The 14-and-under Lower East Side Gauchos won their third straight Felix Millan Baseball League Championship this Sunday. The Gauchos faced the tough Flushing Athletics in a best two-out-of-three series. Ismael Alvarez turned in the best individual performance in Gaucho history in the first game as the Gauchos destroyed Flusing 16-1. Alvarez hit two home runs, one a grand slam, and pitched as well, striking out nine and allowing only one hit. Catcher Danny Nunez also hit a grand slam for the Gauchos.
In the second game the Gauchos were in command winning 9-3 on home runs by Michael Moreno and Richie Pasols, when Flushing came alive. They loaded the bases and scored four runs, before Danny Nunez came in to pitch and got the Flushing cleanup hitter to meekly ground out to him for a double play. Nelson Jimenez pitched brilliantly in the game and was the winning pitcher of record.
Thus closed the book on another Felix Millan season, one that saw Alvarez demolish the team home run record, setting the standard now at five. Alvarez also had a team-high batting average of .618, Michael Moreno hit .500 and Danny Nunez, Michael Corona and Red Rivera all hit over .400. The Gauchos finished 11-2 in Felix Millan play.
On Saturday the Gauchos defeated the Harlem Stars 11-4 to advance to the championship of the Harlem RBI League. Red Rivera got the win in relief. Next week the Gauchos will face archrivals the South Harlem Reds. The Gauchos are 7-1 in the Harlem League and 20-7 overall.
