Tag: Ozzie Virgil Sr

Giants shutout by Dodgers 7-0

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Photo credit: SF Giants opener John Brebbia pitches against the Dodgers on September 23, 2023. (Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports)

By: Mary Anne

The San Francisco Giants played their third game with the rival Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday night. The Giants were shutout by the Dodgers 7-0 at Dodger Stadium. San Francisco fell to 77-78, while Los Angeles improved to 95-59.

The Giants’ starting lineup featured Austin Slater, Thairo Estrada, J.D. Davis, Wilmer Flores, Mitch Haniger, Marco Luciano, Luis Matos, Tyler Fitzgerald, Patrick Bailey, and John Brebbia. Brebbia (3-2, 3.53 ERA) took the loss after pitching just 1 1/3 innings and giving up one hit, one earned run, one walk, one strikeout, and one home run.

After a scoreless first inning, Los Angeles got on the board in the bottom of the second inning. J.D. Martinez homered on a fly ball to center field for a 1-0 lead.

The Dodgers tacked on two runs in the bottom of the third inning. J.D. Martinez doubled on a line drive to Luis Matos. Mookie Betts and Max Muncy scored to make it a 3-0 game.

The Dodgers added two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Freddie Freeman doubled on a line drive to Luis Matos. Austin Barnes scored to extend the Dodgers’ lead to 4-0 as Mookie Betts went to third base. Max Muncy then singled on a fly ball to Tyler Fitzgerald. Betts scored to expand the Dodgers’ lead to 5-0 as Freeman went to third base.

The Dodgers got two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. Mookie Betts doubled on a line drive to Mike Yastrzemski. David Peralta and Austin Barnes scored to widen the Dodgers’ lead to 7-0.

Notes
The Giants recalled Heliot Ramos from Triple-A Sacramento after placing Scott Alexander on the 15-day injured list with a left hamstring strain — retroactive to September 22.

As part of Hispanic Heritage Month, we remember on this day in 1956, Ozzie Virgil Sr. made his MLB debut as the league’s first player from the Dominican Republic. Virgil Sr. played in the MLB from 1956 to 1969 as a utilityman. Three of Virgil Sr.’s stints were with the New York/San Francisco Giants (1956-57, 1966, and 1969).

Up Next
The Giants and Dodgers will wrap up their rivalry series on Sunday at 4:10 p.m. Pacific. The Giants’ starter is TBD, while the Dodgers’ starter is Lance Lynn (12-11, 5.92 ERA).

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Jackie Robinson Legacy is International

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Jackie Robinson who broke the color line in Major League Baseball in 1947 with the Brooklyn Dodgers takes a swing at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn (jackierobinson.com file photo)

Jackie Robinson Legacy is International

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

Amaury Pi-González

April 15,2020 marks the 73rd Anniversary of Jackie Robinson as the first African-American player in MLB,with the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn. His legacy and career was honored and his uniform number 42 retired by Major League Baseball by Commissioner Bud Selig 33 years ago on April 15,1997.

Robinson’s #42 was the first and only number retired by all MLB 30 teams. Generally people focus on African Americans who followed Robinson into baseball,but the great pioneer also opened the door for Black Latino players.

Jackie Robinson’s legacy goes beyond US borders.  Because of Robinson, Latino players of dark skin were also able to come and play in the big leagues with their American brothers.

Today almost 33 percent of all players in MLB are born in Latin America(higher percentage in the minor leagues)and after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier,some great Latino black players,like Cuban-born Orestes(Minnie) Miñoso who signed as a rookie in 1949 with the Cleveland Indians, before becoming the last player in baseball history to play for five (50 years) different decades.

Minnie played from 1949 until 1980. The Cuban-born Miñoso was the first unquestionable black Latin American in the major leagues, although some others with some black ancestry had played in MLB. By early 1950’s other Latino’s of black skin included, Luis Márquez(Puerto Rico)signed by the Boston Braves and Cuban catcher Rafael(Ray)Noble with the New York Giants as well as Ozzie Virgil Sr.from the Dominican Republic.

According to SABR (Society for American Baseball Research) in 1947; 98.3 perfect of players were white,0.9 percent African-American, 0.7 percent Latinos and 0.0 percent Asian. Decades later, especially in the mid 1950’s the great Roberto Clemente (Puerto Rico) and 1960’s many more came from Latin America, like Juan Marichal, Orlando Cepeda, Manny Mota, Felipe, Jesús and Mateo Alou, Tony Oliva, Luis Tiant, Leonardo(Leo) Cárdenas, Tony González, Francisco(Panchón)Herrera, José Cardenal, Dagoberto(Campy)Campaneris and more not mentioned.

Some of these Latino players are remembered with statues in the cities where they played,the one and only Roberto Clemente not only with a Statue at PNC Park but with the Roberto Clemente Bridge in downtown Pittsburgh over the Allegheny River.

Today all baseball fans around the world honor the great #42 Jackie Robinson,because he is also a historic figure in countries like Cuba, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Panamá, Puerto Rico, México,Nicaragua,Venezuela, Jamaica and all countries where baseball is a major sport, not to mention in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.

“I never cared about acceptance as much as I cared about respect” -Jackie Robinson.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the vice president of the Major League Baseball Hispanic Heritage Museum and does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com