Final result
Canada won this game 6–5. Cuba lost their first two games of the qualifier and were eliminated from Olympic contention.
This post was published live, before the game was played. The video feeds it carried are no longer available; the preview below is kept as originally published.
Cuba hopes to rebound from a tough loss to Venezuela and keep their Olympic hopes alive. They will face Canada next in the America’s Olympic Qualifier. Cuba dropped a tough 6-5 decision to Venezuela. It is the first loss to Venezuela in a major competition in 70 years. Watch Cuba vs Canada Live via Cubadugout and WBSC on Youtube.
Game one was exciting although Cuba trailed throughout it felt they were within striking distance until their very last out. Lazaro Blanco lacked precision but almost worked his way out of trouble. He ended up surrendering a first inning 3 run home run. A deficit that Venezuela would maintain, but Cuba had its chances. They left 8 men on base in the game. Although Venezuela stranded 12, Cuba’s inability to cash in on these opportunities proved fatal. The offensive output at least represented an improvement over recent International performances. Game One can be viewed in its entirety below.
Cuba’s lineup for Game two will see a few tweaks. Alfredo Despaigne left mid at bat in the ninth. It appears to be a pectoral muscle injury on an aggressive swing. Yordanis Samón will shift to DH and Lisbán Correa moves to first base. Correa entered late in yesterdays game. The Cuban MVP hit an absolute bomb (video embedded below) in the ninth inning which made the game 6-5. That score that ultimately held up. Erisbel Arruebarrena contributed a two run home run as well.
Canada opened the tournament in impressive fashion no hitting Colombia. Andrew Albers went 7 perfect innings before turning it over to two different relievers on the combined no hit performance. Canadian third baseman Eric Wood chipped in with a home run. Cuba will need to end a decade long drought against Canada. They will likely have to take their next two round robin games to advance in the tournament.
What happened
Canada beat Cuba 6–5 at Clover Park in Port St. Lucie on 1 June 2021. Cuba’s starter Juan Carlos Viera did not finish the first inning; Eric Wood doubled in the opening run and Connor Panas drove in two more with singles in the first and fourth. Michael Crouse added a solo home run in the seventh to put Canada four ahead.
Cuba came back twice — two runs in the seventh and two more in the ninth — and brought the tying run to the plate against John Axford before he struck out the last batter. It was the second one-run defeat in as many days: Venezuela had beaten them 6–5 on 31 May. Cuba beat Colombia 16–3 on 2 June but finished the opening round 1–2 in Group B, which ended their hopes of reaching Tokyo. It was the first time Cuba had failed to qualify for an Olympic baseball tournament they entered.
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