Mexico close to perfection, beats Cuba, earns first win of U-23 Baseball World Cup
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<p>After a disappointing defeat on opening night, the reigning U-23 World Champion, Mexico, picked up its first win of the tournament on Friday night, defeating Cuba <strong><a href="https://u23bwc.wbsc.org/en/2021/schedule-and-results/box-score/85432" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="5-0 (opens in a new tab)">5-0</a></strong> at Estadio Yaquis in Ciudad Obregon. The game was much closer than the final score would indicate.</p>
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<p>The starting
pitchers - Cuba’s Brian Chi and Mexico’s Alemao Hernandez - matched each other
zero for zero through the first three innings before Mexico got on the board in
the top of the fourth.</p>
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<p>Fabricio Macias, Mexico’s leadoff man, blasted the first pitch of the inning over the wall in left to put his team in front for the first time in the tournament. </p>
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<p>Macias would come around to score again two innings later on a Tirso Ornelas two-out single into right. That sixth inning hit knocked Chi out of the game.</p>
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<p>Hernandez came
out to start the bottom of the sixth for Mexico, but was lifted after striking
out Loidel Chapelli. Reliever Herrera Hernandez yielded a two-out double
to Rangel Ramos, but got out of the inning unscathed.</p>
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<p>Mexico added
three insurance runs in the top of the seventh and Rabago Robles retired the
side in order in the bottom of the seventh to preserve the victory.</p>
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<p>Macias and
Agustin Ruiz led the Mexican offense with two hits each, while Reivaj Garcia
was the only player to drive in two runs for the victors.</p>
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<p>Alemao
Hernandez was simply dominant, throwing 50 of his 68 pitches for strikes, and
giving up just two hits in his 5.1 innings of work. He struck out four
without walking a batter.</p>
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<p>Chi, who
pitched for Cuba at the Americas Olympic Qualifier earlier this summer, fanned
six without walking a batter in his 5.2 innings of work. </p>
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<p>There was not
a single walk issued by either side in the contest.</p>
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<p>Mexico heads
into a showdown with the Dominican Republic on Saturday night, while Cuba will
face a tough task taking on the only 2-0 team in Group A – Chinese Taipei – on
Saturday afternoon at Estadio Yaquis.</p>
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