Cleveland Sports Forum

Jose Tena (SS, Estrellas): 1-for-4, 2B, RBI – Tena was the hero in extra innings for Estrellas when he hit a two-out RBI double on the first pitch he saw to score a teammate from first. Batting from the left side, he took a pitch the other way to secure the game-winning run in the 3-2 victory.

Trenton Brooks (LF, Licey): 0-for-3, BB – After serving just six games in the outfield for Columbus in 2022, Brooks tried his hand out there once more on Wednesday after serving as a primary first baseman over the last two seasons. He does have a lot of experience in the outfield grass, but we haven’t seen it much in recent memory. At the plate, he was hitless with one walk over four plate appearances. His base on balls in the top of the sixth loaded the bases and a run scored on a walk behind him.

Tena and Montero agree that Estrellas has a team to win

The two were decisive in Wednesday's victory against Licey

By EDITORIAL LIDOM

San Pedro de Macoris.

For José Tena and Elehuris Montero, Las Estrellas is more than just a team with a lot of young talent, ready to compete.

"We have a team to win," Tena and Montero said separately this Wednesday after leading the Stars to a 3-2 victory over Tigres del Licey, in 10 innings, at the Tetelo Vargas Stadium.

“We're a good team,” said Tena, who hit an RBI double off rookie Matthew Batten off a pitch from Yaya Chantouf (0-1).

“I hit the first pitch. A fastball. I'm always prepared for the fastball”, said Tena, who for the second time in the young season had a game winning base hit to win the ball game in the final inning.

The team with the green banner tied the game 2-2, in the ninth inning, with two outs, when debutant Montero hit a solo home run, against the closer of the Tigers, Jairo Asencio.

“He threw a changeup at me,” Montero observed, of the veteran reliever's delivery.

In the tenth inning, Batten singled to center after two outs off Chantouf. He scored from first base on Tena's drive. A fly ball that bounced near the left field line, on which he couldn't cleanly cut the ball off, backup outfielder Jeisson Rosario.

Ronel Blanco (1-0) pitched a scoreless inning for the Stars to earn the win.

Radhamés Liz pitched the first 4.2 innings for the San Pedro de Macorís-based team. He allowed one run and two hits.

Liz was relieved by Gregory Santos (1.0 IP), who allowed one run. He was followed on the green mound by Luis González (0.0 IP), Román Méndez (0.1 IP), Dayeison Arias (1.0 IP), Jakob Hernández (1.0 IP), Diógenes Almengó (1.0) and Blanco (1.0 IP).

On offense, for the Stars: Montero hit his home run in four at-bats. Tena doubled in the same number of times at the plate, from which Batten went 2-for-4. Junior Lake, 4-1 (with a run scored) and Luke Williams (4-1) fired the other hits of the troop led by Fernando Tatis.

For Licey, Dawell Lugo (4-2) led the attack. He fired a RBI double for the first run. Emilio Bonifacio (5-1) and Pavin Smith (3-1) hit the other blue team hits.

The Stars will travel to Santiago this Thursday, to face the Águilas Cibaeñas there. Right-hander Yennsy Díaz will be his starting pitcher.

Yutaro Sugimoto of the Buffaloes singles in the game's only run in the third inning in a 1-0 win over the Swallows in Game 4 of the Japan Series at Kyocera Dome Osaka on Wednesday. | KYODO

BASEBALL / JAPANESE BASEBALL

Yutaro Sugimoto drives in only run as Buffaloes silence Swallows

KYODO NEWS - Oct 26, 2022 - 23:58 | Sports, All

Osaka

Yutaro Sugimoto singled in the game's only run, and four Orix Buffaloes pitchers combined on a six-hit shutout in the Pacific League champs' 1-0 Japan Series Game 4 win over the Central League's Yakult Swallows on Wednesday.

Sugimoto, who struck out with two outs and the bases loaded in the first inning, singled home Keita Nakagawa from second with two outs in the third inning at Orix's Kyocera Dome Osaka.

