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Baseball: Hara pitches Swallows past rival Giants

April 8, 2022 (Mainichi Japan)

TOKYO (Kyodo) --

Juri Hara allowed two runs while pitching into the seventh inning as the Yakult Swallows beat their Tokyo rivals, the Yomiuri Giants, 7-2 in the Central League Friday.

Hara (1-1) scattered two walks and six hits over 6-1/3 innings, while Munetaka Murakami scored three runs and drove in one for the defending CL champions at Tokyo Dome. Rookie Swallows shortstop Hideki Nagaoka doubled in Murakami in the second inning to give the visitors the lead for good.

Giants ace Tomoyuki Sugano (2-1) allowed four runs in four-plus innings. He had to be helped off the field in the fifth after Norichika Aoki lashed a single off his right foot.

"The Giants beat us three straight at Jingu Stadium, and we wanted to get some payback," Swallows manager Shingo Takatsu said. "Our opponent is a very difficult pitcher to solve, so I want to credit our hitters for having a good approach."

The CL's DeNA BayStars, who canceled Thursday's game against the Hanshin Tigers due to coronavirus infections within their team, have also canceled this weekend's home series against the Chunichi Dragons.

Elsewhere, the Hiroshima Carp and Tigers played to a 3-3, 12-inning tie.

In the Pacific League, the SoftBank Hawks won their second straight after suffering their first loss of the season on Wednesday, clobbering the Seibu Lions 8-1, while the Lotte Marines shut out the Orix Buffaloes 5-0, and the Rakuten Eagles blanked the Nippon Ham Fighters 3-0.

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Alazanes sweep, Pedro Álvarez with nine wins in 61 SNB

Granma defeated the Elefantes de Cienfuegos 6-1 supported by third baseman Osvaldo Abreu.


Taken from ACN

Thursday, April 07, 2022 09:49 PM

Havana.-

Granma made the only sweep in their series today and Pedro Álvarez (IND) reached nine victories, to steal the headlines of the LXI National Baseball Series , which dropped the curtains on the twentieth subseries .

In their hometown of the Mártires Stadium in Barbados, the Alazanes from Granma defeated the Elefantes (Cienfuegos) 6-1, supported by third baseman Osvaldo Abreu, who was 3-4 with triple, double and a an RBI.

Fifth win for veteran left-hander Leandro Martínez, who pitched 5.0 innings to the beat of five hits and four strikeouts, while Kelbis Rodríguez went an excellent four-innings in relief with just two singles, to earn his fourth save.

Meanwhile, the right-hander of the Industrialists Pedro Álvarez silenced the powerful Camagüey offense, and only allowed six hits in eight innings, not only to win 3-1, but also to obtain his ninth victory of the season, with which he tied Hermes González from Cienfuegos in that category.

The Industriales had been handcuffed by the pitches from right-hander Frank Madam and were losing 0-1 by the ninth inning, when they produced the decisive three-run rally highlighted by Jorge Aloma's home run. Álvarez was followed by Erick Cristián González in relief who pitched a perfect ninth inning.

Artemisa prevailed 11-9 against the league leading Sancti Spíritus, supported by an offense of 14 hits highlighted byr third baseman Dayán García, who went 4-5 with a home run, double and six RBI, to support Geonel's Gutierrez sixth win..

Sancti Spiritus were extremely unproductive and left 13 runners on the bases with 14 hits, Artemisa's pitchers gave up eight walks and the Cazadores team made three errors.

Ciego de Ávila beat Pinar del Río 11-7 highlighte by catcher Alfredo Fadraga's league leading15th homer.

Mayabeque 8-3 over Guantánamo.Yadian Martínez pitched a complete game.

Villa Clara beat Holguín 7-6.

Isla de la Juventud 7-3 over Las Tunas.

Santiago de Cuba 12-4 over Matanzas.

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Roki Sasaki of the Chiba Lotte Marines held up a towel that said, “Believe,” after striking out 19 batters in a perfect game against the Orix Buffaloes on Sunday.Credit...Kyodo News, via Associated Press

Japan’s Perfect Game Drought Ends With a 19-Strikeout Masterpiece

Roki Sasaki, 20, pitched the first perfect game in Nippon Professional Baseball in 28 years. But don’t expect to see him in M.L.B. anytime soon.

By Victor Mather
April 11, 2022

Roki Sasaki’s perfect game was a long time coming, the first in the Japanese majors since 1994. But the wait turned out to be worth it. Sasaki struck out 19 of the 27 men he faced, completing what would have to be described as one of the greatest games ever pitched.

The 6-0 victory for the Chiba Lotte Marines over the Orix Buffaloes on Sunday did not only break the Japanese record for strikeouts in a perfect game, but it also far surpassed the major league mark of 14 by Matt Cain of the Giants in 2012 and Sandy Koufax for the Dodgers in 1965.

Sasaki, 20, struck out the third batter he faced in the first inning, then struck out the side in the second, third, fourth and fifth innings. The 13 consecutive strikeouts is a Japanese baseball record. The equivalent Major League Baseball record for any game is 10 and shared by Tom Seaver, Aaron Nola and Corbin Burn

https://twitter.com/i/status/1513121664556580871

Roki Sasaki, 20, pitched the first perfect game in Nippon Professional Baseball in 28 years.

It was the first complete game of Sasaki’s young career, and even with the high strikeout total it required only 105 pitches.

“The big thing today was getting ahead in counts, being able to throw strikes,” Sasaki told Kyodo News. “Now I want to do my best to pitch well next time.”

He fanned Masataka Yoshida, the Buffaloes’ designated hitter, three times. Yoshida had struck out only 26 times last season, the lowest total for regular players. “I got beaten completely,” he told The Asahi Shimbun. “There was no point of contact.”

Surely, the youthful Sasaki benefited from a wise old hand at catcher. Not exactly. His backstop, Ko Matsukawa, is only 18.


Sasaki’s masterpiece included a stretch in which he struck out 13 consecutive batters.Credit...Kyodo News, via Associated Press

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Sasaki celebrated with his teammate Leonys Martin, a nine-year major league veteran.Credit...Kyodo News, via Associated Press

Major League Baseball has a perfect game shortage of its own, although not nearly as long as Japan’s 28-year drought before Sasaki. There were nine perfect games in the majors from 1998 to 2012, but none since.

Of course, sticklers will point out that Sasaki’s game could have been better: Eight guys actually avoided striking out.

The University of North Texas softball pitcher Hope Trautwein fanned 21 of 21 in an N.C.A.A. game last year.

And in 1952, Ron Necciai struck out 27 batters in a nine-inning no-hitter in the Class D minor leagues for the Bristol Twins against the Welch Miners. He also had a 24-strikeout game in the minors, but rotator cuff problems limited him to a handful of major league games.

Last year, as a teenager, Sasaki made his debut in the Japanese majors with a 4-2 record and a 1.84 E.R.A. in 16 games. That and his 100-mile-an-hour fastball have enticed American scouts, but it is likely to be a while until he suits up in M.L.B.

Because of an agreement between M.L.B. and Nippon Professional Baseball, Japanese players who have signed with a club there do not reach free agency until they have nine years of professional service. Before then, players are subject to both the complicated posting system, which carries with it a series of restrictions and built-in fees, and also the international bonus pool, which caps the amount a team can spend on players born outside the United States until they are 25 and have played six years of professional baseball.

Sasaki, in his second pro year, will have to wait.

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Baseball: Perfect game pitcher Roki Sasaki has moved on from historic night

April 11, 2022 (Mainichi Japan)

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The Lotte Marines 20-year-old pitcher Roki Sasaki said he enjoyed basking in the afterglow of his perfect game -- Nippon Professional Baseball's first in 28 years -- but woke up ready for a fresh start on Monday.

"The reality is slowly starting to sink in. I spent last night immersing myself in the experience," Sasaki said of his heroics on Sunday.

"That mark in history will always stand. A player is expected to perform throughout the season so I'm shifting gears and moving on," he said after an hourlong training session which included core exercises and sprints.

On Sunday afternoon at his team's home of Zozo Marine Stadium in Chiba Prefecture, Sasaki threw a perfect game against the Orix Buffaloes. He struck out 19 of the 27 batters he faced in a 6-0 win.

At 20 years and five months, Sasaki is the youngest pitcher in NPB to throw a perfect game -- one in which a pitcher allows no opposing player to reach base by any means.

It was the first perfect game in Japan since Hiromi Makihara did it on May 18, 1994, for the Yomiuri Giants, and the 16th the league has ever seen.

It was the first time Sasaki went the distance in his young pro career that started in 2020. Last year he posted three wins, including the first of his career, in 11 starts.

He for the first time won a spot in the starting rotation at the start of this season. He has made three starts so far and has three double-digit strikeout games.

Japanese players in Major League Baseball have been vocal in their praise of Sasaki, with Toronto Blue Jays lefty Yusei Kikuchi saying "He is now the best pitcher in Japan" and Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Yoshitomo Tsutsugo saying "If we see more players like him it would bring excitement to Japanese baseball."

Chicago Cubs rookie Seiya Suzuki was also impressed by the potential major league prospect.

"He's still young, but he's got speed and amazing sliders, forkballs and curveballs," he said.

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Brandon Laird of the Lotte Marines breaks a scoreless tie with an RBI single in the top of the ninth inning against the SoftBank Hawks in a Pacific League baseball game in Nagasaki, on April 12, 2022. (Kyodo)

April 12, 2022 (Mainichi Japan)

NAGASAKI (Kyodo) -- The Lotte Marines scored three ninth-inning runs to defeat the Pacific League-leading SoftBank Hawks 3-0 on Tuesday.

Two days after Roki Sasaki threw a perfect game, Lotte had another shutout using three pitchers. Lefty Enny Romero scattered three hits over seven innings, before a scoreless inning each from Yuji Nishino (1-1) and closer Naoya Masuda at Nagasaki prefectural baseball stadium.

In his 600th Nippon Professional Baseball appearance, Masuda was made to sweat in the ninth after he let two on with a single and an error from his teammate. But the right-hander escaped the jam to secure his third save of the season.

"I'm happy (with the 600th appearance) but the team winning was more pleasing," said the 32-year-old. "I wanted to get an out with my first batter but (failed and) it turned out to be a tough outing."

SoftBank's 19-year-old starter Sota Tanoue had an impressive 5-2/3 innings in his first pro game, hitting 155 kilometers per hour with his pitch in the first inning and holding the Marines to two hits and a walk in his 75-pitch effort.

Three Hawks relievers also kept the game in balance but their closer Yuito Mori (0-2) was roughed up in the ninth after veteran third baseman Nobuhiro Matsuda's error put a runner on second with no out.

Following a sacrifice bunt, Brandon Laird singled in the opening run and Koki Yamaguchi doubled in two runs with two outs after Mori hit a batter.

The Hawks are on top but have not scored in the last three games, losing twice and another game ending scoreless during the period.

Elsewhere, the Nippon Ham Fighters beat the Seibu Lions 3-0 after Takayuki Sato (1-1) threw 6-2/3 shutout innings on four hits.

Central League-leading Yomiuri Giants hammered the DeNA BayStars 10-4, the Chunichi Dragons came from behind to edge the Hanshin Tigers 2-1 and the Yakult Swallows, like Chunichi, scored two runs in the eighth to beat the Hiroshima Carp 3-1.

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Yasiel Puig Crushes His First KBO Grand Slam

Yasiel Puig Crushes His First KBO Grand Slam

When Yasiel Puig was with the Dodgers, he made a habit out of igniting the crowd. Whether it be with monster homeruns or electric defense plays and inhuman throws, he was just exciting to watch in Los Angeles.

But after the Dodgers traded him to the Reds in December of 2018, he’s found himself jumping all around the baseball world. Puig spent part of that season in Cincinatti before being traded to Cleveland, quite literally after an on-field brawl.

Since then, Puig has been looking to make his way back to the big leagues. He played 62 games with El Águila de Veracruz of the Mexican League during the 2021 season. And this year, the former Dodgers outfielder is spending his time with the Kiwoom Heroes of the Korean Baseball League. He just crushed his first grand slam with them too, and it was electric.

