MEX - Panama City closer Hector Villalouous is making a strong bid for his first WBH Stopper of the Year Award. With almost half the season in the books, the 26-year old lefty has yet to give up a run, earned or otherwise. He has converted all 19 save opportunities, and his stat line looks like something out of a video game: 28 IP, 13 H, 3 BB, 27 K. Lefties are hitting a miniscule 087/160/087. That’s 2-23 with no walks and 2 HBP. He has only given up two extra-base hits all season, both doubles, and both to righties, who are hitting a “robust” 157/213/186 against the lefty flamethrower.
CHN - It’s starting to look like a two-team race in the LAD. Changsha and Wuhan are one game apart, while Philly and Shanghai are struggling.
USA - Akashi first baseman Hideaki Shimizu has suffered a ruptured disc according to team doctors and will have to retire from baseball at the age of 29. The career-ending injury occurred in yesterday’s Fordians-Legends game at Ballpark of Akashi. Shimizu was injured colliding with a player at a base and had to be taken to the hospital. Tests revealed the severity of his injury.
JPN - Caracas pitcher Juan Parraga pitches a NO-HITTER against the Havanna Cigars with 8 strikeouts and 2 BB allowed!
CUB - Seoul pitcher Dae-jin Kim pitches a 1-hit shutout against the Detroit Tigers with 6 strikeouts and 1 BB allowed!
DOM - The league commissioner’s office announced today that Gabino Altamevano of the Ranas Rojas and Cristóbal Encarnación of the Saints have both been suspended for 9 games for fighting in the recent game between Santo Domingo and Bocas del Toro at Ranas Rojas Ballpark.
KOR - Is Jeonju ready to dump Nam-sup Kim? It looks like it. The 2015 KOR LAD Pitcher of the Year is currently back in AAA and struggling. Coaches and fans have no idea what is going on with him.
VEN - Tokyo hurler Felipe Barrero was at his best as he whitewashed the Moca Machine 10-0 today. “He just kept the ball down, did a good job, made his pitches,” said the Moca manager. “We didn’t do a good job making adjustments, so we helped him out a little bit.” Barrero fired a 1-hitter and totaled 11 strikeouts and 3 walks in the shutout performance.
CAN - Lupe Gonzáles might be greedy, but there’s no disputing his talent. The hotshot left fielder will pocket $25,000,000 after re-signing with the Trappers earlier today, and will hang around another 2 years.
PAN - Bonao catcher Gabino Flores could miss the remainder of the season because of a torn groin muscle. He exited yesterday’s Pittsburgh game after injuring himself while running the bases. The original diagnosis said Flores would be out 11-12 months. Later on his doctors said he could be out even longer.
PUR - In a very impressive mound performance, Juan Freitas stopped the Osan Flying Squid cold. The 25-year-old Inchworms hurler blanked them on 1 hit to post a 6-0 triumph.
MEX - Toucans have gone 10-3 since suffering through an 0-6 sim. Still 9 games behind Panama City Bull Moose who have won 17 out of their last 19 games to open up a huge lead. Roldán ‘Tiog’ Molina hasn’t let up more than two runs in 9 straight starts. He has gone 5-1 with an ERA of 0.76 since losing opening day.
CHN - Players get multi-hit games all the time. But a 5-hit game only comes around once in a blue moon. It happened at Dragon Riders Ballpark when Masami Matsuno of Changsha scattered 5 hits all over the ballpark against the Wuhan Blackhawks.
USA - Toronto Sting signed CF Chris Cook to a 3-year contract extension worth a total of $16,200,000.
JPN - Barquisimeto shortstop Li-ren Chia has a herniated disc, suffered while throwing the ball. He’s expected to be out for 7-8 months.
CUB - Santurce is pulling away in the LAD. They hold a 12-game lead over Beijing and Toa Baja.
DOM - Santo Domingo signed MR Javier Merales to a 3-year contract extension worth a total of $6,750,000.
KOR - Victoria de Las Tunas having a tough time getting fans to the ballpark. Attendance has dropped off, and the team is drawing 5,000 less fans per game than last year.
VEN - Oaxaca Nueve is the class of the LOD. The club is the only team over .500 in the division, and they hold a 13-game lead over Mexico City.
CAN - Vancouver LF Nathan Hébert hits 2 home runs against the Kitchener Rangers, going 4-6 with 9 RBI and 3 runs scored.
PAN - Ciudad Boliva fans enjoying their baseball. The team is drawing 7,000+ more fans each game over last year.
PUR - The season is finished for Earl Keats of the Thunder Bay Avengers. The club announced today that he will forego the rest of the year because of injury. The Avengers starting pitcher suffered a torn rotator cuff muscle while throwing a pitch in a recent game against the Bayamon Bulldogs. Team doctors said it would take at least 7-8 months to heal.