AREQUIPA, Peru – Cuba lost this Sunday 6-7 against undefeated Japan at the Tianmu Baseball Stadium in Taipei and was left without medal options in the III Premier 12 baseball tournament, attended by the best-ranked countries in the world.
A report of the state agency Prensa Latina indicates that the Cubans fell to the Asians and with one victory and three defeats they lost all hope of getting a place for the next instance, with one game left to conclude the group stage.
A total of eight hits were scored by the Japanese team, achieving their fourth success in as many outings and securing a place in the super round to be played in their country from the 20th to the 24th of this month, where Venezuela and the United States, classified by the American group.
From the second inning, when starter Raymond Figueredo hit one opponent, hit another and allowed an RBI single by designated player Keita Sano, those led by Hirokazu Ibata took control.
“We all know that we were facing a great teamchampion of the previous edition, and we feel satisfied because our team never gave up and fought until the end,” said Cuba’s coach, Armando Johnson, in statements reported by the sports environment Hit.
“That was the spirit that always accompanied us during the game, and that’s how we fought all the time, although inaccuracies were made that influenced the result,” said the manager.
Those from the largest island in the Caribbean will say goodbye to the tournament tomorrow with the match against the locals of Chinese Taipei, scheduled for 6:30 p.m. local time (5:30 a.m. in Cuba), at the Taipei Dome.
The Premier 12, a tournament which came to replace the Baseball World Cups of the old IBAF and which includes the 12 best in the ranking of the World Baseball and Softball Confederation (WBSC for its acronym in English), has been played since last November 10 in Japan, Taiwan and Mexico.
