Cuba pounds Chinese Pitching with 17 Runs on 20 Hits

Cuba – China 17-1 (7)

CHN 000 000 1   1  2 1
CUB 091 412 X  17 20 0

Box score

At the end of the preliminary round Cuba crushed Chinese pitching in a 17-1 slugfest, highlighted by a nine-run second inning. Nonetheless the Caribbeans will finish in second place and is going to face the winner of the USA-Japan matchup in the semi-finals.

Giorbis Duvergel (grand slam, 4 RBI), Ariel Pestano (2 RBI) and Michel Enriquez (4-4, 3 RBI) hit homeruns. Alexei Bell went three-for-three with two runs scored and two RBI. Alfredo Despaigne also drove in two.

Lei Li brought Delong Jia home in the ninth with a groundout to shortstop for the lone Chinese run of the game after Jia had reached with a triple.

Elier Sanchez started for Cuba, which used four pitchers in the game. He threw two perfect innings. Jonder Martinez (W 2-0) replaced him in the top of the third and picked up the win. Adiel Palma and Miguel La Hera completed the two-hitter.

Tao Bu (L 0-2) gave up eight Runs (7 ER) on eight hits in 1 1/3 innings to take the loss.