Cuba stays alive after Mexico stuns US
Source: Agencies |
March 10, 2013, Sunday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
YASMANY Tomas hit a three-run homer in the fourth inning yesterday as Cuba crushed Taiwan 14-0 in the second round of the World Baseball Classic.
Tomas' second home run of the tournament gave Cuba a commanding 6-0 lead at Tokyo Dome, and the 2006 runner-up added eight runs in the sixth before the game was ended under the mercy rule.
Cuba will play the loser of today's game between Japan and the Netherlands tomorrow for a chance to advance to the March 17-19 final round in San Francisco. Taiwan is eliminated from the tournament.
A bases-clearing double by Jose Fernandez and a two-run homer by Jose Abreu highlighted the sixth in which Cuba sent 11 batters to the plate.
Cuban starter Danny Betancourt pitched six scoreless innings.
On Friday, Adrian Gonzalez blasted a home run and drove in three runs as Mexico shocked the United States 5-2 in a stunning WBC first-round upset in Phoenix, Arizona.
The Los Angeles Dodgers slugger hit a two-run homer in the third inning plus a run-scoring groundout while Luis Cruz hit two run-scoring sacrifice flyouts to provide all the runs Mexico needed.
Also, Italy ripped Canada 14-4 in Phoenix to stand 2-0 in first round Group D with the European champion set to face the Americans while Mexico meets Canada. A US-Canada game completes round-robin play.
"We've got to come out hard again tomorrow and play like we have to win," Gonzalez said. "There's no breathing room."
Friday's other game saw Group C host Puerto Rico blank Spain 3-0. Two teams from Group C will join two from Group D in this week's second round in Miami.
Mexican pitchers baffled a star-studded US lineup, scattering eight hits while striking out 10, with right-hander Yovani Gallardo striking out four US batters over 3 1/3 innings and Luis Mendoza striking out three in two innings.
"The pitching staff was amazing for us," Gonzalez said. "To hold the US to two runs is unbelievable."
Tomas' second home run of the tournament gave Cuba a commanding 6-0 lead at Tokyo Dome, and the 2006 runner-up added eight runs in the sixth before the game was ended under the mercy rule.
Cuba will play the loser of today's game between Japan and the Netherlands tomorrow for a chance to advance to the March 17-19 final round in San Francisco. Taiwan is eliminated from the tournament.
A bases-clearing double by Jose Fernandez and a two-run homer by Jose Abreu highlighted the sixth in which Cuba sent 11 batters to the plate.
Cuban starter Danny Betancourt pitched six scoreless innings.
On Friday, Adrian Gonzalez blasted a home run and drove in three runs as Mexico shocked the United States 5-2 in a stunning WBC first-round upset in Phoenix, Arizona.
The Los Angeles Dodgers slugger hit a two-run homer in the third inning plus a run-scoring groundout while Luis Cruz hit two run-scoring sacrifice flyouts to provide all the runs Mexico needed.
Also, Italy ripped Canada 14-4 in Phoenix to stand 2-0 in first round Group D with the European champion set to face the Americans while Mexico meets Canada. A US-Canada game completes round-robin play.
"We've got to come out hard again tomorrow and play like we have to win," Gonzalez said. "There's no breathing room."
Friday's other game saw Group C host Puerto Rico blank Spain 3-0. Two teams from Group C will join two from Group D in this week's second round in Miami.
Mexican pitchers baffled a star-studded US lineup, scattering eight hits while striking out 10, with right-hander Yovani Gallardo striking out four US batters over 3 1/3 innings and Luis Mendoza striking out three in two innings.
"The pitching staff was amazing for us," Gonzalez said. "To hold the US to two runs is unbelievable."
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