Only one team remains at the top of the Italian Baseball League’s standings after the first games of week 5 were played out on Friday, that one club being the Rimini Pirates after they were able to take down UnipolSai Bologna by the final of 2-0 in Rimini. The game was without a doubt one controlled by both clubs pitchers, Candelario for Rimini and Fleming for Bologna. When the dust settled at the end of the game it was defiantly Candelario that got the best of Fleming, out pitching him into the 7, with a huge 14 strikeout performance and the ‘W’ to his name. At the plate it was Bertagnon that drove in the games first run with a single in the 4th that plated Olmedo from third who had started the inning with a double down the right field line. The score would remain at 1-0 until the 7th when it was Romero’s turn to drive in Desimoni from third with a single up the middle off of a very tough Raul Rivero. Coming on for the two inning save was Victor Moreno, who surrendered just one hit and struck out three. This series will continue this evening in Bologna at 8:30 pm.
Down in Rome it was Nettuno that got the best of T&A San Marino thanks to a third inning that saw Carlos Maldonado send a ball over the centerfield fence with the basses juiced off of the southpaw, Rodney Rodriguez. Those would be the only runs that Nettuno would score in the game, but it was more then enough as Paul Estrada would do the rest with his impressive performance that saw him pitch into the 8th, where he allowed just 3 hits while striking out 9. This series will conclude tonight in Rome at 8:30 pm.
In Padova it was the visiting Parma club that got the best of Padova thanks to the suburb performances by Jimenez and Camacho on the hill. The final in this was was 3-0 with two of the three runs coming in the 1st and the final run of the game coming in the 8th. The total hits on the game accumulated to just 6, as it was Parma that was able to out hit Padova 5 to 1. The duo of Jimenez and Camacho proceeded to shut down Padova’s offense with Jimenez going the first six and Camacho finishing off the final three innings of the matchup. This two game set will conclude tonight in Parma with a game time of 8:00 pm.
Finally in Godo it was the Knights that got the best of Nettuno2 by the final of 6-0. The game’s runs came in the later innings, when it was Godo that broke out with a big 4 run 6th inning off of Gonzalez and Ibarra. 4 runs were scored off of 4 hits a walk and a hit by pitch. Godo was able to tack on two more insurance runs in the 7th on 2 hits and a walk, of which included an 2 RBI double off the bat of Bucchi, who finished 3 for 4 on the day with 1 run scored and 3 RBI’s. This two game set will conclude tonight in Godo at 8:30 pm.
