A sterling pitching display from Cuban Elier Sanchez and a solo homerun from Frederich Cepeda was enough to see off a determined Chinese Taipei team 1-0 at Wukesong Baseball Field on Saturday.
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Pitching and power win again for Cuba |
Starters Sanchez and Chinese Taipei's Lee Chen-chang, both just 21, showed great composure in a tight pitcher's duel before Cepeda launched a Lee fastball at the bottom of the seventh into the seats beyond center field to make it 1-0.
The two teams combined for just nine hits in the game, Cuba five and Chinese Taipei 4, as the young pitching duo dominated proceedings, and it was a tough loss for Chinese Taipei after going down 8-7 in extra-innings to China on Friday.
Sanchez gave up just three hits and two walks in an outstanding seven shut-out innings to pick up the win, while Lee conceded just three hits in his 6.2 excellent innings of work, striking out seven and issuing two walks before he was relieved by Chang Chih-chia.
Lee had looked in trouble in the second inning after walking Cepeda and giving up a double to Alexei Bell to leave two runners in scoring position, but after Alexander Malleta scorched a line drive straight at third baseman Shih Chih-wei, Lee struck Ariel Pestano out to keep it scoreless.
Following a bad error from shortstop Lin Chih-sheng in the third, Cuba again had two base runners but Lee got both Yuliesky Gurriel and designated hitter Alexander Depaigne to fly out to end the inning.
Chinese Taipei had runners on third base in both the third and the sixth after lead-off singles from shortstop Lin Chih-sheng and center fielder Lin Che-hsuan, but Sanchez worked his way out of both threats.
In the seventh, Chinese Taipei had a chance with two runners on base and two out, but Yeh Chun-chang, with no strikes, swung badly at ball three and popped up to leave the Cuban lead intact.
Norberto Gonzalez pitched the final two innings in relief for Cuba and collected his second save of the tournament, but not without alarm. Lin Che-hsuan almost tied it in the eighth when his long fly ball went just foul down the leftfield line before he struck out.
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Pitching and power win again for Cuba |
(BOCOG August 16, 2008)
