubles. Daniel Martinez reached base four times, scored once and drove in a run. Felix Isasi matched him for the FCB, collecting a single and three walks in four plate appearance. Only three of his teammates got on base too.
After three brilliant starts Jason Friedman (L 3-1) lasted just 2 1/3 innings, issuing five hits, four runs (2 ER) and a walk. However he also didn’t get much help from his defense since Barcelona committed a total of four errors in the game. Delio Miguel Martinez relieved him and struck out eight in 5 2/3 solid innings.
Game 2:
FCB 100 000 000 1 3 2 BOI 000 200 00X 2 8 3
Another strong pitching performance helped Sant Boi to complete the sweep over their local rivals. The FC Barcelona had the better start, taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, when Emmanuel Febles reached on a leadoff single and later scored on a sac fly by Jesus Golindano. But Sant Boi came back and scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth on a RBI double by Marc Carrillo and a RBI single by Jose Luis Riera. Afterwards they held on to the small lead and won by a score of 2-1.
Jose Estebin Cruz (W 3-0) struck out eight batters in seven innings, allowing two hits, an unearned run and four walks. Ruben Fente closed it out with a pair of scoreless innings. Pedro Pablo Belmonte (L 3-1) surrendered eight hits, two runs and three bb in eight innings. With the victory Sant Boi improved to 10-0, solidifying first place in the standings. Barcelona follows with a 6-2 record.
Astros Valencia – Baseball Navarra 3-4, 8-12
Game 1:
NAV 112 000 000 4 7 3 AST 000 030 000 3 7 3
Navarra started fast into game one of a doubleheader on Sunday in Valencia, scoring four runs in the first three innings, highlighted by solo homerun of Hector Perozo. Perozo also helped securing the 4-3 win on the mound. First he stopped the Astros from tying the game in the bottom of the fifth. Then he conceded just three hits the rest of the way, while striking out ten batters. Juan Jose Lopez started for Navarra, allowing four hits, three runs (1 ER) and four bb in 4 2/3 innings. John Scott Dunn (L 3-2) surrendered seven hits, four runs (3 ER) and a walk in nine innings. He struck out seven.
Game 2:
NAV 002 013 600 12 13 3 AST 013 040 000 8 11 4
In the second game Navarra had to overcome a 3-8 deficit after five innings en route to a 12-8 win. They decided the outcome by scoring six runs in the top of the seventh, including a big three-run homerun by Hector Perozo. Larry Infante and Juan Jose Lopez also went deep for the guest squad. Juan Miguel Marte scored three times. Kevin Malone (2-5, 3 RBI) and Eric Frank Cowes hit homeruns for the Astros. Sandel Cuevas added two RBI.
Navarra received another strong relief appearance, as Victor Martinez (W 1-0) gave up just one hit in the last 4 1/3 innings of the game. He followed Andres Casado and Armando Diego Perez on the mound. Jorge Gomez (L 0-2), who pitched in relief, was charged for the decisive six runs and the loss. Jordi Valles had issued five hits, three runs (2 ER) and two bb in a 4 1/3 inning start.
Halcones de Vigo – Tenerife Marlins Puerto Cruz 4-5 (10), 0-10
Game 1:
MPC 020 000 000 3 5 10 0 VIG 001 000 001 2 4 6 1
The Tenerife Marlins ended their four-game losing streak with a sweep in Vigo. But it wasn’t easy. In game one Halcones forced an extra inning through a Marco Marques solo homerun with one out in the bottom of the ninth.
In the tenth the IBAF extra inning rule went into effect. After Ruben Rijkhof scored on a wild pitch, Richard Montiel came through with a two-run single to put Puerto Cruz up in front by three runs. Vigo tried to come back, but only managed a two-run double by Marcos Trillo to lose 4-5.
One the mound both starting pitchers went the distance. Leslie Nacar (W 3-2) allowed six hits, four runs (2 ER) and five walks, while striking out twelve. Roman Carrasco (L 0-1) also picked up twelve Ks and surrendered five runs (3 ER) on ten hits and four bb.
Game 2:
MPC 001 002 025 10 11 0 VIG 000 000 000 0 3 1
In the second match Tenerife blew a close game open with seven runs in the last two frames in a 10-0 shutout. Ivan Granados (W 3-2) had allowed 18 runs (13 ER) in his last two starts, but rebounded nicely against Vigo. He issued just three hits and two walks in eight scoreless innings, striking out twelve. Jorge Balboa closed it out by striking out the side in the ninth.
