Gigantes got it first scoring opportunity in the bottom of the first inning off of lefthander Rodney Rodríguez, who was 4-4 in the regular season.
With two outs, Wuillians Vásquez and Rubén Mateo singled, but they stranded when a line drive by Yurendell de Caster was caught in centerfield.
Orientales then also left two runners in the top of the second inning off of Paul Estrada.
The Venezuelan righthander pitched in only one game during the regular season.
With one out, Jonel Pacheco walked and Donell Linares singled, but then Estrada struckout the next two batters.
Gigantes then opened the score in the bottom of the second inning.
Luis Allen Salazar led off with a walk, then advanced on a sacrifice bunt and a single by Dwight Britton.
Moments later, he scored the first run on a force play-grounder by Ramon Flores.
Orientales came alongside in the third at bat.
With one out, leftfielder Wuillians Vásquez made a nice running catch, but then Estrada gave up three consecutive singles to Ofilio Castro, Yosvany Guerra and Moisés Torres, which tied the score.
...Yurendell de Caster...
...2-for-4, run, RBI, made nice double play...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
Gigantes answered with a 6-run rally in its third at bat.
Jimmy González and Wuillians Vásquez led off with walks, then Rubén Mateo followed with a 3-run homerun.
Hereafter, Yurendell de Caster singled and the bases got loaded when Luis Allen Salazar was hit by a pitch and Anderson Feliz reached on an error.
That led to a pitching change.
Jorge Bucardo took over, but uncorked a wild pitch, enabling De Caster to score and also advance the other runners.
With one out, Bucardo gave up a 2-run single to Ramon Flores that lifted the lead to 7-1, before a double play ended the long at bat.
For Orientales, Donell Linares and Renato Morales led off the fourth with basehits, but a flyout and double play followed.
The Gigantes added another run in the bottom of the fourth.
Jimmy González led off with a walk and went on to score on a 2-out single by Yurendell de Caster, who later would strand himself on third base.
Trailing 8-1, Orientales was able to do something back in the top of the eighth inning, scoring three runs.
Douglas Solis started the inning in relief of starter Paul Estrada, who had pitched seven fine innings.
Solis walked Cuban Yosvany Guerra and then was relieved by Samuel Estrada, who was greeted with a double by Venezuelan Juan Carlos Torres.
Hereafter, Venezuelan Jonel Pacheco grounded out, but that brought in Guerra.
Next, Cuban Donell Linares homered to narrow the deficit to 8-4, but that was to be all the scoring for the Orientales.
The game ended with a nice double play by first baseman Yurendell de Caster.
In the top of the ninth inning, with one out, Dominican José Campusano and Ofilio Castro singled, putting runners on first and third base.
Hereafter, Yosvany Guerra lined the ball to De Caster,who touched first base, then threw the ball to short stop Omar Obregón, who tagged out Castro to complete the double play and end the game.
Related Articles:
 Gigantes open Nicaraguan Final with win; Former HCAW-player homers. (January 12)
Yurendell de Caster in Nicaraguan Final. (January 11)
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, De Caster also win Game 2 Nicaraguan Final
RIVAS (Nicaragua) -
Gigantes de Rivas also won the second game of the best-of-seven Champonship Final in the Liga de Béisbol Profesional Nacional against Orientales de Granada.
On Wednesday-evening (January 13), the team of Yurendell de Caster won 8-4.
The Gigantes took an 1-0 lead in the second inning, but the Orientales came alongside immediately.