March 15, 2006
Cuba vs. Puerto Rico
It's Ormari Romero vs. Dickey Gonzalez for a trip to San Diego. What we've seen so far in this tournament is anything can happen. Puerto Rico defeated Cuba easily in the first round, and Puerto Rico has the home field advantage. I expect a very good game.
My updates will be sparse tonight as I'll be on the air with the Baseball Musings Radio Show at from 8 PM to 9 PM EST.
Update: Oh those base on balls. The first two Cuban batters walk, and one comes around to score on two ground outs. Cuba leads in the top of the first 1-0.
Update: Cuba just gets one. But Gonzalez throws over 30 pitches, so it's not likely he's going deep in this game.
Update: Bernie Williams blasts a pitch out of right field to tie the game at one. The crowd is going wild, chanting, "Bernie! Bernie!"
Update: The radio show is over, and Cuba is up 4-1 on Puerto Rico in the bottom of the fifth. An error by Cintron led to two unearned runs. Cintron singled to try to start a rally in the fifth, and he's on along with Bernie Williams, one out.
Update: With men on 2nd and 3rd, Beltran grounds a 3-1 pitch to the third baseman for the third out of the inning. Puerto Rico still trails by three.
Update: A Valentin double and a Cintron single put runners at first and third for Puerto Rico in the bottom of the seventh. Perez is pinch hitting, and there's a pitching change. It's still 4-1, Cuba, and it looks like Ledee will bat for Perez.
Update: Puerto Rico scores a run to make the score 4-2. Ledee grounded the ball to Gourriel, who tried to get the force at second. His throw pulled the fielder off the bag, so everyone is safe and Cuba leads 4-2.
Someone just got thrown out (Velez?) and the announcers said he touched the umpire, and the whole Cuban team is on the field arguing.
The announcers on radio say he was pulled off the bag.
Update: Indeed, the Cuban manager Higinio Velez was ejected for arguing.
Update: Bernie Williams grounds into a double play. There's a man on third for Ivan Rodriguez.
Update: Pudge walks to bring Beltran to the plate as the go-ahead run.
Update: An exciting end to the inning. Beltran singled up the middle driving in Cintron. The ball gets away from the centerfielder, and Pudge tries to score, but gets thrown out at the plate. Puerto Rico scores 2, and trail by a run at the end of seven, 4-3.
Update: Cuba gets a 2-out double, but doesn't score in the top of the eighth. Puerto Rico has six outs to get one run.
Update: Jose Cruz singles, and Carlos Delgado is coming on to pinch hit! He hasn't appeared to do an injury.
Update: Delgado takes the first pitch into the space between first and second (the first baseman was holding) for a single. Rios pinch runs, and the Puerto Ricans have men on 1st and 2nd.
Update: Valentin beats out an slow roller to the third place side of the mound. The first baseman bobbled the throw from the pitcher on the scoop. The bases are loaded.
Update: Cintron grounds into a double play. A golden opportunity missed by Puerto Rico. It's 4-3 Cuba at the end of eight.
Update: Cuba does not score in the ninth. Puerto Rico needs a run. The PR bullpen did a great job, pitching 5 2/3 innings of 2 hit ball, 0 walks and 5 strikeouts. They kept the team in the game, and now it's up to the offense.
Update: Gotay makes the first out of the inning, a line shot right back to Odelin, the Cuban pitcher.
Update: Williams fouls out to the second baseman. Puerto Rico is down to its last out, and the batter is Pudge Rodriguez.
Update: Pudge strikes out swinging! Cuba is going to San Diego!
A very exciting game. It came down to Puerto Rico's fielding errors being more costly than Cuba's fielding errors. Again, a poor start by a pitcher buries a team, as Gonzelez's lack of control set up the runs that eventually won the game.
Congratulations to Cuba! They'll face the Dominican Republic on Saturday at 3 PM EST.
Baseball Musings is conducting a pledge drive in March. Click here for details.
Posted by David Pinto at
07:01 PM
|
World Cup
|
TrackBack (0)
re: Cuba v. Puerto Rico & Carribbean Division of WBC
The Carribbean portion of the World Baseball Classic was by far the highlight of this tournament.
Compared with the US and other teams, the Carribbean teams brought passion, dignity and excitement to the game, each and every game, and their games were fun and worth watching, every single one. The fans were completely absorbed and the stadiums were sold out, unlike Anaheim, which had so many empty seats it was an embarassment to America.
If Ernest Hemingway was to sit down and write Old Man and the Sea today, it would be about an old american fishing with a young kid, on an american lake, reminiscining about the great Albert Pujols or some other Carribbean star.
That's how much things have changed since the 50s. Joltin joe dimaggio has been replaced by the Carribbean super star who once was in awe of american baseball players.
No one would understand Old man & the Sea today. There aren't any American ball players for these Caribbean kids to look up to. They look up to their own.
--Arthur John Kyriazis
--Philly