Cuba beats Venezuela 2-0 in U23 World Baseball Cup

HAVANA, Cuba, Oct 21 (ACN) With a wider offense and the good performance of its pitchers, the Cuban U23 baseball team defeated 2-0 the current champion Venezuela, in its second game of the placement round of the 4th World Cup held in Taipei, China.

At the Doulio Stadium, Cuban mentor Alain Alvarez's team hit seven hits, three of them in the first inning against starter Wikelman Ramirez: a double by Pedro Pablo Revilla, a triple by Carlos Monier and another two-run homer by Andrys Perez, valid to score the two runs.

But in the rest of the game, the Cuban battery could only manage four more hits in 6.1 innings against Ramirez, who struck out nine times, and reliever Gregorio Guzman.

The victory went to right-hander Roberto Hernandez, who gave up three tickets in the opening inning. But he turned to his slider pitches and got a pair of strikeouts that got him out of danger.

There was a save point for right-hander Leodan Reyes, who in three innings limited the Venezuelans' offensive spending to one hit.

Cuba will close today its performance in this 4th World Cup when it faces South Africa .