Orix trails two games to one in the series that goes to the first team to win four. Game 2 at Yakult's Jingu Stadium in Tokyo resulted in a 3-3 tie.

The series is a rematch of last year's clash, won by Yakult in six games, after both clubs repeated as league champs and advanced to the final via their leagues' playoffs.

Forty-two-year-old Yakult starter Masanori Ishikawa hit Nakagawa to open the third and took the loss. The low-velocity lefty kept the Buffaloes from getting good cuts at his pitches but working carefully led to four bases on balls.

With the lead in hand, Yakult's chances became fewer and farther between.

"That game was a killer," Orix manager Satoshi Nakajima said. "When we most needed to take the lead, he (Sugimoto) came through. Yakult has so many excellent hitters that I'm thankful we could keep them off the board."

Taisuke Yamaoka started for Orix. He allowed five hits and two walks and was pulled in the fifth after Yasutaka Shiomi's one-out triple.

Rookie reliever Yuki Udagawa, using a combination of blistering fastballs and big dropping forkballs, kept the runner at third with back-to-back strikeouts.

Udagawa walked two in the sixth but repeated his previous feat of leaving the tying run at third with a pair of strikeouts and earned the win in relief.

Orix's third pitcher, Soichiro Yamazaki, retired all six men he faced. The Buffaloes, who blew a three-run ninth-inning Game 2 lead, held this one. Jacob Waguespack worked around a leadoff double with two strikeouts and a pop fly to earn the save.

"We worked walks and had runners on base but couldn't get that one big hit," Swallows manager Shingo Takatsu said. "It's not an easy thing to accomplish, but somewhere along the line, you have to get at least one. There are lots of things we (including myself) need to look back on and address."

Thursday's Game 5 will be a southpaw duel between Orix's Daiki Tajima and Yakult's top signing from last year's draft, Hikaru Yamashita, who pitched just twice this season.

BASEBALL / JAPANESE BASEBALL

Masataka Yoshida connects on sayonara home run as Buffaloes get even 2-2-1 in Japan Series

October 27, 2022 (Mainichi Japan)

Masataka Yoshida connects on sayonara home run as Buffaloes get even in Japan SeriesOrix Buffaloes players celebrate after Masataka Yoshida (front) hits a two-run home run in the ninth inning of Game 5 of the Japan Series against the Yakult Swallows at Kyocera Dome Osaka on Oct. 27, 2022. (Kyodo)

OSAKA (Kyodo) -- Masataka Yoshida belted two home runs, including a ninth-inning walk-off blast that tied the Japan Series, as the Pacific League's Orix Buffaloes beat the Central League's Yakult Swallows 6-4 in Thursday's Game 5.

The series between Japan's two repeat league champs, a rematch of last year's clash won in six games by Yakult, stands at two wins apiece with one tie.

Trailing by a run in the ninth, Orix tied it on a walk, an infield single by Masahiro Nishino, and a one-out throwing error on pitcher Scott McGough. With two outs, the Swallows closer hung an 0-1 splitter for Yoshida to hit out and end it at Kyocera Dome Osaka.

"I went to the plate just trying to produce my kind of swing," Yoshida said. "It was emotional.

"Each and every one of us has been grinding, trying to win every time out, so to see them all rewarded for their efforts makes me really happy."

Games 6 and 7 are set for Tokyo's Jingu Stadium, where Game 8 will be played Monday if necessary.

With the game tied 2-2 in the fifth, Yoshida hit Orix's first home run of the series off Swallows rookie Hikaru Yamashita to put the Buffaloes up by one.

That lead, however, quickly evaporated against Orix's third pitcher, Taisuke Kondo. With two outs and a runner on second, a pair of lucky two-out hits tied it and set up Norichika Aoki's go-ahead RBI double.

"What a great game," Orix manager Satoshi Nakajima said. "We made a lot of mistakes tonight, and it's great to have won, but we need to do better."