Ruben Rijkhof and Jacobo Jose Garrido had two RBI apiece. Luis Landaeta drove in three. Henfel Delgado had two of the three hits for Halcones. Diego Corvalan (L 0-3) gave up seven hits, five runs and seven walks in 7 1/3 innings.
El Llano – San Inazio Bilbao 4-9, 1-14 (7)
Game 1:
INA 000 004 005 9 12 3 LLA 100 001 020 4 10 4
After a lot of uncertainty during the winter, El Llano is the underdog in each game in the 2010 season of the Division de Honor. On Sunday at home in Gijon they nearly surprised San Inazio in game one of a doubleheader.
Bilbao needed a five-run rally in the top of the ninth to seal a 9-4 win. El Llano overcame a 1-4 deficit and tied the game in the bottom of the eighth on a RBI double by Elvis Polanco and a RBI groundout by Juan Garcia. San Inazio didn’t panic and regained the lead on a bases loaded one-out walk by Carlos Vicario. Four more runs scored.
Asier Izaguirre, Aitor Rubio and Ivan Roman drove in two each for Bilbao. Juan Fernandez had three hits for El Llano. Fidel Torres Mane (W 2-3) allowed ten hits, four runs (1 ER) and three walks in a complete game victory. He struck out twelve. Elvis Polanco (L 0-1) was responsible for the loss, giving up the five-run rally in relief of starter Yasiel Pino.
Game 2:
INA 330 251 0 14 17 2 LLA 000 100 0 1 4 4
San Inazio didn’t waste any time in the second match, returning to the .500 mark with an easy 14-1 win. They scored in five of the first six innings, ending the game early due to ten-run rule after the seventh. Tony Granadillo had his best game in the Division de Honor, going 5-for-5 with two doubles, four runs scored and a RBI. Asier Izaguirre collected four hits. Ruben Cabrera and Kelvin Marianucci combined for six RBI.
Alberto Magallon started and allowed just one unearned run on four hits and a walk. He didn’t receive the win, as he didn’t last five innings. Andoni Ortiz (W 1-0) picked it up with three perfect frames, striking out six. Marcos Pineiro (L 0-1) allowed two hits, three unearned runs and two walks, while managing just one out in the opening period. Relievers Jose Bailon, Ivan Martin and Carlos Lopez couldn’t stop the bleeding either.
CD Pamplona – CB Viladecans 1-3, 12-11
Game 1:
VIL 000 100 101 3 7 1 PAM 001 000 000 1 7 3
Pol Llopis (W 2-2) struck out twelve batters in a nine-inning complete game, leading Viladecans to a 3-1 victory at CD Pamplona on Saturday evening. He allowed just a third-inning run on seven hits and a walk overall. David Porcar scored the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh on an error. Miguel Catalan drove in an insurance run in the ninth.
Former Minor Leaguer Denny Nino had tied the game for CB in the top of the fourth with a solo homerun. Fernando Pelaez had put CD in front in the third on a RBI single by Urtzi Martorell. Marcos Castillo (L 1-4) issued seven hits and three runs (2 ER) in nine innings for the loss. He struck out eleven.
Game 2:
VIL 110 044 100 11 13 3 PAM 110 414 01X 12 13 2
While game one was dominated by pitching, both offenses took over in the second part of the series on Sunday morning. After battling back and forth it was an eight-inning run by Fernando Pelaez, who scored due to a balk call against CB’s reliever Aderly Grullon, which decided the outcome in favor of Pamplona. Urtzi Martorell (W 1-0) pitched around a two-out single in the ninth to secure the 12-11 win.
Eduardo Arrondo went 3-for-4 with four RBI. Gabriel Ernesto Guerrero collected three hits, two doubles, two runs and two RBI for the home team. Felix Cano Jr. and Miguel Catalan combined for five RBI for Viladecans. Ferran Dominguez (L 0-1) took the loss in relief of Marc Jodar and Jose Martin. Juan Redin started for Pamplona.
Standings Division de Honor:
- CB Sant Boi 10-0
- FC Barcelona 6-2
- Baseball Navarra 7-3
- Tenerife Marlins Puerto Cruz 6-4
- San Inazio Bilbao 5-5
- Astros Valencia 4-6
- CD Pamplona 4-6
- CB Viladecans 3-7
- Halcones de Vigo 2-5
- El Llano 0-9
Photo: © Diego Lazaro