Iowa Cubs Series Brings Venezuelan Players' Earthquake Relief Effort to Des Moines
When the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders arrive in Des Moines next week for a six-game series against the Iowa Cubs, their Venezuelan players will carry more than bats and gloves. They will carry the weight of a homeland devastated by twin earthquakes that struck on June 24, killing more than 5,500 people and injuring 16,700 others.
The series, which begins Tuesday, marks just the third time in franchise history and the first since 1990 that the RailRiders have played in Iowa. But for five Venezuelan players on the team, the trip comes amid an ongoing relief effort that has united the team and its Pennsylvania community in support of earthquake victims thousands of miles away.
Who Are the Venezuelan Players on the RailRiders?
Five RailRiders players hail from Venezuela: infielder Oswaldo Cabrera (Guarenas), pitcher Kervin Castro (Maracay), catcher Edinson Duran (San Juan de los Marros), outfielder Kenedy Corona (Maracaibo), and catcher Abraham Gutierrez (Caracas). All have confirmed their immediate families are safe, but the emotional toll remains heavy.
“Obviously sad for everything that happened and the situation they are living in Venezuela,” Cabrera said. “I’m glad that all my close family are here in the USA and the family I have there — my aunt, uncle, cousins — they are all safe. But obviously, they are my people in Venezuela. My heart still breaks for all the things that happened there. It’s still my family because all Venezuelans, we are family.”
How Did the Team Respond to the Crisis?
On the day the quakes hit, Cabrera was in the major leagues with the Yankees. He immediately contacted his RailRiders teammates to check on their families. “Everybody texted and communicated with each other,” he said. “We knew that everyone was safe, our close family. Of all the bad things, that’s a good thing, that all our families here are safe.”
Seeing images of the devastation has been difficult, Cabrera said, and baseball provides a temporary escape. “It’s really hard because there isn’t anything you can do physically. That’s the tough part of this situation,” he said. “You want to be involved and help people there. You want to support them in the right way.”
Cabrera deleted his social media accounts the day after the quakes. “Everything I saw, in my mind I wanted to be there. It’s tough.”
What Donations Are Being Collected for Venezuela?
RailRiders community relations manager Krista Lutzick, working with Corona, organized a donation drive at PNC Field that has drawn strong community support. Items collected include cases and pallets of water, cleaning supplies, nonperishable food, diapers, baby formula, flashlights, batteries, first aid kits, and clean clothing. Pet food is also being accepted after Lutzick saw images of affected animals.
“We’re doing our small part to help those who have been impacted,” Lutzick said. “Just seeing the pictures and videos of the devastation, it’s gut-wrenching. I feel so horrible and I can’t even imagine how our Venezuelan players feel.”
Donations will be accepted through Friday, with plans to ship items to a Miami organization that will forward them to Venezuela. Lutzick is also encouraging out-of-area supporters to purchase items on Amazon and have them shipped directly to PNC Field.
What’s Next for the Relief Effort?
Cabrera and Lutzick said a memorabilia auction is in the works to raise additional funds. Cabrera expressed gratitude for the response. “It’s been beautiful to see the support and everybody trying to do their part and do something good for the situation,” he said. “It means a lot for us.”
The RailRiders’ visit to Des Moines offers Iowa baseball fans a chance to see a team with a compelling human story behind the box score. The series against the Iowa Cubs runs Tuesday through Sunday at Principal Park.