Cuba Beats USA Assures Second

HAVANA TIMES, July 16 — Cuba’s baseball team assured at least a second place finish by hanging on to defeat the United States 4-3 on Friday in the Haarlem Baseball Week taking place in Holland.

For the second straight day Robelio Carrillo (Villa Clara) picked up a win with excellent late-inning relief (of starter Luis Borroto), and Alexei Bell again provided the big late-inning game-winning hit as Cuba nipped a rapidly improving USA collegiate all-star squad 3-2.

It was also the second straight afternoon that Donald Duarte tallied the game’s deciding run and Duarte (with a double and single) also became the tournament leader with 13 base hits.  Ciro Silvino Licea faced the game’s final batter in the ninth to record the game save, reported Peter C. Bjarkman.

Each team plays eight games in the double round robin tournament (no playoffs).

Standings:

The Netherlands 5-0, Cuba 5-2, Chinese Taipei and Japan (2-4), USA 1-5.

Cuba has the day off on Saturday and plays its final game comes on Sunday against The Netherlands.   Meanwhile, the tournament leaders still must play Chinese Taipei on Friday and Japan on Saturday before a rematch with Cuba.