The Las Tunas team representing Cuba in the second edition of the Baseball Champions League Americas (BCL Americas) debuted this Wednesday with a 31-7 of the team from Curaçao, the Santa María Pirates. The game ended in nine innings despite the wide lead, as the knockout rule is not yet in place in the tournament.
Las Tunas scored seven runs in the first inning and didn’t concede their first score of the game until the seventh inning. They scored five in the second, two in the third, two more in the fourth, six in the bottom of the fifth, and five in the bottom of the sixth. They then scored again four times in the eighth. The game was one-sided from the start, with the Cuban team racking up a total of 32 hits, with every position player swatting at least one, including those who came on as substitutes. Héctor Castillo played only defense and didn’t see an at-bat on the day.
Yoelkis Guibert and Rafael Viñales each hit two home runs in the game and drove in six and seven runs, respectively. The Cubans connected on 15 extra-base hits (10 2B and 5 HR). In addition to Guibert and Viñales, Yosvani Alarcón also hit an opposite-field homerun. The 10 doubles were hit by different batters; no one repeated this number for the Cubans. Viñales had the most hits, with five.
Luis Vicente Mateo, Guibert, Yosvani Alarcón, Roberto Baldoquín, Yordanis Alarcón, and Andrys Pérez also had at least three hits. Mateo was the only other batter to drive in more than two runs, driving in four in the game. The victory went to Andy Vargas, who only surrendered three hits in five innings. He allowed Curaçao’s first two runs in the fifth inning, walked two, and struck out five.
Rodolfo Díaz relieved Vargas and, despite the lead, was hit hard, allowing four runs in just 1.2 innings. Yadian Martínez pitched for one and a third of an inning and gave up homerun to Swindley Lint. Alberto Pablo Civil closed the game in ninth without complications and struck out one. Tomorrow, Las Tunas will play once again at Alfredo Harp Helú against the Kane County Cougars, the reigning American Association of Professional Baseball champions. Both teams come into this game with a undefeated, with the winner will advancing directly to the Semifinals.
Boxscore:
1. Roel Santos (CF): 6-2, R, RBI, 2BB
2. Luis Vicente Mateo (SS/2B): 7-4, 4R, 2B, 4RBI, BB
3. Yoelkis Guibert (RF): 4-3, 4R, 2HR, 6RBI, 2BB, HBP
B. Héctor Castillo: defensive replacement (RF)
4. Yosvani Alarcón (C): 6-4, 4R, 2B, HR, 2RBI, HBP
5. Rafael Viñales (1B): 7-5, 5R, 2HR, 7RBI, K
6. Roberto Baldoquín (2B/3B): 5-3, 2R, 2B, 2RBI, HBP
PH: Jean Lucas Baldoquín: 1-1, R, 2B, RBI
7. Yordanis Alarcón (3B): 4-3, 2R, 2B, 2RBI
PH: Tailon Sánchez: 3-1, R, 2B, RBI
8. Andrys Pérez (C): 3-2, 3R, 2B, RBI, K, SF
9. Yuniesky Larduet (LF): 3-2, 3R, 2B, RBI, BB
PH: Denis Peña: 2-1, R, 2B, RBI, BB
Pitching:
Andy Vargas: 5.0 IP, 3H, 2ER, 2BB, 5K, W (1-0)
Rodolfo Díaz: 1.2 IP, 4H, 4ER, BB, 2K
Yadian Martínez: 1.1 IP, 3H, ER, HR, BB, 3K
Alberto Pablo Civil: 1.0 IP, 0H, 0ER, K