The Cuban baseball team suffered its second consecutive defeat in the Premier 12 tournament on Thursday, losing to South Korea (4-8), a result that seriously jeopardizes its chances of advancing in Group B.
From the very start, the match began unfavorably for the island when starting pitcher Liván Moinelo, one of the team's cornerstones, failed to establish his usual dominance.
Moinelo, the leader in effectiveness in the Pacific League of Japanese baseball with an ERA of 1.88, allowed six runs in the second inning, including a grand slam home run by Do-Yeong Kim, who was the offensive standout of the game with a total of five RBIs.
In just two innings, the left-hander allowed four hits and two walks, putting his team in a challenging position right from the start.
Although the Caribbean batters were largely contained by the South Korean pitchers throughout most of the game, they showed signs of a comeback in the eighth inning, as Yoelkis Guibert and Rafael Viñales hit consecutive home runs, managing to narrow the deficit.
The batter Alfredo Despaigne also contributed a run in the seventh inning, but the effort was not enough to turn the game around.
Reliever Andy Vargas delivered an outstanding performance, pitching one and two-thirds innings without allowing any runs and striking out four opponents, a bright spot on a gray Thursday for Cuba.
The day brought another setback for the team with Yoan Moncada's injury, as he sustained a blow to his right hand. Although the tests ruled out a fracture, his participation in upcoming matches remains uncertain, as reported to JIT by the team's doctor, Dr. Francisco Montesino.
After this setback, the island's team, led by manager Armando Johnson, will need to win the remaining three games and rely on other results to try to advance to the next round.
Cuba will rest this Friday and will face Australia on Saturday in a crucial match for its aspirations in the tournament. In the other group match, the host team, Chinese Taipei, defeated the Dominican Republic 2-1, solidifying its position as leader after two victories.
Filed under: