Four of the 10 teams in the Spanish Baseball League swept weekend doubleheaders as competition moved into its third week of the national circuit. Carlos Sierra pitched a five-inning perfect game for Tenerife, which maintained its place as the only undefeated team in the SBL with a pair of blowouts. Meanwhile, Valencia kept pace at No. 2, surviving a solid Antorcha attack in the Saturday nightcap. San Inazio piled on the runs in its first victories of the year, while Barcelona ran its winning streak to four.
Highlights
Tenerife erased any doubts that it would be taking another run at the Spanish Baseball League title in 2022 with a dominant doubleheader sweep. Sierra was tremendous, needing only 54 pitches to retire all 15 batters he faced. Although Navarra hit two balls to the warning track in centerfield, only one other ball left the infield and Sierra sent four down on strikes.
On the offensive end, the first 10 Marlins to bat in the second reached base, with Wander Encarnación knocking the first three and himself in with mammoth grand slam to centre. Two batters later, Eduardo Moredo crushed his own cuadrangular, and the inning ended with 11 runners crossing home. Encarnación later ripped a two-run jack, finishing with seven ribbies in a 3-for-4 day, while Moredo matched the latter totals and added a double. Tenerife’s leadoff man is 11-for-22 on the season, with five of his hits falling for extra bases.
Navarra actually held the lead until the seventh in the second game between the clubs, but Ian Péres’ second leadoff homer of the game set the tone for the Canary Islanders, who rounded the bases nine times in the frame. Péres provided a respite for the final four baserunners of the seventh, who trotted home after Tenerife’s first baseman crushed a bases-clearing bomb. Péres was 4-for-6 with six runs, seven RBI, and 14 total bases for the day.
After tuning up with six singles, nine doubles, and a triple in an 11-10 victory over Miralbueno in the clubs’ opener, San Inazio crushed its hapless hosts 24-4 in Game 2. Incredibly, the runs were scored in only four innings.
Leopoldo Correa and Eduardo Blanco each homered and drove in five for the Ignatians, while the latter finished only a single short of the cycle from the seven-spot. Correa’s 5-for-9 effort actually lowered his season average to .571, second in the SBL. Fidel Torres added a pair of doubles to the team’s total of 16 extra base hits among its 35 total safeties, while 15 walks marred the hit parade.
Robert Decena turned in a huge performance for the Astros in the initial contest of its Valencia derby against Antorcha. The centerfielder singled and scored in the fourth, lashed a two-bagger down the left field line in the fifth, rapped a base-scoring hit in the sixth and came around to score again, and put an exclamation point on Valencia’s 14-2 thumping with a three-run tater in the seventh. Edison Valerio and Blake Ochoa also went yard for the victors.
After Lowuin Sacramento whiffed 10 in five shutout frames in the opener, Yulman Ribeiro continued Valencia’s strong run of starting pitching five one-run innings. Aside from a three-run blip in the second, Konsta Kurikka was solid for Antorcha, permitting only three of the ‘Stros four hits. The venerable Sacramento leads the Spanish Baseball League in ERA, having yet to surrender a run in 15 frames, striking out 43 percent of all opposing batters (23 strikeouts) against only a single free pass.
In a weekend with few solid pitching performances, Barcelona hosted multiple mound gems. Jorge Balboa was superb for Viladecans in its Saturday showdown with crosstown rivals Sant Boi. Balboa struck out 11 in seven shutout frames, permitting only two hits and a walk in the 8-1 victory. The right-hander is 3-0 with a 0.43 in his three starts for Vila, whiffing 28 and allowing only a .157 average, all but the ERA league-leading figures.
A day later, Alejandro Martín was nearly as good, allowing a single unearned run through six. With Eric Páez finishing with three hitless innings and six Ks, Viladecans ought to have been able to claim a sweep. However, the error-fueled run was the only marker of the game as Sergi Palma and Eric Izquierdo teamed up for the shutout, working around seven hits and five walks for the 1-0 win.
In the other sweep of the weekend, Barcelona scored nine runs in both ends of its doubleheader with Los Toros of Burlada (Nav.), with the two best pitching lines coming from relievers. In the first game, Remigio Leal entered in the top of the second with Toros on second and third and only one out and the game already at 4-4. The move paid off, with Leal working out of the jam and then hurling another five more shutout innings, sending down seven on strikes.
A day later, Francisco Kingsley kept the Navarrese men in the game with 6.1 solid frames, coming in from right field in the first inning with the score already 6-0 Barcelona despite no hits. Ángel Rivas was superb out of the leadoff spot for Barça, going 5-for-7 with three runs, three ribbies, a walk, and a stolen base over the two games.
Regular Season [Box Scores]
Week 3 (April 9-10)
Valencia 14 – Antorcha 2 (7)
Toros 5 – Barcelona 9
Tenerife 17 – Navarra 0 (5)
San Inazio 11 – Miralbueno 10
Valencia 4 – Antorcha 3
Toros 4 – Barcelona 9
Tenerife 13 – Navarra 5
San Inazio 24 – Miralbueno 4 (7)
Viladecans 8 – Sant Boi 1
Apr. 3: Sant Boi 1 – Viladecans 0
Upcoming Schedule
Week 4 (April 23-24)
Tenerife – Sant Boi
Viladecans – Antorcha
Valencia – Barcelona
San Inazio – Toros
Tenerife – Sant Boi
Viladecans – Antorcha
Valencia – Barcelona
Toros – San Inazio
Apr. 24: Miralbueno – Navarra
Apr. 24: Miralbueno – Navarra
Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB | H | A | L10 | Str | RF | RA | +/- |
| Tenerife Marlins PC | 5 | 0 | 1.000 | – | 2-0 | 3-0 | 5-0 | W5 | 68 | 17 | |
| CB Astros Valencia | 5 | 1 | .833 | .5 | 2-0 | 3-1 | 5-1 | W3 | 44 | 10 | |
| CB Viladecans | 4 | 2 | .667 | 1.5 | 3-1 | 1-1 | 4-2 | L1 | 43 | 12 | |
| CBS Barcelona | 4 | 2 | .333 | 1.5 | 4-0 | 0-2 | 4-2 | W4 | 42 | 45 | |
| Navarra | 2 | 2 | .500 | 2.5 | 2-2 | 0-0 | 2-2 | L2 | 26 | 38 | |
| CBS Sant Boi | 2 | 2 | .500 | 2.5 | 2-2 | 0-0 | 2-2 | W1 | 19 | 29 | |
| San Inazio | 2 | 3 | .400 | 3 | 0-1 | 2-2 | 2-3 | W2 | 53 | 46 | |
| CBS Antorcha | 2 | 4 | .333 | 3.5 | 2-2 | 0-2 | 2-4 | L2 | 35 | 54 | |
| CBS Miralbueno | 1 | 5 | .167 | 4.5 | 0-2 | 1-3 | 1-5 | L5 | 40 | 73 | |
| CBS Toros | 0 | 6 | .000 | 5.5 | 0-0 | 0-6 | 0-6 | L6 | 19 | 60 |