Cuba vs Venezuela

[Cubano100%]

Silence! Cuba do not have Mlguers. They are A ball leaguers!


Honus: I know you know about international politics, but this is for Efin98 who has no clues about anything but is very opinionated:

Efin98:
Probably, Chavez sold the game for the Cubans. Do you know who Chavez is? Google Chavez so you can learn some.

[Honus Wagner Rules]

Cuba 7
Venazeula 2

Very impressive. Now I will give Cuba respect. I apologize to Cubano100% for underrating Cuban baseball. His "Kung Fu" is better than mine.

[Cubano100%]

Honus:


We have so much pressure that is unbelievable! So many police officer from Puerto Rico and Cuba security around our team that they must be scared. I have read that there is one police guard outside the room where Cuban players are. Cubans have not seen MLguers since Castro took power in 1959 and the Orioles game. Forget about TV headlines that people in Cuba can not see! This is new for us (Classic) that is why we still play scared such the outfielders giving to much respect to the hitters. and our young pitchers walking so many Puertorricans. You have seen we have some talent and we are young, but we do not play the best every day.

That is why we are inconsistent. Tomorow, we will have 38 years old Ormary Romero from the Santiago de Cuba Wasps on the mound. Watch out because we are one win away from the elite 4!


I am drunk man I do not know what I am typing. Mexican food with Cuban rum!


I have always said that we will win and lose against Mlguers!

[Jake83]

Venezuela has been disappointing through out the WBC. Anyway I would like to see the result of the Cuba/DR matchup

[Cubano100%]

We still do not convince. I guest we have to win the whole thing so guys believe we play decent baseball back home. There are some people here that judge the Cuban team harder than any other team and that is not fair.

I talk to you after the Classic is over because you have showed me nothing.


See you in 2 months!:grouchy :grouchy :grouchy

[Jake83]

Silence!


Efin98:
Probably, Chavez sold the game for the Cubans. Do you know who Chavez is? Google Chavez so you can learn some.

Everytime Chavez is brought up the thread turns into some political disscussion

[Jake83]

We still do not convince. I guest we have to win the whole thing so guys believe we play decent baseball back home. There are some people here that judge the Cuban team harder than any other team and that is not fair.

I talk to you after the Classic is over because you have showed me nothing.


See you in 2 months!:grouchy :grouchy :grouchy

I have been one of Cuba baseball biggest supporters because I believe they play for the love of the game unlike Major leaguers

[Cubano100%]

SAN JUAN -- Two days removed from the nation's most embarrassing loss in 23 years, Cuba struck back with a bang.

A pair of bangs, in fact. Frederich Cepeda and Ariel Pestano hit back-to-back home runs and Cuba rode a five-run sixth inning to a 7-2 win over Venezuela as the second round of the World Baseball Classic kicked off at Hiram Bithorn Stadium.

Cuba finished with twice as many hits as a Venezuelan lineup that consisted entirely of players from the American Major Leagues. Right-handers Yadel Marti and Pedro Lazo were the pitching heroes as Cuba asserted its place in the baseball world in front of 13,697 fans.

"This is what we wanted to see -- this is Cuban baseball," manager Higinio Velez said through an interpreter. "Our boys recovered from the knockout that we suffered. Today was great, wonderful baseball."

The "knockout" came in Cuba's final Round 1 game against Puerto Rico, a 12-2 loss called after seven innings because of the early termination rule. It snapped Cuba's 19-game winning streak in international play, and marked the country's first "mercy rule" loss since 1983.

"What's happened so far in the Classic is history," Velez said before the game. "For us, the tournament begins today. In the first round, we gained some valuable experience."

If that was the case, it showed.

Cuba grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second, when designated hitter Yoandri Garlobo doubled and scored against Venezuela starter and 2004 American League Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana. After Ariel Borrero drove in the game's first run with an RBI single, Santana retired the final 10 batters he faced.

After a rocky start, Marti (1-0) matched Santana (0-1). He held Venezuela hitless until Magglio Ordonez and Ramon Hernandez led off the bottom of the fifth inning with consecutive singles, and Cuba turned to veteran hard-throwing reliever Lazo, who promptly bobbled Edgardo Alfonzo's sacrifice bunt to set up the game's turning point.

Bases loaded, no outs, and Cuba clinging to a one-run advantage.

"We are used to playing all these games under a lot of stress," Velez said. "Lazo did what he always does."

Clapping demonstratively before each big pitch, Lazo induced a pair of fly outs to the left fielder Cepeda, who quickly fired back to the infield before Ordonez could consider tagging up from third base.

Lazo then struck out Carlos Guillen with a 97 mph fastball to strand three Venezuelan baserunners, and Cuba's offense responded in the next half-inning with its biggest single outburst of the tournament.

"I think he's been around for a long time," Venezuelan manager Luis Sojo said of Lazo. "I think he's the best pitcher they have. That really surprised me because he was supposed to start today, at least that's what we thought. ... He's got a lot of confidence. We didn't come through when we needed to, and that was the game right there."

Cuba's game-breaking rally was aided by Venezuelan shortstop and team captain Omar Vizquel, who made a series of uncharacteristic bobbles.

With Santana out of the game and Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Giovanni Carrara in his place, Cuba had a runner on first base, one out and a run already across for a 2-0 lead. Vizquel fielded a Osmani Urrutia ground ball, but Vizquel lost it in his jersey and was unable to record an out. The next batter, Yoandri Garlobo, hit a potential double-play ball to second baseman Alfonzo, but Vizquel bobbled the relay and could not fire to first base to end the inning.

Cepeda followed with a three-run homer to right field for a 5-0 lead. Pestano followed three pitches later with a solo homer to the same spot.

"They're dead fastball hitters," Sojo said. "Every time they saw one, they jumped on it. They took advantage of that today."
Cuba scores early, late on Venezuela

Cuba outhit Venezuela, 10-5, despite an 0-for-5 performance by Cuba's top player, second baseman Yulieski Gourriel. Veteran Eduardo Paret, who sparked the five-run rally by drawing a leadoff walk, scored a pair of runs and three Cuban players finished with two hits.

Endy Chavez hit a two-run homer to put Venezuela on the board in the seventh, but that was the only damage against Lazo in his five innings or work.

"Two days ago when Puerto Rico beat Cuba, everybody said that was a knock out and Cuba was already out and gone for the whole championship, whole tournament," Lazo said. "Cuba is not gone. Cuba is still here to play, and whoever wants to beat Cuba will really have to sweat it out."

Cuba meets the powerful Dominican Republic team on Monday afternoon.

Adam McCalvy is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.



Oh, Cuba does not have Mayor Leaguers! What an embarrasment for Venezuela and MLB!