SPAIN – Marlins Puerto Cruz continued their quest for a perfect season in the Spanish League with a doubleheader sweep on the road against Pamplona last weekend. The four-time defending league champion improved to 24-0 on the season.

The Marlins plated seven runs over the final three innings to capture a 10-2 victory in the opening game. Richard Montiel and Daniel Sanchez, who tallied three hits, led the Tenerife club with two RBIs apiece.

Right-hander Leslie Nacar (11-0) scattered a pair of runs and five hits over eight innings with 11 strikeouts to notch the win.

In the twinbill finale, Ivan Granados and Audie Nunez combined on a one-hit shutout to lead coach Nestor Perez’ squad to a 13-0 triumph.

Granados (9-0) fanned seven and gave up just one hit in five stellar innings before giving way to Nunez who worked the final two frames.

Ekaitz Ezpeleta (0-3) lasted only 1 1/3 innings after getting rocked for seven runs and eight hits.

Daniel Martinez, Luis Perez, Juan Carlos Macias and Victor Lopez paced the 20-hit attack with three hits apiece.

F.C. BARCELONA SWEEPS EL LLANO

Albert Diaz had four hits and Homer Baez threw five solid innings in a 16-3 rout against El Llano in the front end of a doubleheader. The Barcelona club completed the sweep with a 7-2 win in the second meeting.

Baez (9-2) allowed three runs and seven hits to pick up the win, while Marcos Pinto (0-1) was chaged with the loss after surrendering nine runs and ten hits in only 3 2/3 innings.

Pedro Belmonte turned in another effective outing in the second game as F.C. Barcelona posted a 7-2 victory to improve their record to 20-4. Orlando Diaz had three hits and drove in three scores for the second-place squad.

Belmonte (10-0) gave up six hits, two runs and a walk in eight innings, while Ruben Fente (5-3) was pinned with the loss.

ASTROS SNAP 55-GAME LOSING STREAK

In other Spanish League games last weekend, the Valencia Astros snapped a 55-game losing streak with an 8-2 upset win over Viladecans in the second game of a doubleheader. Luis Galicia (1-3) went the distance to post the historic win.

The Astros (1-23) outhit Viladecans 8-6 in the first game but lost by a score of 3-1.

SANT BOI SPLITS WITH HALCONES

Sant Boi (17-7) and the Vigo Halcones (12-10) split a pair of hard-fought games. Oscar Alvarez (9-3) pitched Sant Boi to a 6-2 win in the first meeting, while Juan Jose Lopez (3-2) picked up the win for the Halcones in the second encounter.

SAN INAZIO HUMBLES NAVARRA

Dirimo Chavez went 4-for-5 and scored three runs to help San Inazio whip Baseball Navarra 12-2 last Saturday. Alberto Magallon (5-4) allowed two runs and nine hits over eight innings the following day to complete the series sweep.

STANDINGS

Photos courtesy of Diego Lazaro

Tags: Spain