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Updated: January 15, 2016
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(Story by Marco Stoovelaar)

Orientales narrow deficit by winning Game 3 of Nicaraguan Final
Nederlands

GRANADA (Nicaragua) - Orientales de Granada trailed twice and led once in Game 3 of the best-of-seven Champonship Final in the Liga de Béisbol Profesional Nacional against Gigantes de Rivas on Friday-evening (January 15). But the team won 5-4 via a walk-off double by Ofilio Castro in the bottom of the ninth inning.

The Gigantes, the team of Netherlands Team-player Yurendell de Caster, had won the first two games of the Nicaraguan final. With the win, the Orientales forced at least a fifth game in the series.

Tonight was an attractive game with great hitting, some fine defensive plays and good pitching.

The game saw a lot of offensive power, as there were five doubles and three homeruns hit by the two teams combined.

Game Four will be played on Saturday, but then again in the stadium of the Gigantes in Rivas.

(January 15)




Initially, the Gigantes were off to a strong start, taking a 2-0 lead in the first at bat off of starter Gustavo Martínez. With one out, Jimmy González singled, then Wuillians Vásquez followed with his second homerun of the series. The ball just stayed in fair territory, leaving the stadium down the rightfield-line, just inside the foul-line.

But the lead was shortlived, as the Orientales came alongside. In the bottom of the first inning, off of starter Jonathan Loáisiga, José Campusano led off with a single and stole second base. He then moved on a single by Ofilio Castro and scored on a force play-grounder by Jonel Pacheco. The home team tied the score in the second inning when Cuban Donel Linares led off with a homerun.

In the fourth inning, the Gigantes re-took the lead when Dwight Britton homered with one out.

Again, the lead was shortlived, as the Orientales tied the score in its fourth at bat. Donel Linares led off with a double, moved on a single by fellow-Cuban Yosmani Guerra and scored on a sacrifice fly by Juan Oviedo. That led to a pitching change, as José Escalona took over. With one out, he walked a batter, but the Orientales stranded two runners when first baseman Yurendell de Caster caught a foul-fly.

Hereafter, a pitching-duel followed between José Escalona and Gustavo Martínez. Since walking a batter in the fourth, Escalona retired seven batters in a row through the sixth inning, which ended with a nice running catch by rightfielder Ramón Flores on a line drive by Juan Oviedo. Martínez also walked a batter in the fourth and then retired 11 batters in a row through the seventh inning.

The Orientales reached base again in the bottom of the seventh and took the lead for the first time. Renato Morales led off with a single, but an outfield-error followed that brought in to third base. However, it appeared that he was tagged out on the throw from the outfield when he slid into third base. Gigantes' Manager German Mesa and some of his coaches angrily argued with the umpires, but Morales had reached third base. Moments later, next batter Iván Marín was hit by a pitch and advanced on a grounder. With runners now on second and third, Escalona was replaced by Berman Espinoza, who saw Ofilio Castro hit a sacrifice fly, enabling Morales to score the go-ahead run for the home team.

This time, the lead also didn't last long. In the top of the eighth inning, Martínez was relieved by José Villegas, who was greeted with a double by Wuillians Vásquez. Moments later, he scored the tying run on a following single by Rubén Mateo, which led to another pitching change. Darwin Cubillán took over and faced Yurendell de Caster. He grounded into a force play, but was able to move to second base when a throwing error followed trying to complete a double play. De Caster was replaced by pinch-runner Marc Joseph, but he stranded on second base.

The Gigantes were given an opportunity to take the lead again in the top of the ninth inning. With two outs, Jimmy González popped up into short leftfield, where three players got under the ball. Short stop Iván Marín then wanted to make a one-handed catch, but missed the ball and González ended up on second base. Powerhitter Wuillians Vásquez then of course was walked intentionally and the inning ended when Darrel Campbell lined to Marín.

The very attractive game ended moments later. José Campusano led off with a walk and that brought in Samuel Estrada as new pitcher. But then Ofilio Castro drilled the ball into deep centerfield over the head over Dwight Britton for a walk-off, runscoring double that gave the Orientales a 5-4 win!

Related Articles:
Gigantes, De Caster also win Game 2 Nicaraguan Final. (January 13)
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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