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After the draw (2-2) in the first match, the Cuban baseball team achieved its first victory this Sunday in the friendly series against Nicaragua, winning 3-1 in a game highlighted by the excellent performance of the pitching staff and a timely home run by Ariel Martínez.
In a match where pitching prevailed over offense, the Cuban pitchers allowed ten hits but managed to contain the damage by securing crucial outs at decisive moments, despite some defensive inaccuracies, highlighted the site JIT.
As part of the preparation for the World Baseball Classic, the Nicaraguan pitching staff also demonstrated strength, although the lack of control from some pitchers and defensive errors ultimately took their toll.
One of the three Cuban runs came after an error, while the other was the result of Cuba's first and only home run so far in the series, hit by Ariel Martínez.
Pitching protagonist
The director of the Cuban team, Germán Mesa, positively evaluated the performance from the mound.
"Each one came to fulfill their role, with the opener trying to advance as much as possible, and then the relievers with specific functions," the mentor explained.
Cuba connected only four hits and committed two official errors, in addition to other defensive lapses that, although not reflected in the statistics, impacted the flow of the game.
Defense remains one of the aspects to be corrected ahead of the World Classic, where mistakes tend to be punished more severely.
Offensive self-criticism
Ariel Martínez, the offensive player of the match, acknowledged that the team still needs to improve in shot selection.
"I believe the team is finding its shape, but we need to refine the details in defense and elevate our offensive level. The issue lies in the selection of shots," he declared to JIT.
Martínez explained that he noticed the opposing pitchers were working with high balls and was able to capitalize on that situation to hit the decisive home run.
Yera will open the third match
For the third game of the series, scheduled for next Wednesday, the coaching staff announced left-hander Yoennis Yera as the starting pitcher.
The matchup against Nicaragua is part of the Cuban team's preparation for the World Baseball Classic, with an emphasis on fine-tuning both pitching and defense, as well as offensive production.
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