The Cuban team baseballdebuted this Thursday with a 0-5 defeat against his similar team from Puerto Rico in the IV World Cup Sub-23 that is celebrated in the capital of Taiwanaccording to official media on the island.
Cuban starter Naikel Cruz calmly pitched the first three innings; but, in the fourth and after a fielding error by first baseman Pedro Pablo Revilla, he allowed three straight hits and the first two Puerto Rican runs, according to a report published in the sports portal Hit.
?? Puerto Rico open Group B action with a 5-0 win. ?#U23WorldCup pic.twitter.com/toH1EHpPKM
— WBSC ⚾? (@WBSC) October 14, 2022
The offensive attack caused him to leave the box and to his rescue came Mayabeque right-hander Marlon Vega, one of the Cubans with professional experience in Japan, who held off his rivals until the seventh inning, when he allowed two runs for a double with a couple of runners in base.
The offensive of the Puerto Rican cast scored one more run in that fateful last inning –duels are scheduled for seven innings-, since Cuban reliever Andy Vargas left the bases loaded and left-hander Alex Guerra committed a wild pitch that opened the doors of home play to the Puerto Rican fifth line, specifies the middle.
Cuba seriously threatened in the bottom of the seventh inning, loading the bases with one out, but pinch hitters Carlos Monier and Bryan González struck out consecutively.
In statements published by Hitthe director of the Cuban team, Alain Álvarez, considered as “normal” the little offense shown by his pupils, which he attributed to the “pressure exerted by a first game.”
The next presentation of the Cuban cast will be this Saturday against Australia (Friday 10:00 pm Cuban time), the confirmed pitcher is the fast right-hander Roberto Hernández from Sancti Spiritus, the information highlights.
After. those led by Álvarez will meet the teams of South Korea, the Netherlands and Mexico with the purpose of closing the phase among the first three places in their group, and thus guarantee their presence in the Super Round of the tournament.
