Ariel Martinez and Erisbel Arruebarrena each homered as Cuba got off to a hot start and coasted to a 7-4 win over Colombia in Pool A play of the World Baseball Classic on Sunday at San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Martinez and Arruebarrena plated four runs on their first-inning home runs, which staked Cuba (2-0 in Pool A) to a 4-0 lead five batters into the bottom of the first. Yoelkis Guibert was 2-for-3, and Yiddi Cappe added insurance with a two-run triple in the sixth to extend the lead to 7-2.
That offense helped Cuba overcome its pitching staff issuing more walks (10) than strikeouts (nine). Denny Larrondo recorded the victory despite giving up four walks over his two-inning start.
Gio Urshela walked twice and added an RBI single for Colombia (0-3), which got two RBIs from Tito Polo — who was hitless — on a sacrifice fly and hit-by-pitch. Luis Patino was tagged for four runs on two hits in a third of an inning in his start.
Italy 7, Great Britain 4
Andrew Fischer and J.J. D’Orazio’s back-to-back homers helped the Italian national team rally from an early deficit to beat the British team in Houston.
They were two of five Italian players with two hits as the team finished with 12 knocks, including an RBI double from Miles Mastrobuoni and a run-scoring triple from Sam Antonacci. Italy (2-0 Pool B) saw starter Dylan DeLucia issue a pair of run-scoring wild pitches in the first but he struck out five in 3 2/3 innings to spark the team’s 13-strikeout showing by seven different arms.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. had the lone RBI for Great Britain (0-3) on an eighth-inning single. Nate Eaton and Chisholm each finished with two hits in the top two spots of the lineup. Nick Wells took the loss, allowing three runs (one earned) on four hits over two-thirds of an inning.
Dominican Republic 12, Netherlands 1 (7)
The Dominican Republic squad (2-0 Pool D) smashed four home runs in a run-rule-shortened demolition of the Dutch national team in Miami.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Junior Caminero, Austin Wells and Juan Soto all homered to account for half of the Dominican team’s eight hits. Luis Severino struck out five and allowed one run over four innings, with three pitchers combining for 11 strikeouts to one walk.
Didi Gregorius smacked a second-inning homer for the Netherlands (1-2), which was held to five hits and 0-for-2 with runners in scoring position. Arij Fransen took the loss, allowing three runs on three walks and two hits over two innings.
Mexico 16, Brazil 0 (6)
Alejandro Kirk homered, doubled and drove in four runs as Mexico tallied 16 hits, including four home runs, in six innings in a run-ruled victory over winless Brazil in Houston.
Jarren Duran was 2-for-3 with a solo home run, a double, three RBIs and two runs scored as the leadoff batter for Mexico (2-0 Pool B). Alek Thomas was 3-for-3 with a homer, three RBIs, two runs and one walk as the No. 8 batter in the lineup. Julian Ornelas entered the game as a reserve and homered for two RBIs.
Right-hander Taijuan Walker (1-0) started for Mexico and pitched 3 1/3 hitless, scoreless innings while walking two and striking out three. Brazil (0-3 Pool B), which totaled three singles, used four pitchers in 5 2/3 innings, with starter Eric Pardinho (0-1) yielding eight runs on 10 hits, one walk and one strikeout in three innings.
Israel 5, Nicaragua 0
Five pitchers combined on a two-hit shutout as Israel improved to 1-1 in Pool D and dropped Nicaragua to 0-3 in Miami.
Right-hander Dean Kremer (1-0) started for Israel and went 4 1/3 innings, allowing two singles and one walk with four strikeouts. Josh Mallitz, Matt Bowman, Max Lazar and Tommy Kahnle provided hitless relief with one walk and three strikeouts.
Noah Mendlinger had three of Israel’s eight hits (all singles), while Cole Carrigg had two hits. The pair each scored and batted in a run, and Zach Levenson drove in two. Nicaragua starter Carlos Rodriguez (0-1) took the loss despite yielding only one run, two hits and two walks with four strikeouts in four innings.
Panama 4, Canada 3
Panama scored three runs in the sixth with the help of two of Canada’s three errors in the game to win in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Trailing 2-1 in the top of the sixth, Panama (1-2 Pool A) got started with Jose Ramos’ leadoff walk. One out later, Christian Bethancourt reached on first baseman Josh Naylor’s fielding error. With two outs, Miguel Amaya hit an infield single to load the bases. Pinch hitter Ruben Tejada delivered a two-run infield single, and Amaya went to third on pitcher James Paxton’s throwing error. Amaya scored the eventual winning run on Enrique Bradfield Jr.’s infield single.
Bradfield went 3-for-4 as the leadoff batter, and Bethancourt was 2-for-4. Miguel Cienfuegos (1-0) picked up the win in relief. Paxton (0-1) took the loss in relief for Canada (1-1 Pool A), with Bo Naylor and Owen Caissie each going 2-for-4.
–Field Level Media
