Valencia.-Before the start of the 2024-2025 season of the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League, 14 seasons had passed since the last time a No-hit-No-run was recorded, the longest drought of this type of feat in the almost 80 years of history of the circuit. Well, in a period of just 17 days, Bravos de Margarita was about to score its second.
Jacob Rhinesmith, as a pinch-hitter, broke the no-hitter with a single off closer Carlos Navas, with two outs left to complete the feat.
However, it was a bittersweet feeling for the island team, which was able to complete the whitewash. 4-0 to seven innings, during the first game of a doubleheader at the José Bernardo Pérez Stadium in Valencia.
The four-armed task was started by big league player Anthony Molina, who was building a perfect game after the fourth inning, before an electrical failure in the Carabobo park stopped the actions for an hour and forced him to leave the mound.
“Happy with today’s work, but the inconvenience of the light was a real shame. Since the season began I had this game in mind against Magallanes, because I am from the area (San Joaquín),” said the right-hander to Giner García and Pascual Artiles for the broadcast of 1 Baseball Network. “I had the opportunity for my family to see me, and it went very well.”
Molina was masterful in the 4.0 innings he played, striking out three rivals and barely needing 35 pitches to travel that path. But even more surprising was that 28 of those pitches were strikes, which represented an impressive 80% of his pitches.
WITHOUT LIGHT IT ALSO SHINES
Despite the disappointment of seeing his jewel of a pitching game interrupted by fluid problems in the towers located in the outfield, the Colorado Rockies major leaguer gave greater importance to the result of the match.
“These are things that happen and I don’t control. “I was very encouraged and focused on continuing to pitch, because I had only a few pitches and I felt like I could complete the game,” Molina said. “Yes, it was a bitter pill to swallow, but at least we were able to achieve the victory and almost completed the No-hit-No-run.”
After he left the mound due to circumstances, Moisés Antonio Gómez relieved him, who walked Renato Núñez, the first batter he faced, to see the opportunity for the perfect game disappear. However, he scored zero without allowing hits, something that Claudio Custodio (1-2), the winner of the match, also achieved.
In that scenario, the morrito Navas was promoted, who dominated Carlos Rodríguez with a fly ball before facing Rhinesmith, who emerged for José Peraza. And with a count of 2-2, the American hit the unhittable towards center field that broke the magic.
However, there was not much time to regret, because Eliézer Alfonzo Jr., on the first delivery he saw in the turn, failed with a ground ball for a double play that lowered the curtain and increased Navas’ saves to nine.
MOSES OPENED THE WATERS
On the offensive side, the absolute figure of the confrontation was Moisés Manuel Gómez, who hit two solo home runs to make the difference on the scoreboard in favor of the Braves.
The first of the full return blows was in the fourth act, towards the left field, against the right-handed Jesús Paricaguan (0-2), ultimately the loser of the challenge.
And the second was already in the sixth section, this time against Jesús Tinoco, again to the left, to leave definitive figures in the score.
“Fortunately we were given the victory. The truth is that the team is doing a very good job,” Gómez mentioned. “The results are coming. “I am very focused on getting better every day.”
WHAT’S COMING
Bravos (22-13) and Magallanes (17-16) will face each other again soon. Margarita will have Frainger Aranguren as the starter, and Navegantes will have Luis Martínez.
FROM THE GROUND
For Bravos, they entered the weekly roster Yender Caramo (LD), Carlos Jesus Perez (C), David Rodriguez (C), Jason Lopez (C), Ramon Flores (OF) y Yordanys Linares (OF) by Luis Amoroso (LD), Carlos Linarez (C), Alberto Gonzalez (INF), Carlos Arroyo (OF), Edward Olivares (OF) y Connor Owings (INF). Pérez, Rodríguez and captain Flores return to the team after their participation with Venezuela in the Premier 12, a tournament where Carlos Jesús was elected as the best first baseman in the All Stars. The big league Olivares, for his part, completed his performance with the currency, as he had agreed with the management…Felix Doubront (LZ) is already in Venezuela, according to Margarita’s press department, and is ready to enter the active roster when the coaching staff decides. The pitcher has already completed the 30-game suspension imposed for violating the LVBP’s anti-doping program…By Magallanes, they were registered on the weekly roster Anthony Vizcaya (LD), Angel Hernandez (LZ), Jesus Paricaguan (LD) and Luis Torrens (C) by Edward Colina (LD), Felipe Rivero (LZ), Arturo Nieto (C) y Aeverson Arteaga (INF). Torrens lined up as a catcher and hit sixth in the lineup Eduardo Perez. Vizcaya, meanwhile, returned to the team after his time in the Premier 12 with the Venezuelan representation…Rivero, in turn, will be absent for an undetermined period of time because he will take a break to strengthen his throwing arm, as detailed Antonio Balleste, head of trainers at Navegantes, to the currency’s communications staff.
IN NUMBERS
Bravos, with their victory, secured the private series against Magallanes (5-2) with the last game remaining…Anthony Molina improved his season ERA to 2.60 and WHIP to 1.04 in 17.1 innings. And, in fact, in his two recent starts he has allowed no runs, in 9.0 innings combined…Moisés Manuel Gómez recorded her second multi-homer game of the campaign and raised her total of home runs in the season to 12, to increase Margarita’s record…2 hours and 57 minutes was the duration of the game, with 1 hour and 2 minutes delayed due to the electrical failure.
