World Baseball Classic Pool B: Cuba – South Africa 8-1
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Tournament favorite Cuba opened Pool B of the 2009 World Baseball Classic with an easy 8-1 victory over South Africa. They used the Foro Sol Stadium in Mexico City as a launching pad and hit six homeruns in the first six innings. Cuba will face the winner of the evening matchup between Australia and Mexico on Tuesday. South Africa takes on the loser on Monday.
Cuba’s hitters put pressure on the South African pitching and defense throughout the whole game and were sometimes even too aggressive, being thrown out on two pickoffs at first and trying to stretch out a single. But this didn’t change the outcome, as their sluggers took batting practice. Frederich Cepeda hit two long balls, Alfredo Despaigne, Hector Olivera, Yulieski Gourriel and Yoennis Cespedes each one. They could have ended the contest earlier through the mercy rule, but left a few runners stranded in the seventh and eighth.
Norge Vega (W 1-0) started for Cuba and pitched six very effective innings. He gave up just two hits and a walk, striking out six. 42 of his 61 pitches were strikes. Norberto Gonzalez, Ismel Jimenez and Vladimir Garcia closed it out. South Africa’s Barry Armitage (L 0-1) gave up eight hits, five runs and two base on balls in three-plus innings.
South Africa never really got things going offensive wise until the ninth. After Anthony Phillips singled with one out, Martin Gordon raced down first on his ground ball to second baseman Olivera and beat out the potential game-ending double play. He moved to second on a wild pitch by Garcia and scored under a cheering crowd through Jonathan Phillips’ RBI single through the middle.