W-OLF
04-19-2006, 05:37 PM
(AP) - Seven Venezuelan pitchers started in the major leagues on Tuesday, setting a record for the baseball-crazed South American country where the achievement was heralded as a sign of its growing presence in the game.
Tony Armas Jr. and Gustavo Chacin got the ball for Washington and Toronto, respectively. Mets right-hander Victor Zambrano struggled in a loss to the Braves. The Angels-Twins game featured two Venezuelan pitchers: Minnesota right-hander Carlos Silva and Los Angeles right-hander Kelvim Escobar.
Felix Hernandez of Seattle and Carlos Zambrano of the Chicago Cubs also started Tuesday.
"It's good," said Armas, who allowed seven hits and three runs in six innings of the Nationals' 10-3 win at Philadelphia. "I hope it keeps on growing."
The seven pitchers got a lot of attention in Venezuela, where the country's sports daily Meridiano said it showed the growth of the country's baseball talent. "Lucky seven," the paper said. "The seven wonders of the world."
Victor Zambrano said he had heard about the excitement in Venezuela.
"For the country, that was something very special," he said.
Chacin improved to 3-0 with six innings in Toronto's 10-5 win over the New York Yankees, and said afterward he was going home to see how his countrymen did.
"It's great. Seven starters is awesome," Chacin said. "We got a lot of Venezuelan players in the big leagues. I'm going to watch the highlights."
The previous record for Venezuela was five starters on August 17, 2004, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Escobar and both Zambranos, who are not related, also pitched then, along with Freddy Garcia of the Chicago White Sox and Wilson Alvarez of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Venezuela had the second most non-U.S. players on opening day rosters this year with 43. The Dominican Republic had the most with 85.
credit BellSouth
Tony Armas Jr. and Gustavo Chacin got the ball for Washington and Toronto, respectively. Mets right-hander Victor Zambrano struggled in a loss to the Braves. The Angels-Twins game featured two Venezuelan pitchers: Minnesota right-hander Carlos Silva and Los Angeles right-hander Kelvim Escobar.
Felix Hernandez of Seattle and Carlos Zambrano of the Chicago Cubs also started Tuesday.
"It's good," said Armas, who allowed seven hits and three runs in six innings of the Nationals' 10-3 win at Philadelphia. "I hope it keeps on growing."
The seven pitchers got a lot of attention in Venezuela, where the country's sports daily Meridiano said it showed the growth of the country's baseball talent. "Lucky seven," the paper said. "The seven wonders of the world."
Victor Zambrano said he had heard about the excitement in Venezuela.
"For the country, that was something very special," he said.
Chacin improved to 3-0 with six innings in Toronto's 10-5 win over the New York Yankees, and said afterward he was going home to see how his countrymen did.
"It's great. Seven starters is awesome," Chacin said. "We got a lot of Venezuelan players in the big leagues. I'm going to watch the highlights."
The previous record for Venezuela was five starters on August 17, 2004, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Escobar and both Zambranos, who are not related, also pitched then, along with Freddy Garcia of the Chicago White Sox and Wilson Alvarez of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Venezuela had the second most non-U.S. players on opening day rosters this year with 43. The Dominican Republic had the most with 85.
credit BellSouth