On Friday the Pan Am Qualifier, which also serves as the Americas Baseball World Cup Qualifier, started with three games in Puerto Rico. While the host and Cuba celebrated lopsided wins in their openers, the Dominican Republic needed a pair of two-run homeruns, including one in the ninth, to beat Colombia. Former American League Cy Young Award winner Bartolo Colon was solid. Puerto Rico used a seven-run fourth to blow things wide open in a ten-run rule shortened two-hit 12-0 shutout over Aruba. Neftali Soto doubled twice and drove in four for the home team. Cuba scored three runs in the sixth and four in the eighth to defeat Venezuela 9-1. Yorbis Borroto crossed the plate three times. Michel Enriquez collected three RBI.
Results Day 1:
October 1:
Group A:
Colombia – Dominican Republic 2-4
Puerto Rico – Aruba 12-0 (7)
Group B:
Venezuela – Cuba 1-9
Results, Information courtesy of Baseballdecuba.com
Schedule Day 2:
October 2:
1pm Aruba – Colombia
1pm Nicaragua – Canada
7.30pm Dominican Republic – Panama
7.30pm USA – Puerto Rico
7.30pm Cuba – Netherlands Antilles