DAEJEON -- Former major league players Alexi Ogando and Wilin Rosario on Wednesday became the first batterymates from the Dominican Republic to win a game in the Korea Baseball Organization.
Ogando tossed six strong innings for the Hanwha Eagles with countryman Rosario behind the plate, as they beat the Doosan Bears 3-1 at Hanwha Life Eagles Park in Daejeon, some 160 kilometers south of Seoul. The Eagles are now enjoying a season-high four-game winning streak.
Ogando gave up just one earned run on four hits to improve to 5-4 for the season. His ERA is now his season-low 3.17.
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In this photo provided by the Hanwha Eagles baseball club, catcher Wilin Rosario throws the ball back to his pitcher Alexi Ogando (not pictured) during a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game against the Doosan Bears at Hanwha Life Eagles Park in Daejeon on May 31, 2017. (Yonhap) |
Kim Tae-kyun led the offense with a two-run home run in the bottom of the first, extending his KBO record on-base streak to 83 games.
But the day belonged to Ogando and Rosario. The Eagles also marked Wednesday as the Dominican Republic's Day and played the country's national anthem in the pregame ceremony.
The two are only the second foreign batterymates to win in the KBO after Andy Van Hekken and Vinny Rottino for the Nexen Heroes in 2014.
Ogando had previously thrown to Rosario in the Dominican league. And though Rosario had played 323 games as catcher for the Colorado Rockies, he had primarily been the first baseman since joining the Eagles last year because of his questionable defense behind the plate.
Ogando recently asked his coaches to make Rosario his personal catcher, and the Eagles gave the duo a chance on Wednesday.
Ogando, who went 33-18 in seven big league seasons with three clubs until last year, held the Bears off the board through five innings. Yang Eui-ji's RBI single in the sixth was his only blemish, and he got out of a bases-loaded jam later in the inning.
The Eagles went to the bullpen in the seventh nursing a 3-1 lead, and Rosario moved to first base in favor of Cha Il-mok.
Three relief pitchers slammed the door shut on the Bears. (Yonhap)
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