Leos KUBAT pitched five strong innings and Pavel BUDSKY hit a home run as the Czech National Team scraped out a rugged 4-1 win over Croatia on Saturday.
KUBAT, a 27 year-old who has seen action in the Dutch Major Leagues, fanned six while allowing only one run on four hits. Jan HOMOLKA blanked Croatia the final three innings.
BUDSKY led off the second frame with a deep drive to left to give the Czech Republic a 1-0 lead. Michal BREN reached on a fielder’s choice and scored later on a two-out RBI single by Karel HRUSOVSKY to make the score 2-0.
Croatia got on the scoreboard in the fourth when Josip BROZNIC led off with a walk. Ivan RACIC singled to right field advancing the speedy infielder to third base. BROZNIC scored on Ernesto PEREIRA’s infield hit to trim the Czech lead to one.
Both starting pitchers turned in solid outings with Croatia’s James SUMMERS running out of gas in the eight inning. Still, the 33 year-old righty limited a good hitting Czech team to two runs over seven innings.
The Czech National Team added two insurance runs late in the game thanks to RBI’s from BREN (sacrifice fly) and Jan DRABEK (single). HOMOLKA closed the door on a Croatian team that finished 1-7 two years ago.
Ales NAVRATIL was 3-for-4 and DRABEK added two hits for the Czech Republic (1-0) who will meet the Dutch on Sunday. PEREIRA and Damir KARIN paced Croatia (0-1) with two hits apiece.