HAVANA, CUBA - Cuba used a five-run first inning and a four-run sixth to top Baseball Canada's national senior team 9-0, yesterday at the 2006 COPABE Americas Olympic Qualifier at Latinoamericano Stadium.
While the Cuban bats made noise almost instantly to set the tone in the game, it was Cuban pitcher Norbertro Gonzalez who stole the show striking out 13 Canadians while walking only two and giving up four hits in eight innings of work.
Cuba's attack was sparked by a two-run homerun to centre field from the bat of Cuban second basemen Yuliesky Gourriel to open the scoring with one out in the first inning. First baseman Alexandre Myette then beat out a force play at second , and designated hitter Osmany Urutia doubled to centre field for two more Cuban runs before the host team batted around the order in the first inning for a 5-0 lead.
Canadian starter Eric Cyr (Montreal, Qué) looked good from that point on, retiring the next 12 batters. Cyr went five innings, giving six earned runs while striking out three.
The wheels fell off for Canada in the sixth when Cuba scored four more times behind three Canadian errors, two wild pitches and only one base hit to make it 9-0.
Eight of the first nine outs recorded by Cuba were strikeouts by Gonzalez, who already had 11 Ks going in to the the sixth inning. That sixth frame saw Canada's best chance to get on the board when Kevin Nicholson (Vancouver, B.C.) walked and Ryan Radmanovich (Calgary, Alta.) dropped a perfect bunt to put men on first and second with nobody out. However, Radmanovich was forced out at second base and Jeremy Ware (Guelph, Ont.) hit into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.
With the loss Canada will likely have to win its next two games to advance to the second-chance Olympic Qualification tournament scheduled to be held next year.
Canada faces Nicaragua today at 2 p.m. EST before wrapping up the tournament against the Dominican Republic Tuesday.
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