The series appeared to be slipping away from Orix after a scoreless sixth from Yakult reliever Taichi Ishiyama and two-perfect innings from Swallows setup man Noboru Shimizu preserved the visitors' lead.

McGough, however, issued a leadoff walk, and Orix played for a tie by bunting the runner over. McGough got a sharp comebacker from Nishino, but fumbled it and threw wildly. His error allowed the tying run to score and set up Orix's dramatic finish.

"That leadoff walk from McGough hurt," Swallows manager Shingo Takatsu, a former closer, said. "You have to get the outs that are within your grasp."

The Swallows took the early lead when Aoki singled and scored on a two-out Jose Osuna single off lefty Daiki Tajima, who surrendered Jose Osuna's second-inning solo home run.

Orix tied it in the fourth on four hits off Yamashita. With two on and two outs, Kotaro Kurebayashi put the hosts on the board, and No. 9 hitter Kenya Wakatsuki followed with an RBI double.

After the Swallows regained their lead, relievers Shota Abe, Yoshihisa Hirano and Jacob Waguespack each held Yakult scoreless to keep the Buffaloes within a run.

Waguespack, a first-year import, retired the heart of the Swallows' order 1-2-3 in the ninth to earn the win after picking up the save in Wednesday's 1-0 Buffaloes win.

Jose Tena (Estrellas, SS): 2-3, 1 BB,1 E – No walk-off heroics on Thursday, Tena was the offensive star of a rough night for the Estrellas, accounting for half of their hits and three of their eight trips to the basepaths.

Orix Buffaloes southpaw Sachiya Yamasaki pitches against the Tokyo Yakult Swallows in Game 6 of the Japan Series at Jingu Stadium on October 29. (KYODO

BASEBALL

Buffaloes Silence Swallows Offense And Move Within A Win Of Japan Series Title

Five Orix pitchers team up for a one-hit shutout in Game 6 at Jingu Stadium as the reigning champions lose their third straight Japan Series game.

Sports Look

By Ed Odeven

Orix Buffaloes starter Sachiya Yamasaki and four relievers pitched a combined one-hitter in Game 6 of the Japan Series on Saturday night, October 29.

The Buffaloes broke a scoreless tie on Yutaro Sugimoto's single with two outs in the sixth inning and added two more in the ninth off struggling closer Scott McGough in a 3-0 road victory over the reigning champion Tokyo Yakult Swallows at Jingu Stadium.

Buffaloes right fielder Yutaro Sugimoto strokes an RBI single in the sixth inning. (ⒸSANKEI)

Game 7 is set for 6:30 PM on Sunday at the same venue. If necessary, a Game 8 will also be played at Jingu on Monday night. (A 3-3 tie in Game 2 led to these unusual circumstances in the best-of-seven series.)

The Buffaloes are one win away from capturing their first Japan Series title of the 21st century. The current franchise was a merger of the Orix BlueWave and Kintetsu Buffaloes, two Pacific League rivals, after the 2004 season.

Orix, known as the Hankyu Braves under previous ownership, won three straight championships from 1975-77, and another as the BlueWave when Ichiro Suzuki was a top star in 1996.

Buffaloes players congratulate each other after their Game 6 win. (ⒸSANKEI)

"[We are] one win away from becoming number one in Japan," Buffaloes manager Satoshi Nakajima said, according to Chunichi Sports. "We've come this far, but last year and this year we won the [Pacific League] without magic, so I don't know what it is."

Yamasaki pitched five innings and Yuki Udagawa, Yoshihisa Hirano, Soichiro Yamazaki and Jacob Waguespack worked one inning apiece in succession. The starter fanned five batters and Orix's first three relievers each recorded two strikeouts. Waguespack had one strikeout.

In the ninth, Waguespack retired Tetsuto Yamada, Munetaka Murakami and Jose Osuna to preserve the shutout.

