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• 02 / 20 / 2009

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The East team beat the West by a score of 9 to 5 with another day full of homeruns.

The homerun race began with Yoennis Cespedes against opening pitcher Ismel Jimenez in the bottom of the 4th inning. An inning later Yoelvis Fiss tied the game with a homerun against veteran star pitcher Norge Luis Vera.

Catcher Yenier Bello put the West team ahead in the 6th with homerun to left field, but the joy did not last long. Jimenez was replaced by reliever Yulieski Gonzalez who got tangled up on the mound in the 7th. Gonzalez left the game after

allowing a double by first baseman Joan Carlos Pedroso followed by a hit by Cespedes and then Rolando Merino hit a tremendous center field homerun pushing three runs.

That followed by a triple by Alexei Bell and hit by Yulieski Gourriel who has been hot this season.

Now, of the 48 players selected only 28 will be able to represent Cuba at the World Classic next month. The announcement will be made Wednesday or Thursday.

The Cuban team will travel on to Mexico on Friday to begin training sessions before their debut against South Africa on March 8 at the Foro Sol Stadium in Mexico City.


(RHC)