The Cuban national baseball team has successfully concluded its preparation phase for the upcoming Premier 12 tournament. On Monday, they secured a 2-0 win against the Wei Chuan Dragons in Taipei, China, and are now setting their sights on their opening match against the Dominican Republic on November 13.
This triumph was marked by an impressive performance from starting pitcher Frank Luis Medina and three other pitchers, serving as the final tune-up before the prestigious event. Cuba is positioned in Group B alongside the Dominican team, host Taipei, Australia, Japan, and South Korea.
Strong Pitching Performance
The game against the Taiwanese team highlighted the robustness of Cuba's pitching staff. Hailing from Pinar del Río, Medina delivered a stellar performance, pitching four solid innings, allowing just two hits and striking out three batters. Following his exit, Andy Vargas pitched two innings, giving up two hits and striking out one. Yankiel Mauris took over for one inning, adding another strikeout to his tally, while Raymond Figueredo closed the game with a strikeout of his own.
Offensive Contributions
Cuba's first run came in the third inning when Yadir Drake hit a double off Wei Chuan Dragons' starter Jing-Yu Chang. The second and final run was driven in by Lázaro Armenteros with a hit in the eighth inning. Contributions from other key players like Ariel Martínez, Alfredo Despaigne, Christian Rodríguez, and Yadil Mujica bolstered the winning side's offense.
Preparation Insights
"We're on the verge of the competition and have made the necessary adjustments to tackle it," Frank Luis Medina told JIT after the game. He emphasized the value of facing Asian teams, which has allowed the Cuban team to refine their preparation.
Meanwhile, Humberto Guevara, the team's technical chief, noted that beyond the positive record of seven wins and four losses, the preparatory phase met its objectives. He highlighted the team's cohesion and motivation as key strengths.
The tournament has already commenced in the Americas region with Group A matchups featuring the United States, Puerto Rico, Panama, Venezuela, the Netherlands, and host Mexico in the cities of Tepic and Guadalajara.