Alfredo Despaigne's home run and he is now the historical leader in Japan

March 29, 2021

With his home run in the Softbank Hawks' comeback against the Chiba Lotte Marines, Alfredo Despaigne took the lead among Cuban home run hitters in the Land of the Rising Sun and continues to add to his story and legend in Cuban Baseball of all time.

Already in the last season, despite injuries and poor numbers, "The Horse of Horses" had tied the legendary Santiago native Orestes Destrade with 160 home runs, and it was only a matter of time before he broke that mark and today he did it at the right moment.

With the game down 3 runs to 2, the robust Cuban batter connected his historic hit off reliever Frank Herman with one on base to tie the game and put his team ahead in the eighth inning. As a curious fact, both batters (Destrades and Despaigne) are natives of the indomitable eastern Cuban province.

The game was decided in the ninth, as the Marines countered with 2 runs via a home run by emerging Sugano, only to be left on the field at the end of the same inning.

It is important to remember the Top 5 of Cuban home run leaders in Japan, where there are still 3 active:

1- Alfredo Despaigne (161) (Active)

2- Orestes Destrade (160)

3- Dayan Viciedo (102) (Active)

4- Alexander Guerrero (71)

5- Yurisbel Gracial (47) (Active)

Gracial and Leonys Martín also participated in the game, although both went hitless, the Matanzas native in 4 at-bats and the Villa Clara native in 3.

Pinar del Río native Liván Moinelo continues in the Hawks' farm system, recovering his athletic form after his late arrival in Japan due to COVID, it is expected that in the coming weeks he will be able to join the first team in the city of Fukuoka.

Cuban Baseball continues to shine across all latitudes and we continue to take pride in it. That's all for today, we'll see you next time.