It was a majestic blast, something that Puig had done pretty often in his time with the Dodgers. He crushed 108 homeruns while with Los Angeles, driving in 331 runs and earning some MVP votes along the way.

Puig Grand Slam

https://youtu.be/FzZMhFzT7W8

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Taisei Ota pitches in the ninth inning to secure his eighth save in the Yomiuri Giants' 4-3 Central League win over the DeNA BayStars at Okinawa Cellular Stadium Naha on April 13, 2022. (Kyodo)

Baseball: Giants hold off BayStars as rookie Ota saves 8th game

April 13, 2022 (Mainichi Japan)

NAHA, Japan (Kyodo) --

Rookie closer Taisei Ota mowed down the DeNA BayStars in the ninth inning to preserve the Yomiuri Giants' 4-3 Central League win on Wednesday and earn his league-leading eighth save.

At Okinawa Cellular Stadium Naha, Yoshihiro Maru brought the Giants back from a run down in the third with a three-run homer, his third.

Neftali Soto, who singled in a run in the first for DeNA, doubled and scored in the fourth and singled and scored in the sixth, both times on RBI singles by Okinawa native Hiroki Minei.

C.C. Mercedes (3-0) allowed three runs in five-plus innings, but four relievers prevented DeNA from catching up, with Ota striking out two in the ninth to wrap it up.

"Today was a one-run game, so it was good that I was able to get strikeouts at those times when I was aiming to get them," Ota said. "I have gotten so many save situations because of the work the position players and the other veterans have done to get to me."

Elsewhere, the Hanshin Tigers, who lost their scheduled starting pitcher, Masashi Ito, after he was among three players who tested positive for the coronavirus, lost 1-0 in 10 innings to the Chunichi Dragons, while the Hiroshima Carp beat the Yakult Swallows 5-1.

In the Pacific League, Brian O'Grady doubled twice, scored twice and drove in two runs for the Seibu Lions in a 4-3 win over the Nippon Ham Fighters.

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The Tigers are left alone at the top of baseball

JOSE LUIS LOPEZ SADO

13 APRIL 2022

Havana, Apr 13 (ACN)

The Avilanian Tigers took their heavy artillery out today and with 19 hits, including three home runs and a pair of doubles, they beat Santiago de Cuba 13-9 as visitors at the Guillermón Moncada stadium, to be left alone at the top of the standings of the LXI National Baseball Series.

This game, in which each team made three errors, was tied 9-9 at the top of the ninth inning, when Ciergo de Avila made a decisive four-run rally with four hits, including homers by Yorbis Borroto and Rubén Valdés. Osvaldo Vázquez also homered.. With those three home runs, Ciego de Ávila reaches 57 on the season and reaffirms themselves as a leader in this important department among the categories.

Valdés lead the offense with a 4-for-5 line, driving in five runs. It was the sixth victory for Yosvany Ávalos, despite giving up a whopping six hits and allowing two earned runs in just 2.2 innings.

Sancti Spíritus lost 4-7 against Guantánamo. The Indians rallied for five runs in the first inning, supported by an error and four hits, among which were home runs by Robert Luis Delgado and Luis Sánchezt. Orlandis Martínez won and Yeudis Reyes earned his fifth save.

Granma climbed to third place in the standings with its 5-2 victory against Las Tunas. Veteran left-hander Leandro Martínez pitched one of his best games of the season, because in 8.0 innings he limited the powerful offense of Las Tunas to three hits.

The new center fielder Jesús Venecia was the best at bat for the Alazanes, going 2-3, with a double and an RBI.

This win by the Alazanes combined with the collapse of Mayabeque, the previous occupant of that third position, which today fell to fourth after losing 1-6 against Industriales.

For the Lions, their first baseman Yasiel Santoya went 2-4, with a home run and two runs batted in, while Raymond Figueredo won and Andy Vargas earned his sixth save, pitching three innings to the beat of one single.

In the remaining games, Matanzas beat Isla de la Juventud 9-5, Pinar del Río 9-8 over Cienfuegos and Holguín 7-6 over Camagüey. The game between Artemisa-Villa Clara was postponed.

