SPAIN – Audie Nunez and Oscar Jimenez both turned in solid outings and Spain scored four runs in the fifth to claim a 6-2 victory over Czech Republic on Wednesday at the 2008 European U-21 Championships.

Michal Ondracek’s bunt single down the third base line scored Radim Chroust to give the Czech Republic a 1-0 lead after three innings. Spain loaded the bases with one out in the fourth off Czech starter Jan Blazek but came up empty as the next two hitters flied out and hit into a fielder’s choice to end the rally.

Blazek retired Pau Sancho on a groundout to start the fifth but was sent to the showers after back-to-back singles by Daniel Sanchez and Emmanuel Febles. The Spanish squad loaded the bases for the second consecutive inning when reliever Vojtech Jelinek walked Daniel Martinez and tied the game at 1-all when the next hitter, Oscar Roman, was hit by an errant pitch. And, Spain was just getting started.

Roymer Garcia followed with a two-run single to put Spain on top, 3-1, and after striking out the next batter, the 18-year-old right-hander unleashed a wild pitch to gift-wrap the fourth run of the inning.

Spain added a pair of insurance runs in the eighth to increase their lead and the Czech Republic plated a run in the ninth to make the final score 6-2.

Nunez (1-0) worked five strong innings allowing just one run on three hits to pick up the win before Jiminez pitched the final four innings giving up a run on four hits. The Spanish hurlers combined the strikeout nine while issuing just three walks.

Blazek (0-1) surrendered a pair of runs on five hits over 4 1/3 innings and was dealt the loss.

Sanchez and Garcia each had two hits for Spain while Ondracek led the Czech Republic with a 3-for-5 performance.

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Tags: Czech Republic, Spain