Benjamin Gil, manager of Mexico, expressed his happiness after Mexico’s 5-4 victory over Puerto Rico and revealed that Randy Arozarena’s play in the eighth inning was key to ensuring the win.
“This play is, in my opinion, the best play in the history of Mexican sports.Gil sentenced.
In the eighth inning, with one out on the board, Emmanuel Rivera hit a long drive to center field that if it fell would be the sure draw for the Puerto Rican team. Randy Arozarena covered a great distance and with a slap he caught the ball that made more than 30,000 people rise from their seats at the Loan Depot Park in Miami.
“(Arozarena’s play) was extremely important, extremely important. I don’t remember who the runner was, but he was already past second base, he was almost coming up to third base. What a catch! What a catch!” exclaimed Benjamín Gil, who emotionally recalled the moment at the press conference after the match.
“The play was almost a double play, if the shot had been made by the cutter, it would have been a double play, but it’s okay (…) All the players were out of place due to the great catch,” added the manager.
For Randy Arozarena it was also a very important play and even the player who represents Mexico he explained that he puts that play above all his major league accomplishments.
“That (the wall catch) was better than any home run I’ve hit in the majors. It was better than the home run I hit in the World Series. That catch was the best”, Randy Arozarena said in an interview with journalist Enrique Rojas after the victory.
Mexico was able to achieve a comeback after losing 4-0 in the first inning and with Julio Urías on the mound. The Mexicans managed to reverse the score with 3 runs in the seventh inning and then hold off the Puerto Rican offense and claim the victory.
Now on Monday, March 20, they will face Japan at Loan Depot Park in Miami for a spot in the World Baseball Classic final.
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