Buffaloes Extended Their Lead in Ninth

Moments earlier, pinch hitter Masahiro Nishino hit a sacrifice fly in the top of the ninth to extend the Buffaloes' lead to 2-0. He was Orix's fourth batter of the inning. Leadoff man Ryoichi Adachi singled to left off McGough, whose throwing error on the next batter Kotaro Kurebayshi's sacrifice bunt attempt put the Buffaloes in good position to score again.

Following Nishino's heroics, McGough walked the next batter, Ryo Ohta, with two outs, and Yakult manager Shingo Takatsu brought in Takuma Kubo to pitch to Yuma Mune.

Mune singled to left to make it 3-0 before Kubo got Keita Nakagawa to hit a groundout to shortstop.

Swallows starter Yasuhiro Ogawa fires a pitch in the first inning. (ⒸSANKEI)

Pitchers Set the Tone

A classic pitcher's duel captivated the attention of both teams' fans.

Swallows hurler Yasuhiro Ogawa and Yamasaki were both making their second start of the series.

Ogawa, who worked five innings in Game 1, fanned five batters through the first five innings, yielding just a pair of hits, including one to leadoff hitter Ohta in the first inning.

Yamasaki, who lasted four innings in Game 2, tossed 70 pitches over the first five frames, allowing a single hit while fanning three batters.

The Swallows' Norichika Aoki breaks his bat and hits into a double play in the first inning. (ⒸSANKEI)

In the sixth, the 21-year-old Ohta, who played in 32 regular-season games, led off the inning with a single to left.

Three batters later, Game 5 hero Masataka Yoshida walked with two outs. Sugimoto followed with an opposite-field single to right, scoring Ohta.

"I knew that Masataka Yoshida was forced to walk, so I'm glad he [Sugimoto] hit it well, because we can't win if he doesn't hit it," Nakajima said in an on-field interview after the game.

Orix reliever Yuki Udagawa pitched a scoreless sixth inning. (KYODO)

Udagawa Works Out of a Jam

For the Buffaloes, Udagawa took over the pitching duties in the sixth.

With two outs, Udagawa issued back-to-back walks to Yamada and Murakami, who bashed 56 homers in the regular season, as the Swallows tried to rally past the visitors. Murakami, the Central League's Triple Crown winner, is batting 4-for-22 in the Japan Series, including 0-for-9 and four walks in Games 4, 5 and 6.

Udagawa struck out Osuna to end the scoring threat.

"I was able to hold down a [lead] several times during the season, which led to my confidence," Udagawa said of his mindset on the mound in Game 6, according to Chunichi Sports.

Ogawa departed the game after making 88 pitches and allowing one run and four hits in six innings. Reliever Naofumi Kizawa, a nine-game winner during the regular season, became Yakult's second pitcher of the night.

The Buffaloes turned to Hirano in the seventh to preserve their slim lead. He worked a scoreless inning and fanned Domingo Santana and Hideki Nagaoka in succession to end the inning.

Jaison Chourio (PR-LF, Aguilas del Zulia): R – Chourio came on as a pinch runner and scored, then played left field defensively to wrap up the win next to his brother Jackson Chourio in center. Jaison has just one plate appearance so far this winter and no hits, but he’s also just 17 until next season. This is just good experience for him to be around at this point.

Pecks: The team goes from 3-2 opening season against the capital and from 17-14 as a visitor... Jaison Chourio made his debut in the LVBP sharing the game with his brother Jackson Chourio... They joined a long list of brothers who have played for the team such as Álex and Richard Delgado, Jesús and José Alfaro. José Gregorio and Humberto Quintero, Rafael and Orlando Cepeda, José Luis, Eduardo and Roberto Zambrano and imports Gregg and Mike Maddux...

The top three batters in the lineup went 6-12...
Highlights: Jackson Chourio 4-2, CA. Angel Reyes 4-2, 2H. Jose Herrera 4-2.

Jaison Oneel Chourio & Jackson Chourio



Prospects Jaison Chourio and Oscar Cedeño hope to debut in the league

Maracaibo.-

The Zulia Eagles continue to strengthen their roster by signing prospects Jaison Chourio and Oscar Cedeño, both players belong to the Cleveland Guardians in the MLB system.

