The team that will represent Cuba in the V World Baseball Classic yielded this Sunday 4 × 5 before the cast of the professional league of taiwan Rakuten monkeys, in what was his first match with the complete team prior to the event.
The Cubans started on top by scoring a run in the third inning, when Yoan Moncada hit a hit, Alfredo Despaigne reached first by mistake and Yoenis Céspedes activated the board with another undisputed hit, according to review the sports portal Hit.
Setback without alarms, says the mentor of #elCubaClásico
This Monday will be the last preparatory game, against Hermanos CTBC, another team from the professional league at home. #Cuba #baseball #CubanBaseball #WorldBaseballClassic https://t.co/p4WYza3OU6 pic.twitter.com/5DKjiPyLUK— JIT Cuban Sport (@jit_digital) March 5, 2023
But, at the end of that episode, the locals countered with two streaks, at the account of the starter and loser Ronald Bolaños, replaced with full bases by Carlos Juan Viera, who admitted the “rocket” behind both.
Viera himself points out Hitendured another pair in the fifth act and in the following act the one registered in Yoanis Yera’s file arrived, who was followed by the also left-handed Noelki García and Liván Moinelo, turned into punishments for their opponents.
Cuba charged in the eighth. Yurisbel Gracial hit and hit the plate after a double by Alfredo Despaigne. Then, a couple of errors by the Asians opened the doors to two more races, but the equalizer never came.
Seven runners were left on the bases by the Caribbean team, which underwent several changes in order not to demand too much from those who arrived last Friday. He had his best hitters in Despaigne, Yoan Moncada and Andy Ibáñez, all with two hits.
the mentor Armando Johnson denied that the outcome can generate alarms, since it is the first meeting in which he had all his pieces, after the arrivals registered two days ago.
“It is true that the work could not be done, regardless of the fact that the team is already complete,” he acknowledged, and admitted that it was once again difficult to make careers, but declared himself satisfied with the dynamics shown by the cast.
“It was the first game for the newly incorporated players and it allowed us to assess aspects that left us with positive responses,” said the coach. “I think the gear is going to be very good, and there is no reason to be discouraged,” he emphasized in statements to the island’s sports media.
This Monday the opponent of the Cubans will be Hermanos CTBC, another team from the professional league of Taiwan, where on February 28 the Cubans achieved their first victory against locals.
Wednesday will be the debut of the Cuban team in group A of the classic, against the Netherlands.
