Perfect Tuesday for Cuban relievers in NPB

HAVANA, Cuba, May 4 (ACN) With their fast deliveries in a full inning of performance, the indecipherable Cuban relievers Livan Moinelo and Raidel Martinez once again muted hitters and were key today in the triumph of their respective clubs in the Japanese professional baseball league.

At the Pay Pay Dome in Fukuoka, the left-handed Moinelo scored his second save of the season after retiring all three batters he faced in a row in the eighth inning in the 6-4 victory of the reigning champion SoftBank Falcons over the Rakuten Eagles in the Pacific League.

Moinelo, who struck out 16 times in 11 innings, reduced his ERA to 0.82. In that duel, his teammate, outfielder Yurisbel Gracial, was 4-1, with a single, a run scored and a steal, to reduce his average to 313.

Meanwhile, at the Vantelin Dome in Nagoya, right-hander Raidel Martinez also retired all three batters he faced in the ninth inning of the Chunichi Dragons' 8-4 victory over the DeNA All-Stars in the Central Zone.

In that game, Martinez struck out an opponent and reached 15 strikeouts in 9.2 innings of work, to lower his effectiveness to 1.86.