Cuba Has Easy Win to Start Intercontinental Cup
By Circles Robinson
HAVANA TIMES, Oct. 23 — Cuba won its opening game of the Intercontinental Cup 18-0 in a miss-match vs. the Czech Republic on Saturday in Taiwan.
Outfielder Alfredo Despaigne led the Cubans with two homers and five RBIs. All Cuban starters and all substitutes except for Yosvani Alarcon had at least one hit in the 19-hit attack on the hapless Czech pitching.
Freddy Asiel Alvarez pitched five innings on three hits with four strikeouts to get the win. The game was called on the mercy rule after Robelio Carrillo retired the Czech team in the bottom of the sixth inning.
The tournament got underway with 10 teams playing in two groups. Cuba is in Group A along with Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, South Korea and the Czech Republic.
Group B includes, Nicaragua, The Netherlands, Italy, Japan and Thailand.
In other action thus far, the host Chinese Taipei defeated South Korea 11-5, Japan shutout Nicaragua 8-0 and The Netherlands blanked Italy 10-0.
On the schedule for Sunday, Nicaragua plays The Netherlands, Thailand faces Italy, Czech Rep. plays Chinese Taipei and South Korea meets Hong Kong.
Cuba’s next game is on Monday against South Korea.