Alfredo Despaigne DECIDED with JONRÓN, Viciedo WAKE UP with DOUBLE. Cubans in Asia

By Juan Páez

In the latest Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) action this Sunday, Alfredo Despaigne reminded everyone why he has been one of the most important sluggers on the Japanese circuit in recent seasons. With his wood, he was the key figure in the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks 3 × 1 win over Buffaloes Orix.

Despaigne enjoyed a night of a hit in three legal at-bats, but his only hit was a huge home run (to go to seven) that changed everything in the engagement. He also struck out once and drove in a pair of runs (33). His massive full-return slam came in the bottom of the first inning to turn the scoreboard 2 × 1.

Then the 167th home run in Despaigne’s career in Japan, the top Cuban home runner in the Japanese league …

With this performance, Despaigne left his offensive line at .249 / .355 / .395 after 71 games played, with 58 hits. In that stretch he has 11 hits, a triple and all seven hits, with 21 runs scored and 36 walks received.

WAKE UP

In the Chunichi Dragons 2 × 1 setback against Yokohama DeNA BayStars, Dayán Viciedo fared well after going 8-0 in his last two games. This time, the Cuban first baseman finished 4-2 with a single and his 21st double of the season (.278 / .336 / .439).

Thanks to the two undisputed, Viciedo reached 130 hits in 126 games this season. With that included slump of eight valid blank chances in his two previous games, Dayán has eight undisputed in his last 24 trips to the box (.333).

In that same duel, his teammate Ariel Martínez hit as a pinch hitter and left his frequencies at .231 / .324 / .323. Finally, Raidel Martínez was credited with his fourth defeat of the season (1-4), after allowing a hit and an earned run in 0.2 innings, with a pair of walks. His ERA closed at 2.25.

Going to the draw of the Chiba Lotte Marines 4 × 4 against the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, Adeiny Hechavarría had no luck in four legal turns (.201 / .225 / .331) and Leonys Martín was also retired three times, including fanning ( .245 / .369 / .528).

Lastly, at the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO), José Miguel Fernández finished 4-1 (.317 / .392 / .453) in the Doosan Bears 5 × 1 loss to NC Dinos.

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