The Cibao Giants of the Dominican Republic won a hard-fought victory against the Navegantes de Magallanes of Venezuela on Tuesday, a victory that lifts them up after losing the day before, but shows them that they must continue attacking when they are on the field.
Behind a fluid offense, the Dominicans dominated their game this Tuesday with a 6-0 lead after completing six innings, but what seemed like an easy victory led to them having to play extra innings after The Venezuelan bats attacked their relief pitching, scoring five runs in the seventh and two in the eighth to go on to lead the match 7-6, when the Giants had two opportunities left to finish the game.
“That gives us a good message, that we cannot lower our guard and that everyone has to come and do what they have to do,” explained Hanser Alberto at a press conference, after becoming the hero of the Dominican triumph.
Alberto tied the game with a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning and then by the same route gave his team the victory in the tenth inning.
“The pitching failed us today, but the offense and defense were there and at the end of the day we were able to get the game out,” said Alberto, who explained that with the wide advantage that they reached the seventh inning, they thought they were not going to have to use the number of pitchers, which they had to use in the game.
Regarding the at-bat in which he gave the Dominicans the victory, he said that he has been talking with his partner, the Major League second baseman Robinson Canó, since both have had to exhaust the key at-bats in the games and the two they concluded that the most important thing is to remain calm in these situations.
“Keeping calm has been key to being able to see the pitches, against pitchers you don’t know and that you’re facing for the first time,” Alberto said.
The Dominican shortstop said he is confident in the work that he and his teammates can do in the remainder of the Caribbean Series, where this Wednesday they will have to face the Charros de Jalisco from Mexico, in the fight for the ticket to the final.