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Baseball: Senga wins 3rd as Hawks stop Marines

April 14, 2022 (Mainichi Japan)

FUKUOKA (Kyodo) --

SoftBank Hawks ace Kodai Senga, who is expected to move to America's major leagues after this season, allowed three hits over seven innings in the SoftBank Hawks' 4-0 Pacific League victory over the Lotte Marines on Thursday.

Senga (3-0) struck out seven, walked two and hit one but had to pitch out of trouble in the first inning.

"They had me in a tight spot in the first inning, but then I got some run support, and I figured I could make a go of it," said Senga after allowing an infield single and only barely missed hitting two batters in the opening frame.

It was a typical start for Senga, whose pitches are usually hard to hit but who often struggles with his command.

"My pitching was fraught today, but I kept them off the scoreboard, so I'm pleased about that," he said.

The Hawks scored twice in the first. Isami Nomura tripled and scored on an Akira Nakamura single. Nakamura later came home when catcher Toshiya Sato failed to stop a pitch from Lotte starter Kota Futaki (0-1), who allowed two runs, one earned, over six innings.

In the Central League, the Hanshin Tigers lost their sixth straight decision, falling 4-1 to the Chunichi Dragons.

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Ciego de Ávila triumphs and leads the standings in baseball in Cuba

With an attack of 19 hits, including a couple of doubles and three home runs, the Tigers exhibited offensive power as visitors and left the Santiago de Cuba Wasps powerless.

Taken from Latin Press

Wednesday, April 13, 2022 11:08 PM

Havana.-

CIEGO de Ávila defeated Santiago de Cuba today (13-9) to extend their streak of consecutive wins to six and remains alone at the top of the standings of the 61st National Baseball Series.

With an attack of 19 hits, including a couple of doubles and three home runs, the Tigers exhibited offensive power as visitors and left the Wasps powerless.

Under an intense sun in the so-called “hot land” of the Island, third baseman Rubén Valdés hit a home run for the second day in a row and closed the afternoon 5-4, with five rbis and one run scored.

Shortstop Yorbis Borroto (6-3, 2RBI, 4R, 1HR) and second baseman Raúl González (6-4, 1RBI, 1R, 1-2B), while three other Avilanians also rounded off a multi hit game : Alfredo Fadraga (4-2, 2R), Osvaldo Vázquez (4-2, 2RBI, 1R, 1HR) and Alexander Jiménez (5-, 2R).

Despite giving up three runs and six hits in 2.2 innings of action, the victory went to reliever Yosvany Ávalos (6-2, 1K, 1BB), while the loss went tocloser Jorge Luis Bravo (1-2, 2.2, 2R, 5H, 1K, 1BB).

The Ciego win combined with the surprising setback of the Gallos de Sancti Spíritus against the Indios de Guantánamo (4-7), bottom of the standings in the last third of the season.

The day was significant for Industriales, becoming the sixth team with 30 victories after beating Mayabeque 6-1 in one of the most attractive games of the week.

The Lions pleased with the pitching performance of starter Raymond Figueredo (3-1,6.0, 1R, 8H, 3K, 3BB), the relief of Andy Vargas (3.0, 0R 1H) and the hitting of first baseman Yasiel Santoya (4-2, 2RBI, 1R, 1HR).

In the rest of the games, Matanzas beat Isla de la Juventud 9-5, Pinar del Río 9-8 Cienfuegos, Holguín 7-6 Camagüey and Granma 5-2 Las Tunas.

The game between Artemisa and Villa Clara was suspended by health protocol, when several positive tests for covid-19 were detected according to the report of the national disciplinary commission.

Ciego de Ávila dominates the ranking with 35 win and 20 losses,

1 Ciego de Ávila 35-20
2 Sancti Spíritus 34-21
3 Granma 32-23
4 Mayabeque 30-22
5 Las Tunas 30-23
6 Industriales 30- 24
7 Matanzas 28-27
8 Santiago (28-27)

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9 Holguín(28-27
10 Pinar 27-28
11 Villa Clara 25-27
12 Isla 26-29
13 Camagüey 24-31
14 Artemisa 21-31
15 Guantánamo 20-35
16 Cienfuegos 16-39

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eruaki Sato of the Hanshin Tigers hits a two-run home run in the fifth inning of a Central League game against the Yomiuri Giants at Koshien Stadium in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture, on April 15, 2022. (Kyodo)

Baseball: Aoyagi, Sato lead Tigers to 2nd win

April 15, 2022 (Mainichi Japan)

NISHINOMIYA,Hyogo (Kyodo) -- Koyo Aoyagi allowed a run in eight innings and Teruaki Sato brought the Hanshin Tigers from behind with a two-run home run in their 4-1 Central League victory over the Yomiuri Giants Friday.

