Villaclareño Aledmys Díaz contributed to the Oakland Athletics’ cause on Sunday but his team fell short and ended up giving up five runs to four (5×4) against the Minnesota Twins at the Oakland Coliseum. Aledmys lined out at shortstop and seventh in the bullpen for the cellar dwellers in the American League West Division.
So far this season, the 32-year-old native of Santa Clara has played 67 MLB games and has played all infield positions. He has played the most games as a shortstop with 30 games, then 21 times as a third baseman and to a lesser extent as a shortstop (11) and starter (4).
In this challenge he went 4-1 with a double in the bottom of the fourth inning that put his team in a momentary 3×0 lead. It was his first home run of the year and his 15th RBI of the year. His offensive average was fixed at .210, reaching 44 hits on the season.
Sunday’s day in the world’s best baseball had a complete lineup (15 games). A total of 18 players with Cuban blood saw action.
The baseball players from the Greater Antilles were divided into 16 batters and two pitchers. The Cuban-American Nick Martinez of the San Diego Padres and Raisel Iglesias of the Atlanta Braves were in charge of the mound. Both were unscathed in their performances, which lasted two and one inning respectively.
Adolis Garcia
With the wood in their hands, the most outstanding players were two players from Ciego de Avila. Adolis García and Luis Robert Jr.
Adolis went 4-2 in his team’s 6×5 win over the Cleveland Guardians. “El Bombi” hit his 21st double of the year and drove in a run and scored another with a strikeout. In this way, he consolidates his position as the leader in RBIs in the MLB and became the first batter to reach 80 towers in Major League Baseball.
Robert Jr. was in his best shape as he went 5-4 in the Chicago White Sox 8×1 victory over the Atlanta Braves. In the game Robert fired his 27th home run of the year and drove in three runs, bringing his offensive average to .276. In the race for the home run lead, the third bat of the Cuban team in the V World Baseball Classic is third behind only Matt Olson (30) and phenom Shoei Ohtani (33).
The day also saw Cuban-American Triston Casas of the Boston Red Sox get the nod.
Cubans in MLB (Sunday, July 16):
-Adolis Garcia (TEX) 4-2,R,2B,RBI,K,(.267)
-Aledmys Diaz (OAK) 4-1,2B,RBI,(.210)
-Dairon Blanco (KCR) 0-0,(.188)
-JD Martinez (LAD) 4-0,K,(.258)* -Zach Neto (LAA) 4-0,K,(.258)
-Zach Neto (LAA) 5-1,R,2B,RBI,3K,(.247)* -Zach Neto (LAA) 5-1,R,2B,RBI,3K,(.247)*
-Yuli Gurriel (MIA) 4-1,R,2B,(.266)
-Lourdes Gurriel Jr (ARI) 3-2,R,(.270)
-Randy Arozarena (TAM) 4-0,K,(.277)
-Jorge Soler (MIA) 4-0,2K,(.248)
-Nick Fortes (MIA) 0-0,(.207)* -Nick Castellanos (PHI) 0-0,(.207)*
-Nick Castellanos (PHI) 1-0,(.291)* -Nick Castellanos (PHI) 1-0,(.291)*
-Nolan Arenado (STL) 4-0,K,(.280)* -José Abreu (HL) 4-0,K,(.280)* -Nick Castellanos (PHI) 1-0,(.291)*
-José Abreu (HOU) 6-0,K,(.241)
-Triston Casas (BOS) 1-1,R,HR,2RBI,(.233)* -Luis Robert Jr (CH) 1-1,R,HR,2RBI,(.233)* -Luis Robert Jr.
-Luis Robert Jr (CHW) 5-4,R,HR,3RBI,(.276)
-Yasmani Grandal (CHW) 4-1,3K,(.248)
-Nick Martinez (SDP) 2.0IP,0H,0R,0BB,K,ERA 3.80*.
-Raisel Iglesias (ATL) 1.0IP,0H,0R,0BB,0K,ERA 3.80
*: refers Cuban-American.