MIAMI SHORES, Fla. -- Team Red received a tremendous effort by three different pitchers in an 8-2 victory Tuesday night at Feinbloom Field. Joeanthony Rivera was impressive as a starter going five innings limiting Team Black to two hits and one earned run. Adrian Benitez and Tim Blackmon worked in relief tossing 1 2/3 innings of no-hit ball. Blackmon got the final four outs, all on strikeouts.
Team Red struck first scoring a run in the second inning and it might have turned into a bigger inning if it wasn’t for a tremendous defensive effort from JC Cardenas who somehow was in position to cover home plate on an error that ended up in the right field foul territory.
Red tacked on three more runs in the top of the 4th inning when Tim Blackmon led off the inning with a titanic home run. Andy Ruiz followed up with a double and scored following a sacrifice by Joe Iorio and an error. Wilson Acosta knocked in the final run of the inning with a base hit.
Team Black scratched across single runs in the 5th and 6th innings but their biggest fire was put out by Blackmon who struck out a Team Black hitter with the bases loaded. Team Red added four more insurance runs in the top of the 7th highlighted by RBI hits by Iorio and Edwin Medina. Blackmon took care of business in the bottom half by striking out the side.
Willy Acosta led the Team Red hitting attack with three hits in four at bats along with Andy Ruiz who had 2 RBI’s. Luis Arrizurieta and Joel Bellot had the lone hits for Team Black.
The series will continue on Thursday night with Team Red looking to wrap up the series. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.