By SHLOMO SPRUNGModiin Miracle 298.88(photo credit: Nathaniel Edelstein)
It was the Eladio Rodriguez show at Gezer Field on Wednesday. Rodriguez hit a combined four home runs as the Modi'in Miracle swept a doubleheader from Tel Aviv 5-3 and 9-3. The Dominican slugger accounted for all of the Miracle runs in the first game, and homered twice and drove in four runs in the second.
In the first game, the Lightning struck first in the second inning on an RBI double by Sam Mathinsen. They held the lead until the the 4th, when Rodriguez hit a solo homer to tie the score. Rodriguez added a grand slam in the bottom of the 5th to put Modi'in in control for good.
Stewart Brito and Bryan Langboard drove in runs for Tel Aviv.
Miracle starter Maximo Nelson (3-1) went the full seven innings, allowing three runs on seven hits and striking out seven. Aaron Pribble (4-1) took the loss.
In the second game, Rodriguez went right to work again in the first with an RBI single to give Modi'in a quick 1-0 advantage. Rodriguez homered in the 4th inning to extend the Miracle lead to 2-0. Modi'in blew it open in the 5th on a grand slam by Adalberto Paulino. Raul Franco hit a two-run shot in thethe 5th for Tel Avil, but a solo shot by Noah Walker and a two-run homer from Rodriguez, his 13th of the season, to make the score 9-3.
Modi'in starter Matt Bennett (4-0) got the win.
The victories put Modi'in in sole possession of second place behind Beit Shemesh.
In other action, the Ra'anana Express defeated Netanya 9-2 at Sportek in Tel Aviv.
Express rightfielder Ben Field hit his second homer of the season, he and shortstop Brendan Rubenstein each had two hits and combined for seven RBI. The Ra'anana win made the 3-for-3 night by Netanya's shortstop Hector De Los Santos a waste.
Express hurler Joshua Zumbrun of California threw a complete game and allowed just two runs on eight hits with six strikeouts and no walks.
The loss is the fourth consecutive for Israeli skipper Ami Baran and his Netanya Tigers.
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