Yesander Rodriguez’s homer powers Cuban 3-1 win over Philippines

Yesander Rodriguez’s homer powers Cuban 3-1 win over Philippines
28/11/2022
Cuba recorded their second win in the tournament after beating South Africa on Sunday. Yesander Rodriguez opened the scoring for Cuba with a crushing home run.

Cuba showed impressive form as they claimed their second straight win in three matches at the XVII WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup at Rosedale Park.

Yesander Rodriguez led the charge with a home run in the top of the third inning that sparked the offence for Cuba’s 3-1 win over the Philippines on Monday.

After sizing each other up in the first two innings, Cuba began their charge to put a run on the scoreboard. Anibal Vaillant started with a single up the middle, then reached second on a stolen base with two outs.

Rodriguez stepped in to bat and embellished his stint in the batter’s box with a home run, sending him and Vaillant home for a 2-0 lead.

Filipino pitcher Leo Barredo managed to silence the Cuban batters in the fourth inning, until his team joined in the scoring with Julius Diaz aggressively stealing back to back bases for the Philippines' first run of the tournament. Diaz started with a single to shortstop, then reached second on a stolen base and advanced to third on a throwing error, until he scored on a wild pitch.

Cuba kept their composure until they scored their third run in the sixth before they closed the game in the seventh inning.

Rodriguez was the go-to hitter as he doubled to right field, then moved to third base after Reiner Vera’s hit flies out to left centre. Rodriguez completed the run after Hector Castillo’s single.

Quotes: Cuba coach Leonardo Cardenas

"It was a close game. We had some confidence from yesterday but happy with the result.

"Yesterday was an important win of course, and so was today. But tomorrow is the most important one, and then the day after that.

"We are going to go out to give everything. Right now the important thing for us is to make it to the Super Round and to be one of the three semifinal teams from our group.

"The pitchers today were very good. Of course the sun was nice today and helped – it was too cold yesterday."

Philippines coach - Jasper Cabrera

"For me it was better today, but it was not really good with the batting. I told them we just need to hit the ball. If we do that, we play inside-softball. Our main weapon is our speed so if you hit the ball it happens – we will run to first and to second. We have nine rookie players and they are learning – I tell them adjust, adjust.

"I tell them look for running-bunt, just to hit into the ground and run to use our speed. We need just to make contact – that is what I remind them."