Cuban Raidel Martinez saves his second game in NPB, others with ups and downs

HAVANA, Cuba, Apr 1 (ACN) Cuban Raidel Martinez scored his second save of the year today, in the close 3-2 victory of the Chunichi Dragons over the Hiroshima Carp, in the Central zone of the Japanese Professional Baseball League.

At the Vantelin Dome in Nagoya, the Dragons were trailing 0-1 and scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning on Toshiki Abe's home run with a runner on. And with that minimal difference in favor, mentor Kazuyoshi Tatsunami gave the Mizuno to the Cuban pitcher at the beginning of the ninth ining.

Raidel combined well his fastball with his accurate slider, allowed a no-run home run, thus signing the rescue, and recovering from the loss suffered in his previous outing. In addition, he improved his effectiveness to 3.00.

Last season, the right-hander arrived in Japan several weeks after the start of the series, due to the well-known health protocols existing in that country because of the COVID-19. Now, Tatsunami and the pitching coaches have had him from day one.

For the Dragons, his compatriot and teammate, starter Dayan Viciedo went 4-0, with a strikeout, and lowered his average to 200.

Meanwhile, at Rakuten Seimei Park in Sendai, Cuban Yurisbel Gracial singled in three innings and got a ticket in the Softbank Falcons' close 1-0 win over the Rakuten Eagles. His average rose to 231.

And at Chiba's ZOZO Marine Stadium, the Lotte Marinos beat the Seibu Lions 3-2.

For Lotte, Cuban outfielder Leonys Martin went 3-0, with a ticket and a hit, to lower his average to 100, while his compatriot and outfielder Adeiny Hechavarria failed in a pop-up appearance to lower his to 222.