Tuesday September 3rd, 1968 - Cuban Stars West @ Cuban Stars East
7.05PM, Griffith Stadium, Washington DC
Ben Rivera
Sergio Valdez
The EL might be in its debut season, but there are already plenty of fierce rivalries fomenting - the Royal Giants and Black Yankees and Lincoln Giants; Eagles and Bacharach Giants; Giants and Monarchs; Grays and Athletics. And while we've already featured one of tonight's combatants, I simply couldn't pass up the opportunity to witness at close quarters arguably the fiercest rivalry of them all:
El Clįsico, as the interleague series between the two Cuban Stars clubs has been tagged.
Tonight, the East hosts the West in the nation's capital and it should be a beauty, with plenty more than just pride on the line for both sides as we get into the pointy end of the season.
The home side has led from the barriers but undoubtedly started to flag, which has seen their lead in the Weldy National narrow to just 6 1/2 games from the Motown Stars and red-hot ABCs. Meanwhile, the guests have found themselves forced to chase the Giants from the get-go and still trail them by 9 1/2 games and cannot afford to lose further ground on them. Entering this game, the East has the better record of the two by just one game.
Ben Rivera is the undisputed ace of the East and has pitched accordingly all season. He has his chance to rack up win number 20 tonight. Meanwhile, Sergio Valdez has also put together a most impressive rookie campaign and will feel good about his chances in this one.
We're in for a big one tonight, with elite talent everywhere you look.
Enough with the jibber-jabber, let's get into it.
Both pitchers start well, with no hits thru 2, but as is so often the case an error changes things as Hanley Ramirez boots what should have been an inning-ending DP and the West cashes in on a 2-out single by Papi Ortiz that scores one with another thrown out at home.
The East finally get their first hit in the 4th, a single by Rod Allen, but a handy GIDP douses the threat. Instead it is the West who scores next, doubling their advantage on an infield hit by Eduardo Perez after Todd Cruz had led off with a double. Charlie Neal singles and then a long double by Juan Soto makes it 3-0, with an Ortiz sac fly adding a fourth.
Rivera is certainly off his game tonight and the West extend their lead again in the next after Valdez singles to keep the inning going and Eduardo Perez knocks one in with a double.
Rivera then walks Neal to load them up for Juan Soto, who promptly dispatches one into the RF bleachers for a slam to make it an ugly 9-0 and end Rivera's poor game. It is Soto's 19th round-tripper of the season.
The East finally gets on the board in the home half via a 2-run homer by Rod Allen - just their second hit of the night - but that's it, as Valdez goes the distance for the win, the West's 4th on the trot.
Plenty of worries for the East right now and, while they may have left their run a bit late, the West will take plenty of heart from an excellent win to lock up the inaugural
El Clįsico and give them bragging rights until it next rolls around.