The win at Koshien Stadium outside Osaka snapped Hanshin's skid of six straight losing decisions after the Tigers set a CL record by starting the season with nine consecutive losses.

The Giants backed their ace, Tomoyuki Sugano (2-2), with a first-inning run on singles by Naoki Yoshikawa and Hayato Sakamoto. Aoyagi (1-0), however, pitched out of a couple of tight spots as he scattered seven hits and a hit batsman while striking out six.

The Tigers loaded the bases in the first but failed to score and wasted a two-on no-out chance in the fourth. But leadoff man Takumu Nakano led off the fifth with a single, and Sato followed with his fourth home run.

Hanshin got a pair of insurance runs in the eighth when Mel Rojas Jr. hit his second homer of the year with a man on, and Suguru Iwazaki secured his first save in the ninth.

Elsewhere, the Yakult Swallows held off the DeNA BayStars 3-2, while in the Pacific League, the Seibu Lions beat the Orix Buffaloes 6-1.

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Havana, Apr 14 (ACN) The defeats of the first three teams, the 18th home run by Avilanian catcher Alfredo Fadraga and the ninth save by Franklin Quintana (IJV), clarified today the actions in the LXI National Baseball Series that closed its twenty-second particular subseries.

Ciego de Ávila fell by a 12-2 knockout in eight innings against Santiago de Cuba, who hit a whopping 17 hits, especially left fielder Dennis Alá, who went 4-3 with a double, home run and four RBIs. Seventh win for Danny Betancourt, who pitched 7.1 innings at a rate of eight hits and two walks.

In a losing effort, catcher Alfredo Fadraga hit his eighteenth home run to remain alone in the lead, followed by Pedro Pablo Revilla from Guantanamo (17).

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Baseball: Wilkerson outduels Shoemaker as struggling Tigers win again

April 16, 2022 (Mainichi Japan)

NISHINOMIYA, Japan (Kyodo) --

Aaron Wilkerson went six innings to outduel American compatriot Matt Shoemaker and pitch the Hanshin Tigers to a 2-1 Central League win over the Yomiuri Giants on Saturday.

The win was just the third of the season for the Tigers, who have struggled out of the gate this season and have now won two straight.

Wilkerson (1-0), who has pitched in just 14 MLB games, allowed a run on three walks and three hits while striking out five. Shoemaker (0-1), with 46 MLB wins under his belt, allowed two runs, one earned, over six innings to take his first loss in Japan.

"At the start I was a little too excited, but in the second inning I settled down and started making the pitches I needed to make," said Wilkerson, who spent last season in Triple-A with the Los Angeles Dodgers organization.

The right-hander's Japan debut came before 40,354 at historic Koshien Stadium near Osaka.

"I've always dreamed of throwing in front of this many people, and to have the support of the fans is amazing," he said.

The Tigers got on the board in the third on two singles and a throwing error by Giants shortstop Hayato Sakamoto. Yusuke Oyama's RBI double in the fourth made it 2-0 before the Giants got a run back in the sixth.

Reliever Suguru Iwazaki worked the ninth to earn the save for the second straight game.

Elsewhere, the DeNA BayStars blanked the Yakult Swallows 6-0, while the Hiroshima Carp beat the Chunichi Dragons 3-2.

In the Pacific League, the Rakuten Eagles came from behind in the ninth to beat the SoftBank Hawks 6-5, while the Orix Buffaloes beat the Seibu Lions 3-0, and the Nippon Ham Fighters downed the Lotte Marines 11-4.