Jaison Oneel Chourio, is the younger brother of Jackson Chourio considered the second best prospect in MLB, he is 17 years old and defends center field and comes from playing in the rookie league of the Dominican Republic where he went 132-37 in 40 games

“ I am very happy to have signed with the Eagles, this is a dream for me to be able to be here with this uniform ” highlighted the marabino

" In these first days they have given me a lot of advice, the manager Marco Davalillo and the hitting coach (Rómulo Martínez) that will help me in my game " he said at the end of the preseason day at Luis Aparicio

In the history of the team there are several pairs of brothers who have worn the team uniform in the same campaign, such as Alex and Richard Delgado and the trilogy of the Zambrano brothers, Eduardo, Roberto and José Luis

Jaison and Jackson also want to join the group, as stated by Chourio's youngest " We have talked about playing together as we have done since we were children, waiting for him to arrive and see if that dream of ours comes true, " said the player who took his first steps in the little league Cacique Mara

While infielder Oscar Cedeño also hopes to debut this season in the LVBP, the 19-year-old switch hitter played this year in the Dominican Republic with the Cleveland Guardians team. In 85 at-bats he hit 22 hits with two doubles and three triples

Cedeño has been part of the team's first inter-squad games defending second base " In the days that I have practiced I feel that I have improved receiving advice from many more experienced players " said the player born in the town of Santa María south of Lake Maracaibo

When signing with the Cleveland Guardians, Cedeño stands out for his defense, speed and good projection of being a power hitter. This year rookie league was alternated between second base, shortstop and third base

Orix Buffaloes manager Satoshi Nakajima receives the doage (victory toss) after the team's 2022 Japan Series-clinching victory over the Tokyo Yakult Swallows in Game 7 on October 30 at Jingu Stadium. (ⒸSANKEI)

BASEBALL

Orix Survives Late Scare To Defeat Yakult For First Japan Series Title In 26 Years

Buffaloes starter Hiroya Miyagi and outfielder Yutaro Sugimoto were the Game 7 heroes for the Pacific League champions.

Sports Look

By Jim Armstrong

The Orix Buffaloes defeated the Tokyo Yakult Swallows 5-4 in Game 7 on Sunday, October 30 to complete a stunning comeback against the defending champions and win their first Japan Series title in 26 years.

Down by two losses after the first three games (Game 2 ended in a 3-3 tie), the Pacific League champion Buffaloes won four straight games to avenge last year's 4-2 loss to the Swallows in the championship final.

Orix starter Hiroya Miyagi went five strong innings and Yutaro Sugimoto hit a bases-clearing liner to center as the Buffaloes scored four runs in the top of the fifth to knock Yakult starter Cy Sneed out of the game.


Japan Series MVP Yutaro Sugimoto (ⒸSANKEI)

Sugimoto Receives MVP Award

Sugimoto, who struggled early on in the series but came up with some clutch hits and big defensive plays during his team's four consecutive wins, was named series MVP.

"Yakult is such a strong team," Sugimoto told Kyodo News. "Losing last year left us with a bitter taste in our mouths. We were able to get back at them this time, though, and it feels good."

The Buffaloes didn't waste any time getting on the scoreboard before a near-capacity crowd at Tokyo's Jingu Stadium, home of the Central League champion Swallows.


The Buffaloes' Ryo Ohta smacks a leadoff homer in the first inning. (ⒸSANKEI)

Leadoff batter Ryo Ohta crushed the very first pitch of the game from Sneed for a solo homer to center that gave the Buffaloes an early 1-0 lead and seemed to set the tone.

"We really wanted to score first," Orix manager Satoshi Nakajima said. "Ohta doing that unbelievably on the first pitch was big for us. I put him in the lineup and batted him first because I wanted a guy who was going up there to swing the bat."

