Elvin Orozco pitched 5.1 scoreless inning, but his defense and his bullpen let hom down and Cuba beat Nicaragua 8-1 in the Pan American and IBAF World Cup qualifier, held in Puerto Rico. Jonder Martinez was credited with the win and Hector Olivera went 3 for 5 with two RBI's.">Elvin Orozco pitched 5.1 scoreless inning, but his defense and his bullpen let hom down and Cuba beat Nicaragua 8-1 in the Pan American and IBAF World Cup qualifier, held in Puerto Rico. Jonder Martinez was credited with the win and Hector Olivera went 3 for 5 with two RBI's.">

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Cuba Beats Nicaragua in World Cup Qualifier

  • Submitted by: manso
  • 10 / 06 / 2010

Elvin Orozco outdueled Cuba, but his defense and his bullpen could not hang on to victory.

Elvin Orozco pitched 5.1 scoreless inning, but his defense and his bullpen let hom down and Cuba beat Nicaragua 8-1 in the Pan American and IBAF World Cup qualifier, held in Puerto Rico. Jonder Martinez was credited with the win and Hector Olivera went 3 for 5 with two RBI's.

After playing in slow-motion Mayaguez stadium, Cuba moved to the speed of artificial turf in Roberto Clemente Stadium of Carolina, named after one of baseball's all-time greats.

Orozco took a no-decision as he allowed no runs and left the game 1-0.

Nicaragua scored against Fredy Asiel Alvarez, who did not have a very solid outing, when Romero led off the fourth with a double and was moved up to third on a bunt. Third baseman Jimmy Gonzalez drove him home with a single.

In the seventh frame, Cuba tied the game when Cespedes tried to score on a grounder by Ariel Pestano to third base, but catcher Abea dropped the ball. The go-ahead run was driven home by Michel Enriquez on a slow grounder to shortsop that gave Nicaragua only the force out at second.

With the game 2-1, it was only a matter of time for Cuba to punish Nicaraguan hurlers.

In the eighth inning, Alexander Malleta came in to pinch hit with the bases loaded and was hit by a pitch. Olivera hit a two-run single and after Enriquez singled to load the bases, Gourriel singled to centerfield and drove home two more. the last of Cuba's runs was driven by Alexei Bell's single to right field.

Olivera could have gone 4 for 5, but Aledmis Díaz was out on appeal for not touching second.

It is important to point that Cuba failed to score and hit in the clutch while trailing, and their offense has punished opposing pitching while ahead in the score.

They will face Canada today, and Yulieski Gonzalez is scheduled to start.

Roberto Clemente Stadium

CLUB-1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9---R--H--E

CUB---0-0-0-0-0-0-2-6-0---8-12--0

NIC----0-0-0-1-0-0-0-0-0---1--5--1

W: J. Martinez

L: J. Hernandez

PL Translation Staff

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