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Cuban Baseball: Rainy Saturday and Unbeatable Tigres

APRIL 16, 2022

Havana, Apr 16 (ACN)

The relentless rain and the victory of the leading cast of Ciego de Ávila (Tigres) tempered today's day in the LXI National Baseball Series, which began its twenty-third particular subseries.

The water that gathered in the eastern part of the country prevented the games between Granma and Santiago de Cuba, in Bayamo, as well as Holguín-Guantánamo in the Calixto García stadium.

But the rain also stopped and officially sealed the confrontation between second place Sancti Spíritus and the third place, Las Tunas in which Sancti Spiritus won 4-3.

These three sub-series must conclude tomorrow a series of double headers.

The game between the Tigres and the Camagüey team, which made three errors, was also stopped due to rain, but could be resumed.

The Avilanians won by a knockout of 13-2 in seven innings. The offense had 13 hits. Offensive standout was the leadoff hitter Héctor Ariel Labrada, who went 4-4 with a double and three runs scored.

Avilanian right-hander Dachel Duquesne pitched all seven innings, earned his eighth win and established himself as the leader in complete games (4), pitching all seven innings with five hits and four strikeouts.

In addition, the Hurricanes from Mayabeque fell for the fourth successive game, today 3-9 against the Elephants from Cienfuegos, who had an efficient eight-innings of relief from Abel Campos, who allowed six hits and struck out three.

At bat for the southerners, Juan Miguel Soriano stood out, who hit 3-2, including a home run and five RBIs.

In the remaining results, Villa Clara defeated Matanzas 2-1, Artemisa 7-3 against Isla de la Juventud and Pinar del Río left Industriales 8-7 with a decisive hit by William Saavedra in the tenth inning.

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Juan Reinaldo Pérez Pardo, president of the Cuban Baseball Federation at the 'Round Table'

BASEBALL

The Baseball Federation, open to summoning players from other leagues 'who love Cuban baseball' to the Cuba team

The new president says that he is willing to include Cuban players hired outside the management of the state entity.

CDD Havana 16 Apr 2022 - 20:58 CEST

he newly elected president of the state Cuban Baseball Federation (FCB) , Juan Reinaldo Pérez Pardo , said on Friday that the FCB is "willing to expand dialogues with the players who "want and love Cuban baseball , " the site published. Jit officer .

This was stated by Pérez Pardo during the last official Roundtable program . There, he referred to the "relations" of the FCB with Cuban players who live abroad or play in international leagues outside the management of the entity he directs .

Regarding this, he said that "there are already good experiences in the national series and with the Cuban team, basically the one that attended the Americas pre-Olympic tournament in Florida last year."

" We are open to hearing and processing the intentions of those players who wish to reinsert themselves in the National Series and choose to be called up to the Cuba team, taking into account a series of parameters that both parties must respect ," added the leader.

He further stated that "there is interest in some athletes and in the FCB, and that the 2023 World Baseball Classic offers a clear opportunity for it."

The also national commissioner of this sport also mentioned the FCB's interest in resuming exchanges with Major League Baseball (MLB) , taking as a reference the historic agreement reached in December 2018. The Donald Trump government blocked this pact four months later.

The official said that "a natural relationship between the FCB and the MLB" would curb "illegal trips, the trafficking of athletes and the discriminatory conditions faced by players interested in playing in the so-called Big Tent."

Delving into the Cuban participation in the 2023 World Baseball Classic , Pérez Pardo praised the position of the World Baseball-Softball Confederation (WBSC) and its president Riccardo Fraccari, who denied recognition to an independent Cuban team and put the FCB as the only entity with the power to represent Cuba in international competitions.

Pérez Pardo said that the Island will prepare for the fight, summoning players from its National Series and "others who respond to certain technical-tactical demands."

Regarding the Caribbean Baseball Series , he stated that the Cuba team would value returning to the competition if it were invited again.

Commenting on the process of hiring athletes in foreign leagues , the head of the FCB cataloged it as essential to raise the technical and game level of the athletes, and to promote greater development and investment in this sport.

The FCB acts as an intermediary in the contracts established by its players abroad.

Pérez Pardo also mentioned the celebration of "camps with the best talents in the country, which will allow checking existing reserves and the presence of observers from various leagues interested in their services."

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