Cuba notched an important victory this Tuesday by the score of 10-5 against its counterpart from Venezuela in the U23 World Cup held in Nicaragua. The game scheduled for seven innings had to be decided in an extra inning at the National Soberanía stadium in the city of Managua.
Venezuela came out on swinging in the same first inning when they struck first; With two outs , cleanup man David García laced an RBI double to open the scoring for the “Chamos” 1-0. In the fourth inning the Cubans loaded the bases (Andrys Pérez HBP, Alejandro Escobar BB and Carlos Monier BB) and tied the score at 1 when Euclides Pérez hit into a double play. Jean Lucas Baldoquín gave Cuba a 2-1 advantage with a rocket to the right.
Albert Valladares from Mayabeque started the game for the Cubans and in 3.1 innings allowed two hits, three runs, walked a couple and struck out three. Alex Guerra relieved him, but couldn’t get out (0.0 IP, H, BB). Rafael Orlando Perdomo had a good 2.2 innings relief, where he gave up three hits, but no runs, he also walked one and also struck out a batter. Randy Cueto worked the last two innings (3H, 2R, ER, K) and ended up getting the win.
The Cuban lead did not last long, in the bottom of the fourth the South Americans struck back scoring twice to go ahead 3-2. The tying run was driven in by Antoni Flores with a triple and the go-ahead run was knocked in by a Wilfred Astudillo single to left. The clash remained knotted at three until at the beginning of the seventh ,when Guillermo García went yard with two outs and Christian Rodríguez aboard to give Cuba a 5-3 lead .
Something similar happened to Cuban reliever Randy Cueto, just one strike away from victory, Venezuela’s Victori Arias hit a home run to the left to send the game to extra innings. Cuba scored six in the extra frame, that was played using the Schiller Rule and that proved to be the deciding factor in the contest. The Venezuelans scored one at the end of the eighth to finally fall defeated 10-5. Now both teams have the same record of three wins and one loss. Cuba will play Panamá tonight at Roberto Clemente Stadium tonight at 7:05 in Managua. A win and the Antilleans advance to the next round.
Comienza el juego entre Cuba 🇨🇺 y Venezuela 🇻🇪 en el Premundial Sub-23.
Los cubanos obligados a ganar para mantenerse las aspiraciones de clasificar al Mundial en 2024. pic.twitter.com/YMmVHNMoaY
— Francys Romero (@francysromeroFR) November 28, 2023
Boxscore:
1. Christian Rodríguez (SS): 4-1, R, 2K, BB
2. Darian Palma (CF): 5-2, RBI
3. Guillermo García (1B): 5-1, 2R, 2RBI, HR, K
4. Andrys Pérez (C): 2-0, R, K, HBP
5. Alejandro Javier Escobar (LF): 1-0, 2R, 2BB, K, HBP
6. Carlos Monier (RF): 2-0, K, BB, HBP
7. Euclides Pérez (DH): 2-0
Yuliesky Remón: 1-1, R, RBI, BB
8. Jean Lucas Baldoquín (3B): 4-2, R, RBI
9. Adrián Jesús Pérez García (2B): 4-0, R, K
Pitching:
Albert Valladares: 3.1 IP, 2H, 3ER, 2BB, 3K
Alex Guerra: 0.0 IP, H, BB
Rafael Orlando Perdomo: 2.2 IP, 3H, BB, K
Randy Cueto: 2.0 IP, 3H, 2R, ER, K