Tokyo. Cuba is remaining in contention at the 2013 World Baseball Classic. In game three of the second round at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan, which is being played in a modified double elimination format, the record world champion crushed Chinese Taipei 14-0 in seven innings to stay alive.
In a matchup of Friday’s second-round losers (Cuba lost to Netherlands and Chinese Taipei to Japan), Cuba took a 2-0 lead in the first thanks to a two-run home run by Frederic Cepeda.
The scoring continued in the fourth. Following Alfredo Despaigne’s RBI single, Yasmany Tomas delivered a three-run home run to give Cuba a 5-0 lead.
Two frames later an eight-run outburst put the game into the books. Yulieski Gurriel got things going with a RBI single. Jose Fernandez (clearing the bases) and Frederich Cepeda followed with doubles before Jose Abreu und Alfredo Despaigne capped the rally with back-to-back home runs.
Jose Fernandez, Frederich Cepeda and Yasmany Tomas combined for nine of the 14 RBI. Cepeda crossed the plate three times. Chinese Taipei not only was helpless on defense, but also on offense, as Yung-Chi Chen had two of the four hits.
Cuba’s starting pitcher Denny Betancourt (W, 1-0) dominated with six strong innings. He issued just three hits and two walks, while striking out three. Norberto Gonzalez and Raciel Iglesias closed out the shutout.
Ching-Lung Lo (L, 0-1) took the loss. He surrendered two runs on two hits and a walk in 2 2/3 innings.
With the win Cuba stays alive in the second round of the 2013 World Baseball Classic. They will now face the loser of Sunday’s matchup between the Netherlands and Japan on Monday. Chinese Taipei has been eliminated from the tournament, having lost a second time in two days. Japan had downed Team CT in extra innings on Friday.
Results Second Round in Tokyo
Friday, March 8, 2013
Cuba 2 – Netherlands 6
Chinese Taipei 3 – Japan 4 (10 innings)
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Cuba 14 – Chinese Taipei 0 (7 innings)