It could have been much worse for Yakult in the first frame. Sneed proceeded to load the bases but got Kotaro Kurebayashi out on a strikeout to end the inning.


Swallows center fielder Yasutaka Shiomi misplays a fly ball hit by the Buffaloes' Yutaro Sugimoto in the fifth inning. (ⒸSANKEI)

Costly Fielding Miscue for Swallows

Sneed recovered nicely and looked to be in control until the fifth.

With runners on second and third and two out, Sneed walked Keita Nakagawa to load the bases. He then hit Masataka Yoshida with a pitch to force in the second run of the game.

Sugimoto then hit a sharp liner to center. Yakult center fielder Yasutaka Shiomi tracked the ball down but appeared to lose it in the lights and three runs scored when the ball got past him.

Shiomi was charged with an error on the play, meaning Sugimoto was not credited with the RBIs.


The Swallows' Jose Osuna whacks a three-run homer in the eight inning. (ⒸSANKEI)

Osuna Delivers Big Hit in Eighth

Jose Osuna made it tense for Orix with a three-run homer off reliever Soichiro Yamazaki in the eighth to cut the lead to 5-4 before Motoki Higa came in to strike out Yuhei Nakamura and get Domingo Santana on a comebacker to the mound.

Then it was all up to closer Jacob Waguespack, who got Hideki Nagaoka and Souma Uchiyama on fly outs before striking out Shiomi to seal the win.

Miyagi got the win after giving up no runs and allowing three hits while striking out five over five innings. Higa got the hold and Waguespack earned the save.


Buffaloes reliever Jacob Waguespack and catcher Kenya Wakatsuki embrace after the final out of the game. (ⒸSANKEI)

Waguespack, formerly of the Toronto Blue Jays, earned the win in the Buffaloes' 6-4 Game 5 win and had three saves in the series.

Sneed, who struck out five but gave up five runs, two earned, on six hits over 4⅔ innings took the loss.


The Orix Buffaloes pose for a team picture after winning the Japan Series. (ⒸSANKEI)

Orix Ends Long Title Drought

It was the fifth Japan Series championship for Orix and its first since 1996 when the club was known as the Orix BlueWave and led by Ichiro Suzuki.

Orix, known as the Hankyu Braves under previous ownership, won three straight championships from 1975-77.

The current franchise is a merger of the Orix BlueWave and Kintetsu Buffaloes after the 2004 season.

The team has a core of young stars like Yoshida and pitchers Miyagi and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, so the future looks bright.

Their defense and relief pitching were two elements that really came through in the seven-game Japan Series.

Middle relievers like Higa and Yuki Udagawa, who worked two scoreless innings on Sunday, came up big for Nakajima.

In his first inning, when José Tena led off with a double, he advanced to third on Mathew Batten's single, but was then put out at the plate on fielder's choice .

In the ninth, the Lions brought in their closer Enoli Paredes, who got into trouble and after two outs and men on second and first, he was relieved by Anderson Severino, who walked Mathew Batten to fill the bases.

Erick Mejía hit a single to third that scored Gustavo Núñez to put the game at 5-3. The bases were still full. Severino forced Elehuris Montero ground out to drive in José Tena who was on base with a single and loaded the bases.

It was necessary to bring in Rhiner Cruz to face Rodolfo Durán, who finally grounded out third to first to complete the agonizing ninth inning.

Tena (2-5) a run scored, a double, and a strikeout, AVE 306 OBP 352 SLG 367.

Jaison Chourio (RF, Aguilas): 0-2, K – Chourio now has five plate appearances this winter and is 0-5. Still encouraging that his VWL club is playing him at 17 the way they played his brother Jackson last winter.

Jose Tena (SS, Estrellas): 2-5, R, 2B – With his heater lately, Tena’s average is up over .300 for his Dominican Winter League club as he continues to lead off.

Brayan Rocchio, in his debut, was 0-2 with a walk and a strikeout in a 1-1 ballgame. In the top of the 7th, Rocchio had a bases clearing double to put his team ahead 4-1.

