Esequier Pie throws second no-hitter
After becoming the first pitcher in IBL history to throw a no-hitter earlier this season, Esequier Pie became the first to throw two no-hitters on Wednesday night in Ra’anana Express’ 2-0 victory over Tel Aviv Lightning. The Dominican righty also struck out 12 batters and walked five
Ra’anana scored their first run in the first inning off a solo homerun from leftfielder Ben Field, his fourth of the season. First baseman Matt Castillo of Phoenix, Arizona added two hits to raise his average to .326.
Prior to Pie’s gem, the two teams played the homerun derby of their July 31st game, which was suspended with a 5-5 score. Ra’anana won the tiebreaking derby 5-2 to win the game 6-5.
Meanwhile, the Beit Shemesh Blue Sox and the Modi’in Miracle played in one of the season’s wildest games, which was suspended after 6.5 innings due to darkness with the Sox leading 14-13.
It was a back and forth game with slugging from both teams. For Beit Shemesh, Californian shortstop Gregg Raymundo went 3-for-4 with two homeruns, three RBI, and two runs scored. Dominican Eladio Rodriguez came back from injury for the Miracle to go 3-for-5 with a homerun and three RBI. The last half-inning will be played prior to the game between Beit Shemesh and Modi’in at Kibbutz Gezer on Wednesday, August 15.
The Petach Tikva Pioneers came back in the seventh inning to beat the Netanya Tigers 5-4 in the first of a doubleheader. 51 year-old Scott Cantor earned his first win with a complete game, allowing three earned runs on 12 hits with two strikeouts and two walks.
With Petach Tikva down 4-3 in the seventh, third baseman Andrew Morales laced an RBI-single to left to tie it up. Two batters later leftfielder Ryan Crotin hit a single of his own to put the Pioneers up for good en route to their sixth victory of the season.
Netanya came back in the second game to beat the Petach Tikva 14-9. Catcher Michael Ibbitson led the way by going 3-for-4 with three RBI while centerfielder Bryan Pinchuk also went 3-for-4 with two RBI and three runs scored. Ryan Forsythe and Dan Rootenberg combined for three hits and a homer apiece as Ami Baran’s club wins its 14th game of the season.
Thursday at 5:00 pm the Tel Aviv Lightning play the Beit Shemesh Blue Sox at Kibbutz Gezer while the Ra’anana Express take on the Petach Tikva Pioneers at Sportek in Tel Aviv. At 7:00 pm the Modi’in Miracle and the Netanya Tigers play at Yarkon Field at the Baptist Village in Petach Tikva.
