Harlem Baseball Week. HAVANA, Cuba.- The Cuban baseball squad suffered its second straight loss in the Harlem Baseball Week, this time against Japan 1-4, after losing yesterday by KO in seven innings against Holland.

The Cuban offensive is in a collective slump, which could jeopardize their qualification to the tournament’s final round.

Japan took the lead in the very first inning when they scored twice against starter Freddy Asiel Alvarez to add one more in the following inning.

At the bottom of the third Cuban shortstop Danel Castro blasted a solo shot to close the gap, but from then on Japanese starter Yudai Ohno took full control of the situation and only allowed one unearned run in the ninth.

This way Ohno took revenge of his defeat in the previous match against the Cubans, when he lost precisely against Alvarez.

On the Cuban side the best batters were Castro with his solo homer and a single and Donald Duarte with a single and a doble.

Cuban manager made some changes in the line-up and included Rolando Meriño as fourth batter and brought Eriel Sanchez as catcher, but this strate didn’t pay any dividends to the offensive.

Cuba will face Chinese Taipei tomorrow at the “Pim Müller” Stadium.