Seven-run fourth inning propels Cuba to first MSWC win

Reinier Vera and Yurisamdre Ramos homered today in Cuba’s first victory in the Men’s Softball World Championship over the Philippines, 11-2, in five innings. The Caribbean team exploded in the fourth inning with 7 runs to secure the game.

Cuba jumped ahead in the second inning. The first run of the match was scored by Vera, on a wild pitch by pitcher Leo Barredo. Then Luis Dominguez reached on an error by shortstop Jerome Bacarisas and walked home with a towering homer by third baseman Yurisamdre Ramos.

In the top of the third, Philippines scored its first run of the event, with an RBI single by Jerome Bacarisas. He found Denmark Bathan on second and plated him with a line drive to center field.

In the bottom of the same third period, Yuri Rodriguez received reliever Marlon Pagkaliwagan with a single to right field and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Then scored on a sacrifice fly to right field by Yesander Rodriguez.

However, the Philippines answered in the next inning with a monster solo home run over the right-field fence off the bat of the first baseman Ernesto Binarao.

However, the Cuban offensive exploded in the bottom of the fourth with a 7-run rally, including a 2-run homer off the bat of Vera and an RBI triple by Yuri Rodriguez.

The winner of the game was Alberto Hernandez, who fanned 3 and surrendered 5 hits and 2 runs in four innings of work. Barredo was charged with the loss, he threw 2 innings and allowed 3 hits and 3 runs.

Tomorrow, Philippines will play Botswana and Cuba will face New Zealand.

You can find the boxscore and the best pictures of the game here.