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The Cuban team defeated the Metropolitan Eagles of Panama 7-2 on Friday in the third-place match of the Gran Caracas Americas Series 2026, concluding their participation with a bronze medal in the tournament held in Venezuela.
The match took place at the Estadio Monumental Simón Bolívar in Caracas, where the Cubans took control early on and withstood the Panamanian team's attempts to respond, which arrived at the clash following a strong performance in the tournament, according to the agency Prensa Latina.
Control from the beginning
Cuba took the lead from the very first inning, scoring two runs against the Panamanian starter Brayan Cáceres. Erisbel Arruebarrena and Yoelquis Guibert hit a single and a double, respectively, to bring in the first runs, aided by a ground ball from Yasiel González and a wild pitch from the pitcher.
Panama scored in the second inning thanks to a two-run home run by Edgard Muñoz, but the Caribbean team responded strongly in the third. They produced four runs that made the difference and set the course of the game towards a Cuban victory.
Harold Vásquez hit a key single, while Christian Rodríguez blasted a home run with two teammates on base to drive in several of the decisive runs for his team.
Solid pitching and closing
The winning pitcher was José Ignacio Bermúdez, who pitched five innings, struck out four batters, allowed only five hits and two runs, with just one walk. His relief, Yusniel Padrón, remained dominant for three innings, allowing only one hit, before handing the mound to Frank Abel Álvarez, who closed the game by recording the last three outs without any complications.
Finally, the venue Navegantes del Magallanes claimed the title after defeating Caimanes de Barranquilla (Colombia) at the end of the tournament.
Tournament context
The Americas Series Gran Caracas 2026 is the second edition of this continental tournament, which will be held from February 5 to 13 in Caracas and La Guaira, bringing together teams and clubs representing various baseball leagues from the American continent.
After defeating Panama for the bronze medal, Cuba concludes its participation with a podium that serves as preparation for the 2026 World Baseball Classic, with the expectation of continuing to strengthen its competitiveness on the international stage.
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