Cuba rebounded from a 0-6 loss on Wednesday to defeat South Korea 3-1 at the new Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. Lourdes Gourriel and Alfredo Despaigne got Cuba up in front 2-0 in the first with a pair of sac flies, sandwiching a comebacker by Yulieski Gourriel, which sent South Korea’s Woo Kyu-Min to the showers as he took the ball to his hand. Hur Kyoung-Min put the home team on the board with a RBI single in the sixth.
But Yulieski Gourriel added insurance for Cuba with a RBI single in the seventh. South Korea threatened to come back in the ninth, but a double play and Yulieski Gourriel with a great catch got Cuba out of the jam. Yulieski collided with his brother Lourdes during the play. Woo was diagnosed with a bruised hand and is expected to be ready for the Premier12. Yosvany Torres struck out three in three scoreless innings as Cuba’s starter. Both teams combined to use 12 pitchers in the game.
South Korea is opening the Premier12 on Sunday against Japan at the Sapporo Dome.