Modi'in holds off Netanya; Beit Shemesh wins

By SHLOMO SPRUNG
Modi'in slugger Eladio Rodriguez homered and drove in three runs as the Miracle held off the Netanya Tigers 8-6 on Thursday at Kibbutz Gezer. The Tigers took an early 1-0 lead against Modi'in ace Maximo Nelson on an RBI groundout by Dan Rootenberg. Nelson (2-1) got the win despite allowing six runs in as many innings, but struck out 12 Tigers in the contest. Netanya extended the lead in the second inning on an error that scored two runs and gave Netanya a 3-0 cushion which wouldn't last very long. Modi'in scored three runs in the bottom half on a solo homer by Rodriguez (his sixth of the season), a run scoring single by Dan Drori, and a bases loaded walk to Adam Harwood. The Miracle added a run in the third on a home run by Adalberto Paulino, and scored three runs in the fourth inning to put the game out of reach. Rodriguez capped the rally with a two-run double, and pointed out that everyone on Modi'in did their parts for the victory Modi'in cut the lead to 7-5 in the fifth on a two-run double by Julio Guerrero, but Walker answered back with a run scoring double of his own in the bottom half, and the Miracle held on for the two run victory. Blue Sox 6, Express 5 It took a home run derby for the Beit Shemesh Blue Sox to top the Ra'anana Express 6-5 on a night in which the director of the Anti-Defamation League, Abe Foxman, threw out the game's ceremonial first pitch. Down by four runs through four innings, the Blue Sox came charging back on back-to-back home runs from star sluggers Jason Rees and Johnny Lopez in the top of the fifth. With the game tied at five runs apiece through seven innings, IBL rules dictated a home run derby and the Blue Sox responded. Beit Shemesh won in the first round on one home run apiece from Californian Gregg Raymundo and Lopez. Scott Jarmakowicz of Florida added icing to the cake with two blasts of his own as Beit Shemesh won the derby 4-0. Lightning 3, Pioneers 0 It was a pitchers duel at Sportek where the Tel Aviv Lightning scored the game's first runs in the sixth inning to beat the Petah Tikva Pioneers 3-0. Jason Bonder and Dan Rothem combined for the shutout while the Pioneers' Dominican pitcher Abel Moreno threw six innings, striking out seven in the losing effort. Tel Aviv third baseman Nate Fish of Brooklyn, New York had the big hit of the game in the bottom of the sixth, hitting a two-run single to center to put the game away. The loss drops manager Ken Hotzman's team to 1-12 on the season.