Gracial hits eighth home run in Japanese campaign

September 24, 2020

Cuban baseball player Yurisbel Gracial hit his eighth home run today of the 2020 Japanese professional baseball season.

His solo hit contributed to a tie for his Softbank Hawks against the Orix Buffaloes (3x3), in a game played at the Pay Pay Dome in Fukuoka.

Gracial (4-1) maintained his offensive average at .264, while his compatriot Alfredo Despaigne lowered his to .241, after going hitless in three at-bats.

Liván Moinelo had another flawless outing, retiring all three batters he faced, which brought his ERA to 1.21, the result of allowing seven earned runs in 37.1 innings.

The tie posed no major setbacks for the defending champion of the Japan Series, as its closest pursuers in the Pacific League, the Lotte Marines, lost 0x3 to the Rakuten Eagles.