Royals ace pitcher Ventura dies in a car crash

Kansas City Royals ace pitcher Yordano Ventura, 26, died in a car crash in his native Dominican Republic on Monday. It is only in a day after former major leaguer Andy Marte of Korea’s KT Wiz, 34, his fellow Dominican, was killed in a car crash. The news left baseball in sorrow.

Ventura who debuted in the Major Baseball League in 2013 emerged as a pitcher representing the league with two-digit wins for three consecutive years since 2014. His ball reached 100 miles per hour, going 38-31 with a 3.89 ERA.

When his fellow Dominican, Oscar Taveras, a St. Louis Cardinal outfielder, died in a car accident during the 2014 World Series, Ventura had the words “R.I.P. OT #18” written on the front of his hat. Missing his late friend in the Game 6 of the World Series, he pitched seven shutout innings, impressing baseball fans. When Marlins ace Jose Fernandez was killed last year in a boating accident, Ventura added “R.I.P. JF #16” on his cap next to his tribute for Taveras to honor Fernandez.

MLB players paid tribute to Ventura’s and Marte’s sudden deaths. The MLB union and league star players including Andrew McCutchen of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angles mourned them on social media.

Hong-Gu Kang windup@donga.com