Yurendel de Caster batted in fifth place for the Gigantes and played at first base.
Venezuelan Wuillians Vásquez batted third and played in leftfield.
While playing in the Dutch big league for HCAW, Vásquez was a teammate of fellow-Venezuelan Róger Luque, who tonight was the starting pitcher for Oriental.
In the first four innings, seven players reached base for the two teams combined, but only one of them reached second base.
For Gigantes, Venezuelan Rubén Mateo led off the second inning with a walk, but later was caught stealing.
In the second inning, Dwight Britton singled with one out, but then a double play followed.
And in the third, Jimmy González walked with one out, but was picked off.
Oriental got into scoring position in the first at bat off of Carlos Teller, like Luque a lefthanded pitcher.
The Dominican José Campusano led off with a walk, then moved when Venezuelan Juan Carlos Torres singled with one out, but both were left behind.
In the second inning, it was Dominican Donel Linares, who led off with a walk, but then was forced out on a grounder by Iván Marín, who then stranded himself.
...Wuillians Vásquez homered...
...On the photo he plays for...
...HCAW in 2010...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
After Luque had retired the side in the top of the fifth inning, Oriental got the bases loaded in its fift at bat.
Teller had retired seven batters in a row, but walked lead-off hitter Renato Morales, then hit Iván Marín with a pitch.
The two runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt and Teller followed with a strikeout.
To set up a force play, Ofilio Castro was walked intentionally.
Teller then came to a 3-0 count on next batter Yosmani Guerra, but the Cuban later grounded out to end the inning.
Did Oriental got two scoring opportunities in six innings, it were the Gigantes who then broke the scoreless tie in the top of the seventh inning.
And the two former HCAW-players were involved.
Róger Luque had retired nine batters in a row when he faced his former teammate Wuillians Vásquez with two outs.
The 32-year old Vásquez then drilled the ball over the leftfield-fence for a homerun to give the Gigantes an 1-0 lead.
Oriental threatened to come back immediately in the bottom of the seventh inning, but this time left a runner on third base.
With one out, Marín reached when Yurendel de Caster made a fielding error, then pinch-hitter Juan Oviedo singled.
The latter was replaced by pinch-runner Darrel Walters, but he was forced out moments later on a grounder by González.
It was tried to double up Marín on third base, but while sliding, he touched third base inches before being tagged.
With runners on first and third base, Carlos Teller closed with a strikeout to secure the minimal lead.
The Gigantes doubled their lead in the top of the eighth and this time, Yurendel de Caster was involved.
The Netherlands National Team-player led off with a single, then was replaced by pinch-runner Marck Joseph.
The latter moved on a sacrifice bunt.
With two outs, Róger Luque was relieved by José Emilio Villegas, but then Joseph scored on a single by Dwight Britton to make it 2-0.
Again, the Orientales got into scoring position in its eighth, but again failed to score.
Guerra led off with a walk, then José Luis Sáenz took over the pitching for the Gigantes.
He retired the next two batters, but then gave up a single to Linares that put runners at the corners.
Another pitching change followed, as Sáenz was replaced by José Escalona, who has both the Venezuelan and Italian nationality.
Shortly hereafter, a force out ended the at bat.
Wilton López pitched the ninth inning for the Gigantes and retired the side to secure the win an earn a save.
But it took awhile for him to eliminate the third batter, as the umpires had to halt the game three times with a 0-2 count and then 1-2 count on the batter, as some empty cans were thrown on the field by home fans.
Related Articles:
 Yurendel de Caster in Nicaraguan Final. (January 12)
Curt Smith moves into first place in Nicaragua with Tigres. (November 29)
Curt Smith homers in first game in Nicaragua. (November 27)
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Gigantes open Nicaraguan Final with win; Former HCAW-player homers
GRANADA (Nicaragua) -
Gigantes de Rivas opened the best-of-seven Champonship Final in the Liga de Béisbol Profesional Nacional, the professional league in Nicaragua, on Tuesday-evening (January 12) with a 2-0 win.
Venezuelan Wuillians Vásquez, who played in the Dutch Major League some years ago for Bussum-based HCAW, homered in the seventh inning to give the Gigantes an 1-0 lead.