Cuba made their Copa del Caribe debut with an 11-1 drubbing of the Virgin Islands in . The game was ended after six innings due to the tournament’s mercy rule. The tournament which features four teams (Cuba,Curaçao,Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico) is in its fifth edition.
The Cubans started early by touching up the American territory’s starting pitcher Roberto Soto for five runs, the key blow being a Dayán García bases loaded clearing double. The pitching was impeccable for the Antilleans allowing a run and two hits in six innings of work from Yoennis Yera, Renner Rivero and Naykel Cruz combined. The Virgin Islands got on the board in the second inning courtesy of a Conroy Samuels single.
Yera who was the starting pitcher and a star on the mound fanned 9 of the 14 batters he faced on the day to notch only his second international win with the national team. Aside from García, Erisbel Arruebarruena (3RBIs) and Roberto Baldoquín (2RBIs) also contributed to the victory.
Cuba will face Andrelton Simmons and Curaçao next tomorrow at 3PM in their first matchup of their two encounters in the Round Robin stage of the tournament.
🏆 V Copa del Caribe de Béisbol 🇵🇷
🏟 Estadio: "Concepción Pérez"
📆 Fecha: 1
🤞Etapa: Round RobinC H E ‼️KO
🇻🇮 ISV 1 2 1
🇨🇺 CUB 11 5 0✅ G: Yoannis Yera (1-0)
❌ P: Roberto Soto (0-1)
👍 S: ➖
💪 HR: ➖#Cuba #Béisbol #CopaDelCaribe pic.twitter.com/44hc1mdm1s— Círculo de Espera (@CirculodEspera) October 2, 2023
Lineup:
1. Roel Santos (CF): 0-0, R, 3BB
PH Luis González: 1-0, R, K
2. Roberto Baldoquín (DH): 2-1, 2R, 2RBI, 2BB
3. Yurisbel Gracial (LF): 1-0, R, 3BB
4. Yasniel González (1B): 2-0, R, RBI, BB, K
Osday Silva: HBP
5. Erisbel Arruebarruena (SS): 1-0, R, 3RBI, 2SF, BB, K
6. Dayán García (3B): 2-1, 2B, 3RBI, BB
PH Luis Mateo: 1-0
7. Yosvani Peñalver (RF): 2-0, R, BB, K
PH Carlos Monier: 1-0, R
8. Andrys Pérez (C): 3-2, R, HBP
9. Yadil Mujica (2B): 4-1, R, 2B, RBI
Pitching:
-Yoenni Yera: 4.0 IP, 2H, ER, 0BB, 9K
-Renner Rivero: 1.0 IP, 2K
-Naykel Cruz: 1.0 IP, BB, K