In the initial game of the tournament of the Americas, the Cuban U-12 National Team suffered a 6-1 defeat against the Dominican Republic at the Andy Alonso Municipal Stadium in Panama City on Monday afternoon. This match marked the Cubans' first official appearance in the qualifying rounds for the WBSC 2025 Baseball World Cup.
Thus, the Cuban team suffers its initial loss, holding a 0-1 record in Group B's group stage, alongside Brazil (0-2) and Argentina (0-1), who are also seeking their first win in the competition.
The Cubans kicked off their tournament journey this Sunday, but their game against Puerto Rico was halted due to rain with Cuba leading 2-0 in the bottom of the first inning.
In the game against the Dominican Republic, right-handed pitcher Alejandro Segura took the mound for the Cuban team. He pitched three innings, giving up three hits, allowing one run, striking out 3 batters, and refraining from issuing any walks prior to calling on the bullpen.
Nevertheless, even though reliever Asnel Tornés managed a scoreless fourth inning, he was unable to maintain his momentum. Alongside Osvani Palma, he faced consequences in the fifth inning when the Dominicans took control of the game. This decisive inning saw the Dominicans scoring five runs, highlighted by a three-run homer from Brandon Báez, resulting in a final score of 6-1.
In the meantime, the Cubans struggled offensively against the right-handed starter Carlos Marrero and his right-handed reliever, Milfree E. Figueroa, who held the team hitless until the final inning, the 6th. The tournament is limited to six innings, and it was only in the last inning that the Cubans were able to secure their only two singles of the game.
The Dominicans took the lead in the second inning when Báez hit a double, establishing himself as the standout hitter of the game. This hit brought in Ángel D. Gracia, who had kicked off the inning with a single.
Cuba promptly responded by equalizing the score in the third inning without getting a hit, capitalizing on an error, two walks, and a balk. This proved to be the sole offensive output for the Cubans, with Oliver Monteagudo and Diego L. Girón being the only ones to record hits in the match.
During Cuba's final offensive inning, in the 6th inning, with two runners on base, right-hander Figueroa took control to secure the Dominican victory. He struck out the final two batters, totaling seven strikeouts in a mere three innings, ultimately clinching the win. On the other hand, Asnel Tornés of Cuba suffered the loss, conceding a solitary run in one inning.
The victory over Cuba marked the Dominican Republic's second win in the tournament, following a 10-0 triumph against Brazil on Sunday, in a game that concluded after only five innings.
The Cuban team's upcoming game is scheduled for this Tuesday at 10:30 am (Cuba and Eastern US time). They will be playing against the struggling Argentina team at the Andy Alonso stadium.
Today, Puerto Rico won against Argentina with a score of 10-0, Colombia triumphed over Ecuador 8-0, Venezuela defeated Brazil 3-0, and the United States emerged victorious over Nicaragua 9-1. Mexico will go up against the host nation, Panama, in the last match on Monday.
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