Cuba – Korea 2-3
KOR 200 000 100 3 4 0 CUB 100 000 100 2 5 1
Korea took the gold medal at the Olympics in Beijing with a 3-2 win against Cuba in the final on Saturday. It was their ninth victory in the ninth game in China.
The game started with a bang, as Seung Yuop Lee hit a two-run homerun in the top of the first to bring Korea an early 2-0 lead. Cuba answered with a solo homerun by Michel Enriquez in the bottom of the frame to cut the deficit in a half. But everyone, who now expected a slugfest got disappointed.
Both pitching staffs took over and exchanged zeros till the seventh period, when the Korean team added an insurance run on a RBI double by Yong Kyu Lee. This run was pretty important, as Cuba countered with another solo shot, this time by Alexei Bell.
Cuba tried to rally in the ninth and loaded the bases with one out. But Yuliesky Gourriel grounded out to short for a game ending double play.
Hyun Jin Ryu (W 2-0) pitched the match of his career, allowing five hits, two runs and two walks in 8 1/3 innings. He struck out seven. Tae Hyon Chong (S 2) relieved him in the ninth and saved the victory for Korea. Norberto Gonzalez (L 0-1) gave up two hits, two runs and two base on balls in 5 2/3 innings to take the loss.