Magallanes and Caracas in a new hitting festival

Harold Capote Fernández | @batesbeisbol

A new episode of the Venezuelan Sports Classic takes place this Saturday afternoon at the University Stadium in the capital. Magallanes and Caracas meet for the seventh time so far this season, in a confrontation that has already been won by the Navegantes 4-2.

For the Lions on the mound is Dominican right-hander Gerson Garabito, in his first start for the team. Erick Noriega opens for the blues.

In the first inning, the Caracas opener is complicated by giving a couple of walks, however, he finds resources in his repertoire to hang the 3 outs without being violated in the race.

For his part, the Magellan initiator is received with a forceful hit from Wilfredo Tovar who advances to the anteroom after a single by Yosmany Guerra. He manages to step on the plate when Alexander Palma hits a ground ball in which a double play cannot be completed.

But Garabito’s problems continued in the second section, where he receives non-consecutive hits from Alejandro De Aza and Gabriel Noriega in addition to hitting Cade Gotta, in that scenario Alberto González hits rolling to shortstop with which Tovar retires Noriega in the third while De Aza steps on the platao.

When it seemed that the situation could not be worse, Pablo Sandoval appears at the plate, the Panda hits a roll through the middle of the field with which César Valera executes the double play that disappears the Magellan threat.

Again the Navegantes put together a new attack in the fourth, there Noriega and Gotta hit consecutive hits, Alberto González strikes out but Sandoval once again punishes Caracas with an unstoppable RBI of 1. With the ranch burning, Nellie Rodríguez also thunders a single that adds another for the ship, expelling Garabito.

Given this, the Lions do not fall asleep, in the fourth they arrive uncatchable followed by Palma and Corredor as well as consecutive tickets from José Rondón and Ronny Cedeño. In the context of the bases loaded, Jhonny Pereda fails to hit triple play down the road 5-5, 5-4, 4-3.

The movement on the bases is constant and the Navigators continue it with a hit by Albeth Martínez who advances to second base after Valera’s fielding error with which De Aza reaches the initial. Carlos Pérez takes the opportunity to launch a double that adds two, all against Félix Carvallo.

This great fifth inning follows the collapse of the defense of the capital. With a hit by Gabriel Noriega, Pérez takes advantage of an opponent’s oversight to score in the race. Later, Alberto González sounds a double driver of another.

Before the new pitcher, Yefry Valdez, Rodríguez connects high that falls between the left, center and shortstop to push another, the piñata continues to hit Leonardo Reginatto dispatching a biangular producer of 1, Martínez in the same way responds with a single that pushes another.

In an attempt to get back in the game, Leones does one on the legs of Anthony Jiménez, on base for a hit, then Noriega’s error allows Palma to tow him a little later.

The incessant bombardment of the ship’s guns continues in sixth with consecutive hits from Noriega and Gotta.

Caracas continues not to be beaten in the low of that section 6 with singles by Cedeño, Pereda and Valera, Ronny scores after left fielder Martínez’s blunder.

It is important to be able to make runs after 2 outs, this is how Leones executes it in the seventh after a walk to Aldrem Corredor followed by Rondón’s single plus Cedeño’s RBI hit that bathes Martínez.

An old saying about the ball says that this discipline always gives you a second chance, so Pereda takes advantage of it to connect forcefully, rolling in which Noriega misses in third and Rondón scores in the bottom of seventh.

The duel goes to the high of the ninth.

Information in development …