Brayan Rocchio hits a double (1) with a line drive to left fielder Jose Martinez. Kenneth Betancourt scores Diego Infante scores Maikel Garcia scores.

Rocchio ends up with a pair of doubles in 4 tries. Nice debut.

Brayan Rocchio (La Guaira, 2B): 2-4, 2 2B, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K – Rocchio was impressive, to say the absolute least, in his 2022-23 LVBP season debut. He started his sophomore season in the Venezuelan circuit with a pair of doubles, including a bases-clearing line drive to left in the seventh inning that gave the Tiburones the lead for good.

Alexfri Planez (Caracas, CF): 0-5, 1 R, 2 K – Planez was the only Leon to play the entire game and not get a hit but did score the first run in the bottom of the tenth to re-tie the game after starting the inning as the extra runner.

Jaison Chourio (Zulia, backup RF): 0-0, 1 R, 1 BB – The younger Chourio brother, who remains hitless in three official LVBP at-bats, scored his second run of the season and first from a plate appearance following an eventful trip around the basepaths in the eighth. He led off the bottom half of the frame with a walk, swiped second for his first Venezuelan League steal, advanced to third on a single, and then finally scored on a sac fly.

Trenton Brooks (Licey, 1B): 1-4, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB – Brooks reached base twice for only the third time in ten games played this Dominican season, with all five of his RBI coming in two of those games (yesterday and October 17).

Jose Tena (Estrellas, starting SS): 0-3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 K, 1 SF – While his eleven-game hitting streak came to an end on Sunday, Tena scored his fourth run of the Dominican campaign after reaching on a fielder’s choice in the third. He also drove in his seventh run of the season on a fifth-inning sac fly.

Brayan Rocchio

NEWS

ROCCHIO SWEEPS THE BASES

RECORD AT 3-1

10/30/2022

By Press Sharks of La Guaira | Diego Romario Gonzalez

Five days Brayan Rocchio had to delay his debut this season after the Tiburones de La Guaira because of four consecutive days postponed due to rain.

But today, again lined up as second batter and second baseman, the pride of La Vega was the offensive hero of the sharks when he had the game winning shot: a base-sweeping double in the top of the seventh inning. The double came with two outs and with the board tied at one run, and although he was in his first game, his mentality was always to decipher the pitches of Franklin Morales, who was in relief.

That performance, combined with the good performance of the pitchers, worked for Tiburones to defeat the Tigres de Aragua 5-1 at the José Pérez Colmenares stadium in Maracay.

"It was a good at bat. I concentrated on hitting the ball. Anxiety is one of the things that I came to here to improve. Thank God, everything went well today and we won," he declared to our press department.

The first run of Tiburones had been produced by Junior Sosa in the top of the second with a driving hit to the RF. Tigres equalized in the bottom half of the inning with a solo home run by Dennis Ortega.

Diego Infante was also productive with the bat, hitting a solo home run (in the ninth) in his only at-bat of the game.

The pitchers showed off their arms with the pitches of left-handed Mike Kickham, who had remained as the starter for La Guaira in the four postponed games.

After finally making his debut of the season, Kickham pitched just 2.0 innings with one earned run, two hits, one walk and one strikeout.

After Kickham, the criollo Victor Díaz came to the mound and was very effective in relief with 3.0 scoreless innings with two hits and a strikeout.

Nate Antone, Gregory Infante, Arnaldo Hernández, Sam Bordner and Edubray Ramos completed a successful appearance in relief to preserve the win.

The winning pitcher was Gregory Infante, while Pedro Rodríguez was the loser.

Tiburones' record is 3-1 to stay in second place in the standings, half a game behind the Leones del Caracas.

Brayan Rocchio (La Guaira, 2B): 2-4, 2 2B, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K

Tomorrow will be the rescheduled duel from last Friday between Lions and Sharks, with the sharks as the homeclub. The play ball voice is scheduled for 05:00 PM