Pedro Pablo Revilla.

Photo: Chunichi Dragons.

The Cuban delegation that is active in the 2022 Japanese Professional Baseball League completed a dream weekend,

Seven-year veteran Dayan Viciedo

got the party started Friday by hitting three home runs in four at-bats, scoring four times and driving in five runs in the Chunichi Dragons' 9-0 win over the Hiroshima Carps at Mazda Stadium in that city. city.

The starter from Villa Clara became the first player on his team to go out three times in the same game since the 2010 season, and he also joined a large group of Caribbean players who have achieved the same feat in the past, including Puerto Rican Neftali Soto.

As if that weren't enough, he had three hits in four opportunities in Sunday's game and drove in three more runs to total

in his last three games.

His offensive average of 285 now places him as

and his 43 RBIs make him the

where he is also second with 11 homers.

In that same game,

became the 309th Latino and the 39th Cuban to debut in the highest category of Nippon Professional Baseball, and he also did it with all of the law by adding an hit in four visits to the plate. .

In the Pacific League, Adeiny Hechavarría hit her second home run of the year and two singles in six at-bats, scoring once and driving in two runs, but her effort was insufficient to avoid the 9x8 loss in 12 innings for the Lotte Marinos against the Oryx Buffaloes at Chiba's ZOZO Marine Stadium.

The shortstop from Santiago, who had not left for the street since March 31, raised his average to .239 and also hit a couple of doubles and drove in one more run in the games on Saturday and Sunday, which unfortunately his team returned to lose.

Matanzas

completed the party on Friday by going

, in the SoftBank Halcones' 5x2 loss to the Seibu Lions at the Pay Pay Dome in Fukuoka.

His average was .287 at the time.

However, his streak did not end there.

Between Saturday and Sunday he had three more hits, which included his sixth home run of the season and an RBI, to raise his average to .291 and move up to fourth place in that department in the Pacific League.

On Saturday it was

's turn , who in his first game in the circuit's top flight hit a solo homer, a single in four plate appearances and drove in two runs to give Chunichi his second straight win over Hiroshima at Mazda Stadium. .

The Guantanamo man became the 310th Latino and the 40th Cuban to see action in the top flight of the NPB

and his performance was so impressive that his manager decided to use him as a starter again in Sunday's game, where he went 3 -1 with a single.

As Chunichi has seven foreigners on his roster and can only use four of them in a single match, his starting spot will never be guaranteed for the rest of the schedule.

Still, if he keeps hitting like he did in his first two games, there's no doubt he'll see more action than he expected.

Another great surprise that was experienced in that same game was the return to the mound of

, from Camagüey, who had not been able to play since July 1 due to an injury to his throwing shoulder.

It was estimated at the time that he would take four weeks to return, and so it was.

Fortunately for everyone, he showed no physical discomfort during his performance and limited the damage to a scoreless single in an inning of relief.

The next day he fared much better,

to drop his ERA to 2.01.

With 23 

 to his credit, he remains in fifth place in that category in the Central League

and in the fight to win the title of best intermediate reliever of the year in that circuit.

The leader has 29, but if he manages to see action consistently from here on out he sure has a chance to catch up.

As if all this were not enough,

, after allowing a scoreless single and striking out two rivals in a relief chapter.

With that result he reduced his ERA to 0.55 and equaled the third place in saves in the Central League, but it didn't take long for him to be alone in that position since this Sunday he reaped his twenty-third save of the year, despite giving up a run in an inning. relay.

His ERA is up to 0.80, but he tied his career high for saves in a season and is just one step away from breaking his own record.

With two full months left on the calendar, chances are he's going to do it very soon.

This Sunday the turn was for the left - handed

, who after having a brilliant performance this week in the All - Star series

, allowing a no - run hit in a relief episode in the win SoftBank's 4x2 over Seibu.

The left-hander from Pinar del Río, who improved his ERA to 0.83,

, 10 away from the leader and four from fourth place in that category.

His chances of winning the title are slim, but not impossible if his team stays in contention for the championship.

The only Cuban who had a modest performance this weekend was veteran Alfredo Despaigne, who added just a single and scored a run in the three games he played

.

His average fell from .247 to .231 in that period.

However, he has five home runs and eight RBIs in the 108 legal at-bats he has been able to take so far, giving him a projection of 25 and 40 in a full season.

Injuries and a positive for COVID-19 have prevented him from playing more often, but when he has he has performed well.

Of the 12 Cubans who are currently active in the top flight, only three were unable to see action this weekend:

, who have been working in the minor league either due to injury or poor performance. .

After shining between his debut in 2019 and the 2021 season, Martín has had a very difficult year in 2022, in which he has only been able to hit seven home runs and drive in 21 runs in 57 games, with an abysmal .161 offensive average.

It is not known when he will be able to return to the top flight of the circuit, but the sooner he does it the better, since his team needs him to fight for a place in the

, which seems increasingly difficult to achieve.

Martinez was sidelined two weeks ago due to chronic pain in his left hand and has been in rehab ever since.

It's also not known when he will be able to return to the senior team, but he had better do it soon if he doesn't want to give up his starting job to rookies Revilla or Garcia.

Ravelo's situation seems to be the worst of all.

The outfielder debuted in late 2021 with some promise, but this year he has barely batted .138 in 24 games and hasn't seen action for the Orix Buffaloes' senior team since May 3.

If he doesn't show signs of life soon, he will most likely spend the rest of the season in the reserve team and be released once the regular schedule ends, although his team seems on track to qualify for the 

(Taken from Jit)