TAIPEI CITY, Taiwan - In front of a crowd of 30,924, Chinese Taipei put recent international losses to Cuba behind them to win by shutout 2-0 in Group B of the WBSC Premier12 presented by RAXUS at the Taipei Dome in Taipei City on Monday night.
The victory left Chinese Taipei with a 4-1 record in Group B, preceded only by a team Japan that left no doubts about its favoritism, by disposing of the Dominican Republic 11-3 at Tianmu Stadium and with a 5-0 record, it is the only undefeated team of the four that advanced to the Super Round, to be played between November 21 and 23 at the Tokyo Dome in Bunkyo City in Tokyo.
With a 1-4 record, Cuba is tied with Australia and the Dominican Republic, but due to the tiebreaker coefficient, the Cubans ended up last in Group B. The Premier12 editions represent the worst international performance in the history of Cuba's team, with an overall record of 5-9 across all tournaments and a sixth-place finish in 2015 as their best result.
In the day's other match, South Korea beat Australia 5-2, securing third place with a 3-2 record. This was a disappointing showing for the 2015 champions and 2019 finalists. Nonetheless, Korean coach Joong-Il-Ryu, who apologized to the Korean fans who traveled to Taipei to support the team, views the outcome as part of the team's renewal process. This renewal aims to restore their elite status for the 2026 World Classic and the 2028 Olympic tournament in Los Angeles.
The game
On this occasion, Cuban manager Armando Johnson selected left-hander Yoannis Yera to start. Once again, Yera delivered a solid performance before an enthusiastic crowd and a skilled home team. Although he may not have been as outstanding as in his initial start against the Dominican Republic, Yera managed to pitch four innings, throwing 80 pitches and allowing only two runs despite the high pressure and challenging environment. He encountered difficulties starting in the third inning when Taipei scored its first run.
Yera allowed just one base runner in the second inning due to a full-count single by catcher Dai Pei-Fong. However, in the third inning, after striking out the eighth hitter Lin Chia-Cheng, Yera walked Yueh Tung-Hua. Following the second out, a double by Giljegiljaw Kungkuan brought Lin to the plate with the, at then end, decisive run of the game.
One inning later, another walk sparked trouble for the Cuban starter. Yera walked Tseng Song-En to start the inning, followed by consecutive singles from Pan Chieh-Kai and Dai Pei-Fong, which loaded the bases. Chang Cheng-Yu hit a grounder through second base, forcing out the runner from second, but shortstop Arruebarena couldn't complete the double play at first, allowing Tseng to score from third, making it 2-0 on a fielder's choice. The inning could have been more productive for the home team, but Yera managed to retire Lin Chia-Cheng with a foul pop-up to third base and struck out Yueh Tung-Hua.
Cuba didn't have many offensive opportunities, but Chinese Taipei also fought back with all its might against the Cuban team.
“In a low-scoring game like this, defense and pitching are key,” Taipei coach Tseng Hao-Jiu said during the press conference. “The center fielder's throw to the catcher in the fifth inning, which eventually caused Dai to retire Arruebarrena at home plate, was one of the best examples.”
And this was indeed Cuba's clearest chance to score in the game. With one out, Arruebarrena doubled down the left field line and when Andrys Pérez singled to center, Chiu Chih-Cheng's throw landed precisely on the catcher's mascot and although the play was initially called safe, video review confirmed the out, keeping the score the same, 2-0.
Cuba managed another single in the sixth inning by Roel Santos to left field, but it was the final one of the four hits the team achieved throughout the game. This was against a sequence of seven relievers who, following Santos' single, performed flawlessly by retiring the final 11 Cuban batters, with two strikeouts in the ninth inning.
“Chinese Taipei's pitchers threw a great game,” Cuban manager Armando Johnson told the press after the game. “Congratulations to Japan and Chinese Taipei for advancing to the Super Round.”
Johnson briefly commented on the Cuban team's performance, stating, “Despite the disappointing results, in last night's game against Japan, I saw the old Cuban team I know. I am pleased to have witnessed my players giving their all, both on and off the field.” He added, “As long as they give their best, I hold no blame against them.”
Indeed, the Cuban team aimed to be among the top four in these Premier12 editions for the first time. However, a disappointing start with defeats against the Dominican Republic and South Korea, where the offense managed just two runs in the first 16 innings of the tournament, completely altered the team's prospects.
Adding to this are the injuries to two of the team's stars: starting pitcher Liván Moinelo and third baseman Yoán Moncada. Moinelo was affected by the flu and a stomach ailment throughout the week, which hindered his performance, resulting in two of Cuba’s four losses. Meanwhile, Moncada missed part of the game against South Korea after a ball struck his right hand, sidelining him and preventing him from playing regularly in the matches against Australia and Japan. Thus, it can be said that the tournament was not an ideal scenario for mentor Johnson.
With this victory, Chinese Taipei will join Japan in Tokyo to compete against the two qualifiers from Group A, the United States and Venezuela, in the Super Round, beginning on Thursday. Three days afterward, the top two teams from the Super Round will vie for the tournament title, while the other two will contend for the bronze medal.
CUBA - CHINESE TAIPEI - Highlights
