Pan Am/Baseball World Cup Qualifier 2010 in Puerto Rico, October 13:
Dominican Republic – Cuba 5-2
CUB 010 000 001 2 8 0 DOM 500 000 00X 5 6 2 Win: Barcelo, L.; Loss: Vera, N.
One day after eliminating Team USA in the semi-finals, the Dominican Republic celebrated another stunner in the final of the Pan Am/Baseball World Cup Qualifier in Puerto Rico on Wednesday. Using a five-run rally in the opening frame, they defeated Cuba 5-2. And this after their participation in the tournament was in doubt until a few days before the first games due to financial problems.
A RBI single by Tony Batista, a three-run triple by Alexis Gomez and a sac fly by Victor Mercedes decided the outcome in the bottom of the first inning for a fast 5-0 lead. Cuba got on the board in the second when Yoennis Cespedes drove in Alexei Bell. However they weren’t able to score again until the ninth Cespedes crossed the plate on a single by Yulieski Gourriel.
Lorenzo Barcelo (W) allowed five hits and a run in five innings for the win, striking out just one. Willy Lebron and Dario Veras closed it out in relief. Cuba’s Norge Vera (L) lasted just one out, issuing three hits, five runs and two base on balls for the loss. Yulieski Gonzalez pitched the remaining 7 2/3 innings, conceding three hits, while striking out seven.
The game for third place in San Juan between Team USA and Venezuela got rained out. Both teams are finishing the tourney in third place. Besides the four countries, Panama and Canada in fifth and sixth also qualified for the next Baseball World Cup. Seventh ranked Puerto Rico only managed to clinch a spot in the 2011 Pan American Games in Mexico.
Complete results, box scores on BaseballdeCuba.com
All-Star Team Pan Am Qualifier 2010:
- Catcher: Chris Robinson (Canada)
- First Base: Eric Hosmer (USA)
- Second Base: Oscar Angulo (Venezuela)
- Third Base: Mike Moustakas (USA)
- Shortstop: Yorbis Borroto (Cuba)
- Outfield: Mike Trout (USA)
- Outfield: Jamie Romak (Canada)
- Outfield: Alexei Bell (Cuba)
- Designated Hitter: Frederich Cepeda (Cuba)
- Right-handed Pitcher: Norge Vera (Cuba)
- Left-handed Pitcher: Mike Montgomery (USA)
- Most Valuable Player: Jamie Romak (Canada)
Odd that not a single player of tourny winners Dominican Republic made it into the All-Star Team.
Yes and no. They hadn’t these strong individual performances and quite frankly only won the games which mattered. They peaked at the right time.
And the best RHP is Norge Vera, the losing pitcher of the final (0.1 IP, 5 ER against DR)
Oh yes. But they already had selected the All Star Team before the start of the finals, maybe even before the semi-finals.