Phoenix, AZ : MLB suffers tragedy as Yordano Ventura and Andy Marte killed in car crashes on on Sunday, January 21st 2017

Major League Baseball has been hit by a double tragedy after two players were killed in separate car crashes in their native Dominican Republic.

The Kansas City Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura and the former Cleveland Indians third baseman Andy Marte both died on Sunday. Ventura was 25 and Marte was 33. In a bitter twist of fate, Marte’s final MLB game was against the Royals, whose starting pitcher that day in August 2014 was Ventura.

Ventura was known for his fastball, which could top 100mph, and his fiery temperament. He helped the Royals to beat the New York Mets in the 2015 World Series and also played in the Fall Classic in 2014 during his rookie season. In the 2014 World Series Ventura was one of the Royals’ best players, highlighted by his seven shutout innings in Game 6. The Royals lost the series 4-3 to the San Francisco Giants.

Ventura joined the Royals in 2013 and had a 38-31 record with the team. “Our prayers right now are with Yordano’s family as we mourn this young man’s passing,” said the Royals’ general manager, Dayton Moore, in a statement. “He was so young and so talented, full of youthful exuberance and always brought a smile to everyone he interacted with. We will get through this as an organization, but right now is a time to mourn and celebrate the life of Yordano.”Ventura had an unlikely start to his career. He left school at 14 and was working on a construction crew when a member of his family told him about local baseball tryouts. He was good enough to secure a place in the Royals’ Dominican academy, which was the start of a career that would take him to the World Series twice.

On Sunday, two of the team-mates who played alongside him in the Royals’ championship paid tribute to Ventura, whose nickname was Ace. “I love you Ace. I don’t know what to say other than I’m going to miss you a lot. RIP ACE,” tweeted third baseman Mike Moustakas.

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MLB suffers tragedy as Yordano Ventura and Andy Marte killed in car crashes