The fifth edition of the World Baseball Classic has not disappointed. All-out fight between five teams in Taichung, Shohei Ohtani’s exhibition in Tokyo, permanent exchange of blows in Arizona, Venezuelan brilliance and… Puerto Rico’s perfect game in Miami!
In just one week, the baseball universe has trembled with the show of several of its most brilliant stars, including four Puerto Rican pitchers who have written their names in gold letters in the record books.
José de León, Yacksel Ríos, Edwin Díaz and Duane Underwood Jr. achieved the first perfect game in the history of the World Classics on Monday, after retiring the 24 batters they faced in the clash against Israel, resulting in a 10-victory. 0 at LoanDepot Park in the City of the Sun.
De León was the Puerto Rican starter and they couldn’t do anything to him during 5.2 innings, in which he eliminated 17 opponents in a row without anyone reaching first base. The Minnesota Twins right-hander had absolute dominance, to the point that he retired ten via strikes, tying the record for most strikeouts in Classics history.
Bliss brand It was in the possession of the Dominican Ubaldo Jiménez since March 10, 2009, when he also prescribed ten chocolates to the Netherlands in the Hiram Bithorn Park in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The Puerto Rican high command decided to take out De León with 64 pitches (1 of the limit established for the first round of the Classic), and Yacksel Ríos entered in his place, who eliminated a batter via strikeout. Then Edwin Díaz and Duane Underwood Jr. got another six outs without being called out.
However, the last play of this perfect performance was not in charge of the Puerto Rican pitchers. At the end of the eighth, the ninth led by Yadier Molina left the field to the Israelis with a knockout score (10-0) due to a single by Kike Hernández that drove in Martín Maldonado.
That was the tenth Puerto Rican run in a game with a wide offensive deployment, in which Francisco Lindor (triple and three RBIs), Javy Báez (two doubles, two runs scored and two RBIs) and Kike Hernández himself (double and two RBIs) stood out. . Martín Maldonado, for his part, negotiated a couple of tickets, hit a hit and went through the register three times.
This perfect game is the first in World Classics, and probably the only one to have been achieved four-handed. At least in MLB and the main professional circuits in the Caribbean and Asia, there is no report of a perfect game with more than one pitcher as the protagonist.
In Classics history, only one game had gone without hits or runs. It happened on March 10, 2006, when the Dutchman Shairon Martis walked seven innings of tight control over Panama, in the first edition of the tournament. However, the right-hander lost the perfect game on an error by third baseman Ivanon Coffie in the seventh inning.
Puerto Rico’s victory places them with two wins and one loss in group D of the tournament, just behind Venezuela, undefeated in their first appearances. This Tuesday the Puerto Ricans will rest, to face the Dominican Republic on Wednesday in the Caribbean classic that must decide the classification to the second round.
The United States and the Dominican Republic take a breather
After losing to Venezuela and Mexico in their respective previous matches, the Dominican Republic and the United States took a second breath this Monday and returned to the triumphant path in the Classic, supported largely by their offense.
The Dominicans defeated Nicaragua 6-1 in Miami, with an attack divided between five men who drove in a run. Juan Soto went through the register three times with a home run included and Manny Machado also homered, while Eloy Jiménez, Julio Rodríguez and Francisco Mejía scored an RBI.
The Dominicans made four scores before halfway through the match, enough support for their opener, Cristian Javier, who did not allow the Nicaraguan squad any liberties in four innings of work. The Houston Astros right-hander only allowed two hits, gave up a walk and struck out four.
Dominican relievers Diego Castillo, Rafael Montero and Luis García did a good job (3.1 scoreless innings with four strikeouts). The same cannot be said of César Valdez, who pitched 1.2 innings with three hits, three walks and one run on his account.
The victory gives an air to the Dominican Republic, which started on the wrong foot against Venezuela. Now the Dominicans must overcome Israel and define the classification against Puerto Rico in a train crash on Wednesday.
For its part, the United States got even (12-1) with Canada for its loss against Mexico. The northern field drove a dozen runs in the first two innings against the Canadians at Chase Field in Arizona, enough to get the knockout in seven innings.
Home runs by Mike Trout and Trea Turner, a double by Nolan Arenado and triples by Cedric Mullins and Tim Anderson were the main connections of an attack that later relaxed and did not make firewood from the fallen tree in front of the weak Canadian pitching.
Aside from the offensive display, Lance Lynn pitched five innings for the United States with two hits, one run and six strikeouts, while Miles Mikolas sealed the victory with a two-inning relay in which he was hit by three rockets, although they couldn’t score.
The United States has two victories and one defeat in group C, with only one crucial game remaining against Colombia.
Britain makes a cross for history
It was not in the plans of many, but Great Britain achieved its first victory in its debut in the World Classics after defeating Colombia 7-5, a result that puts the ninth coffee maker in a bind after starting with the front door against Mexico.
An attack of seven hits, including four extra-base hits, added to the lack of control of the Colombian pitchers (they gave away eight tickets) allowed the British to make seven scores between the fourth and seventh innings.
Chavez Young and Jaden Rudd with two trailers each led the European batch, which also featured the contribution of BJ Murray (double and an RBI) and Harry Ford (solo home run).
The British victory was also supported by the good work of containment by relievers Graham Spraker and Chavez Fernander, who completed 3.2 scoreless innings when their team reacted with the wood in the fourth inning. The save was scored by Ian Gibaut, although he accepted a couple of scores from Colombia in the ninth inning.
With Great Britain’s victory, there are already 18 teams that have achieved at least one success in this edition of the World Classic. Only Nicaragua (still has a game left) and China (eliminated with four losses in a row) have not been able to activate the box of triumphs.
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