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Sandoval leads Venezuelan team to victory

Published: January 31, 2013 Comment on this article

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He said it had been worth the effort of securing permission from the Giants to play in Venezuela. Sandoval and other major leaguers often come home to play in the offseason, even though their better-paying U.S. teams frequently discourage it because of the chance of injury.

Sandoval said the Navegantes' loss in 2010 in the championship had been like a "little thorn" irritating him for the past three years. In that series, Sandoval didn't want to miss the seventh and decisive game, and he flew in at the last minute, rushing by helicopter from Caracas to the city of Valencia. He got a hit, but his team still lost 7-2 to the rival Caracas Leones.

"This time I did everything I could so that the Giants would let me play, to take this team to the title. It's a dream come true," Sandoval said. "Being champions with the Magallanes and with the Giants the same year is something very special. I feel very happy to have contributed and to have been selected as MVP."

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