{"id":2613,"date":"2023-03-08T20:28:09","date_gmt":"2023-03-09T04:28:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportrelay.com\/mlb\/?p=2613"},"modified":"2023-03-08T20:28:09","modified_gmt":"2023-03-09T04:28:09","slug":"cleveland-mexico-baseball-today-and-70-years-ago","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportrelay.com\/mlb\/2023\/03\/08\/cleveland-mexico-baseball-today-and-70-years-ago\/","title":{"rendered":"Cleveland & Mexico Baseball Today And 70 Years Ago"},"content":{"rendered":"

GOODYEAR, Az. —\u00a0Jose Ramirez<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>hit his first home run of the spring and had three RBI on Wednesday to help the Cleveland Guardians<\/a> defeat Team Mexico, 6-0.<\/p>\n

Ramirez wanted to play for his native Dominican Republic in this year’s World Baseball Classic. The all-star third baseman had thumb surgery a few months ago and decided it was better to remain in the Cleveland camp and work his way back than to try and go full-bore in the WBC and risk any injury.<\/p>\n

Mexico, which produced one of Cleveland’s most memorable players 70 years ago in Bobby Avila<\/a><\/strong>, used the warmup for WBC play later this week at Chase Field in Phoenix.<\/p>\n

Amed Rosario<\/a><\/strong> hit a one-out single off Houston Astros<\/strong><\/a> right-hander Jose Urquidy<\/a> <\/strong>in the first inning, stole second, and continued to third when catcher Austin Barnes<\/a><\/strong> threw wildly. Ramirez then roped a 3-2 pitch over the wall in right.<\/p>\n

Cleveland starter Zach Plesac<\/a><\/strong> allowed one double and two walks over four sharp innings against a Mexican team comprised predominantly of MLB veterans. James Karinchak<\/a>, Trevor Stephan<\/a>,<\/strong>\u00a0Nick Sandlin<\/a>, Enyel De Los Santos<\/a> <\/strong>and Michael Kelly<\/a> <\/strong>worked one scoreless inning apiece.<\/p>\n

Rookie Gabriel Arias<\/strong><\/a> touched Urquidy for his first homer and 3-0 lead in the second. In the fifth, Myles Straw<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>doubled, scored on a double by Rosario, who scored on yet another double by Ramirez. Steven Kwan<\/a><\/strong> and\u00a0Will Brennan<\/a><\/strong> also doubled among Cleveland’s 11 hits. Bryan Rocchio<\/strong><\/a> added an RBI single.<\/p>\n

Lefty Jaime Arias<\/a><\/strong>, who pitched for Guardians farm teams the past two years, worked 2\/3 of an inning and Colorado Rockies<\/strong><\/a> shortstop Alan Trejo<\/a><\/strong> had three hits for Mexico, which opens WBC play Saturday against Colombia, managed by former Cleveland infielder Jolbert Cabrera<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mexican Legend Bobby Avila\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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This is an updated version of my article written in August 2004, when Cleveland celebrated the 50th anniversary of winning 111 games and the American League pennant. Avila\u00a0died of complications from diabetes in his native Mexico shortly thereafter on Oct. 27, 2004.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Embed from Getty Images<\/a>