Cuban Raidel Martinez scores third save, others in steady step in NPB

HAVANA, Cuba, Apr 30 (ACN) Backed by his fastball, Cuban Raidel Martinez scored his third save of the season today in the 3-2 victory of the Chunichi Dragons over the Yomiuri Giants, in the Central Zone of the Nippon Professional Baseball.

At the Tokyo Dome, the speedy right-hander Martinez retired in a row the three batters he faced, including one by strikeout, in one inning of relief. His effectiveness dropped to 2.35 and now totals 13 hits in 7.2 innings of work.

His teammate, Dayan Viciedo, hit his third home run of the season and a single in four at-bats, and he also scored one run.The powerful first baseman, who hit a home run for the second time in three games, increased his average to 275 and his total of runs batted in to 14.

Meanwhile, left-hander Livan Moinelo allowed his first run of the year in the SoftBank Falcons' 4-5 loss to the Orix Buffaloes at the Kyocera Dome in Osaka, in the Pacific zone.

Teammate slugger Alfredo Despaigne went 4-1 with a single and a run scored to raise his average to 205, while outfielder Yurisbel Gracial hit 3-0 with a run scored to lower his average to 324.

And at Rakuten Seimei Park in Sendai, outfielder Leonys Martin, homerun leader (10) in the Pacific League, hit a single in four chances in the Lotte Marinos' 1-8 loss to the Rakuten Eagles. His average dropped to 271.