2023 Confederations Cup: Hoboken Falls to Valencia in Close Game

In the opening game of the 2023 Confederations Cup in Karlovac, Croatia, Belgian champions Hoboken Pioneers stayed at the wrong side of the score against the Spanish runner up of 2022. In a rather close game, Pioneers lost 5-2 to the Astros Valencia.

Hoboken Pioneers took on a Spanish team that mainly contains players from South- / Central America. Perhaps not strange that Hoboken ended at the wrong side of the score.
In the top of the first inning, Valencia took a 2-0 lead on a single by Blake Ochoa that drove in Emmanuel Febles and Michel Rodriguez.
Hoboken cut the lead in half in the bottom of the same frame. Benjamin Goffaux led off with a double, advanced to third on a 6-3 groundout, hit by Drew Janssen, and scored on another 6-3 groundout, hit by Dennis de Quint.

After a scoreless inning, Valencia scored two more runs. With the bases loaded, Exicardo Cayones Blanco got on base on a fielder’s choice as Michel Rodriques was thrown out at home plate. But a throwing error by the catcher allowed Blake Ochoa to score Valencia’s third run of the game. Then, Tanner Donnels scored as he stole home plate.

In the bottom of the same inning, Pioneers scored once when Jason Jie-Sam-Foek scored all the way from first base on a double hit by Drew Janssen.
Unfortunately for Pioneers, this was all the team was capable of. Valencia, on the other hand, managed to score one more run in the top of the sixth, when Jose Marrero singled home Exicardo Cayones Blanco.

Jorge Balboa earned the win. In seven innings, he allowed two runs on seven hits and two walks and fanned nine. Beebee Brayden took the loss. In 5.1 innings, he gave up five runs (three earned) on six hits and three walks and struck out five.

Blake Ochoa was the best hitter for Astros Valencia, as he went 2 for 3 with two RBI and a run scored.

Hoboken collected more hits than Valencia, but the two errors the team committed, cost them dearly.

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