The Rimini Pirates are just one step away of an Italian Baseball League Finals Champions that has eluded them since 2006… just a single win that could come this evening with their ace, Candelario, on the bump after it was Escalona who led the way on Monday evening over the almost down and out UnipolSai Bologna. At the plate it was the bottom half of the lineup that did all the damage, with Spinelli driving in the games first two runs in the bottom of inning number two, while in the bottom of the 8th it was Babini that drove in Rimini’s insurance run with a two out, two strike single through the left side of the diamond. Suffering the loss for Bologna was Marquis Fleming who was able to pitch past the 7th, where he surrendered just 2 runs on the game. Bologna had their chances in this one… however base running mistakes and good pitching kept them off the board, eventually leading to their 0 and 3 mark thus far in the Italian Baseball Series.
After Escalona was able to dance around a little trouble over the first two innings, Rimini was able to crack the scoreboard off of Bologna’s starter, Fleming, when with one out in the inning and runners on first and second it was Spinelli who came up with the huge 1 out single up the middle that plated bot Mazzanti and Zileri for the 2-0 advantage.
In the top of the 4th Bologna let a golden opportunity slip through their hands when after Vaglio led off the inning with a double to right center, he was eliminated at third after making the mistake to try and advance on a ball to the shortstop, Olmedo. Bologna once again had another opportunity in the top of the 6th with runners on the corners and no outs, however this time it was Narcar out of the pen who go Sambucci to go down on strikes, Ambrosino to fly to short left and Russo to pop up to short to end the frame.
In the bottom of the 8th the Pirates tacked on another run after Babini came through with a huge two out, two strike single through the left side of the diamond, plating Zileri, who had reached on an error, then stole second.
In the 9th it was Victor Moreno who came on for the save, eventually getting Infante to go down on strikes to end the game for the 3-0 best of 7 series lead.
