Semi-Finals, October 12, 2010
Cuba – Venezuela 3-2
VEN 200 000 000 2 9 0 CUB 001 000 101 3 8 0 Win: Pedroso, Y.; Loss: Mori, C.
Thanks to a run in the bottom of the ninth Cuba beat Venezuela 3-2 in their semi-final on Tuesday at the Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan. With the game tied at 2-2 Hector Olivera led off the bottom of the ninth with a single to left and advanced to third on a one-out double by Michel Enriquez. Venezuela decided to walk Frederich Cepeda intentionally to load the bases for Alfredo Despaigne. The home run king of the 2009 Baseball World Cup came through with a walk-off RBI single to plate Olivera from third.
Earlier in the game, Venezuela had the better start when Oscar Angulo and Dirimo Chavez scored in the opening frame on RBI singles by Wuilliams Vasquez and Ronald Acuna for a quick 2-0 lead, chasing Cuban starter Yuliesky Gonzalez from the mound. However Cuba came back. Yoennis Cespedes cut the deficit in a half with a RBI single in the third. Enriquez tied the game with a RBI single in the seventh. Yadier Pedroso got the win after pitching 3 1/3 innings of one-hit relief. Carlos Mori took the loss.
USA – Dominican Republic 2-7
DOM 001 010 203 7 14 1 USA 000 100 100 2 6 0 Win: Alvarez, M.; Loss: Duffy, D.
We won’t see another Cuba-USA clash in the title game at the Pan Am/Baseball World Cup Qualifier in Puerto Rico, as the Dominican Republic stunned the reigning World Champion with a 7-2 victory in the second semi-final in San Juan on Tuesday. Team USA was the last remaining undefeated squad in the tournament. Five runs in the last three frames sealed the stunning win for the Dominican team.
After Riccardo Nanita put the Dominican Republic ahead by scoring on a passed ball in the third, Team USA was able to come back one frame later on a RBI single by Todd Frazier. But Nanita answered with a RBI single in the fifth to regain the lead. A two-run single by Tony Batista in the seventh made it 4-1. Frazier scored in the bottom of the same frame on a groundout by Cord Phelps to cut the deficit to two runs.
But it was the last time an American player would cross the plate. Not so the Dominican team, as they added three more runs in the ninth thanks to a RBI single by Victor Mendez and a two-run shot by Willis Otanes. Mario Alvarez went five innings to pick up the win. He allowed just one run on five hits and a walk, while striking out five. Danny Duffy took the loss, conceding seven hits, two runs (1 ER) and a base on balls in 4 1/3 innings.
Complete results, box scores on BaseballdeCuba.com
Schedule Final Day:
Wednesday, October 13:
Bronze Medal Game:
2pm Venezuela – USA
Championship Game:
7.30pm Dominican Republic – Cuba
