By Juan Páez
Apparently, Alfredo Despaigne left the best of his offense for the final stretch of the 2021 Nippon Professional Baseball season, in a campaign that has not been easy for the top Cuban home runner in the history of the Japanese circuit. On Tuesday’s day, the island slugger led the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks win 6 × 0 over Chiba Lotte Marines.
Despaigne was in stellar plan from the box of sluggers. The designated hitter went 4-2 with his ninth regular-round home run, four RBIs (for 39 on the year), one scored and one strikeout. His home run, which you can watch below, came in the sixth inning with two running backs to put the score 4 × 0 in favor of Fukuoka.
This was the second game in a row for Alfredo with a close homer and, overall, he has three in his last seven games played, a period in which he has eight RBIs. Its frequencies closed the day at .260 / .374 / .428.
In that same challenge, but on the Chiba side, shortstop Adeiny Hechavarría failed in all three valid chances he consumed (.209 / .229 / .327), while designated hitter Leonys Martín was blank in four legal trips to the box (.236 / .360 / .502).
EAT THE LEAGUE
Ariel Miranda continues to dazzle in the final part of the current Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) campaign. The Cuban left-hander gave a pitching lesson in the Doosan Bears 5 × 0 victory over the Samsung Lions.
Miranda won the foreigners’ duel to fellow former great Mike Montgomery and earned his 14th win of the season. This time, he hit the plate 111 times in a 7.0 scoreless effort, with just four hits allowed, one walk awarded and 10 strikeouts delivered. Her ERA continues to decline and now she parked at 2.29 to establish herself as the best in the championship.
The sinister islander, who made 21 quality starts in 27 total starts, is going through an unbeatable moment on the Korean circuit. In his last 10 starts (67.2 innings), he has a 1.33 ERA and 87 fans, a brilliant period in which he has six victories.
His teammate José Miguel Fernández, ranked fifth at bat and first base, finished 3-1, with scored, a walk and a pitch received (.318 / .393 / .450).
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