Team Cuba defeated Agricultores in their first warmup match, and both teams will meet again on Monday at 1:30 pm (ET)
The Cuban national team beat the Agricultores team 10-4 Sunday afternoon at Latinoamericano Stadium in Havana, in the first of two warmup games both have for the V World Baseball Classic and the 2023 Caribbean Series, respectively.
The teams today used the following lineups.
Agricultores
Yunieski Larduet, CF
Raico Santos, RF
Yordanis Alarcón, 2B
Yosvani Alarcón, C
Rafael Viñales, 1B
Guillermo Avilés, DH
Denis Laza, LF
Denis Peña, 3B
Andrés de la Cruz, SS
César García, RHP
Cuba
Roel Santos, CF
Yoelkis Guibert, RF
Yurisbel Gracial, 3B
Alfredo Despaigne, DH
Yadir Drake, 1B
Dayán García, 2B
Ariel Martínez, LF
Andrys Pérez, C
Luis V. Mateo, SS
José R. Rodríguez, RHP
With Yurisbel Garcia and Alfredo Despaigne on bases, Yadir Drake unleashed a three-run homer to right field against right-hander César García in the bottom of the first inning, putting Team Cuba ahead 3-0.
Minutes later, Dayán Garca would extend the lead with a solo shot to left field. Cuba 4, Agricultores 0.
When the score reached 8-0 an inning later, the match was practically over.
Team Cuba added its ninth run in the fourth inning, this time through Mateo's double and Guibert's RBI single to right. Guibert would also contribute to the tenth run, as he doubled against right-handed Alberto P. Civil, and scored after Gracial singled to left. Guibert himself finished 3-4 with a double, a home run, and four RBIs for Cuba.
Camagüey's J.R. Rodriguez started the game for Cuba and looked good with his characteristic equanimity, which has led to him climbing positions in Cuban baseball.
Cuba's coach, Armando Johnson, sent Pavel Hernández to start the third inning with an 8-0 lead. Despite the fact that his fastball did not reach 92 miles, he retired six batters after accepting Larduet' single starting the inning. Pavel used 25 pitches to complete his two innings work.
It was right-hander Roberto Hernández, who began the fifth inning for Team Cuba, who allowed the first two Agricultores' runs. In that inning, Peña, De la Cruz, and Larduet singled, while Raico Santos doubled to bring two runs. Franklin Quintana took the ball and ended the threat, retiring the Alarcón brothers, including Yosvani, with a strikeout. Quintana pitched one more inning, and despite loading the bases in the sixth, he finished scoreless in his first outing with the Cuban national team.
The Agricultores' manager, Carlos Martí, used five pitchers during the game: César García, Leandro Martínez, Yoel Mojena, Yunier Castillo, Kelbis Rodríguez and Alberto P. Civil. Meanwhile, Team Cuba and manager Mandy Johnson gave work to José R. Rodríguez, Pavel Hernández, Roberto Hernández, Franklin Quintana and Yeudis Reyes.
Mandy Johnson, Cuba's mentor for the World Baseball Classic, told the Cuban media after the match: "It was a preparation match. Since we are in our third microcycle, we didn't expect the boys to look like that. It is wonderful to see them playing so well, especially on offense. The youngsters we brought out for pitching did exceptionally well."
Both teams will meet again at 1:30 pm on Monday. For Agricultores, right-hander Jonathan Carbó has already been announced to start the game.
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