The Cuban U23 team defeated Curaçao 5-1 in the World Cup held in Nicaragua. A total of 7 hits were swatted by the Cuban offense in the game that took place at the National Soberanía stadium in the city of Managua, but without a doubt it was the Antillean pitching that took the cake on the day.
In the same first inning, the Curazaleños came out smoking with their bats, their leadoff man (Ethan from Cuba) started the rally by singling to right field, then stole second and third base, to later score the only run of the game for his team thanks to a wild pitch. Cuba quickly tied the score in that same first inning. Christian Rodríguez reached base via a walk, Darian Palma singled up the middle and Guillermo García drove in Rodríguez with a ground ball to second base.
Two innings later they Cubans took a lead that they would never relinquish with another run, this time Darian Palma reached base opening the inning by reaching on an error by the second baseman, Guillermo García walked and with runners on the corners Carlos Monier hit a sacrifice fly. The Cubans added three runs in the sixth to put the game away. With the bases congested Guillermo García hit a sacrifice fly to the LF to score one, but a throwing error by the Curaçao shortstop (Rog Kaeber) led to Rodríguez and Palma scoring the fourth and the fifth Cuban runs on the day.
⚾️ Premundial de Béisbol Sub-23.
🗓 26/11/2023
🔥 Ronda de Apertura.
🇨🇼 CUR (0-2)
🇨🇺 CUB (2-0)🇨🇼 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
🇨🇺 1 0 1 0 0 3 xC H E
🇨🇼 CUR 1 1 3
🇨🇺 CUB 5 7 0✅ G: Miguel Neira (1-0)
❌ P: Je-andrick Lourens (0-1) pic.twitter.com/cwnhNjv5FJ— Círculo de Espera (@CirculodEspera) November 27, 2023
Miguel Neira threw a gem on the day, in six innings of work the Sancti Spiritus native only allowed one hit, one earned run, and he fanned seven batters during the contest. Randy Cueto retired the last three hitters in the seventh without complications, striking out two of them. Cuba will play again this Monday at 07:05 PM (Cuban time) against its counterpart from Colombia, this contest will take place at the Roberto Clemente Stadium in Masaya, Nicaragua.
Boxscore:
1. Christian Rodríguez (SS): 3-1, 2R, BB
2. Darian Palma (CF): 3-1, 2R, K
3. Guillermo García (1B): 2-1, 2RBI, SF, BB
4. Andrys Pérez (C): 3-1
5. Carlos Monier (RF): 2-0, RBI, SF, BB, 2K
6. Leonardo Montero (DH): 2-0, BB, K
7. Jean Lucas Baldoquín (3B): 3-1
8. Alejandro Javier Escobar (LF): 1-1, R, 2BB
9. Adrián Jesús Pérez García (2B): 2-1, K
Yuliesky Miguel Remón: 0-0, SH
Miguel Neira: 6.0 IP, H, ER, 7K, W (1-0)
Randy Cueto: 1.0 IP, 2K