Last Sunday the 2009 Baseball World Cup ended in Nettuno (Italia) with an explosive final game among two big Americans powers and rivals: defending 2007 champion USA, against the most awarded team in IBAF history: Cuba.
Final score was 10-5 for the USA, the team who better aligned their hits, had a solid defense (not like Cuba this time), and 2 splendid strong pitchers: Cory Lubke and winner Brad Lincoln.
USA scored in 2nd inning 3 runs with a homer by catcher Lucas May. Cuba replied in 4th with 2 runs. But North Americans broke the match in 6th innings: with 2 outs, and after two unexpected infield errors, they score up to 6 runs! when they caught an incredible long hits’ streak: double by Coats, singles by Smoak, Weber, Tiffee, Kroeger, May …
But Cuba is Cuba, and they never gave up, with the help of their brave supporters at the stands: the Caribbean scored twice on a homer by Borrero.
Even in the last inning Cuba still had a certain chance, after singles by Cespedes and Olivera, but saver pitcher Nate Field managed to blank Cubans against big homer Alfredo Despaigne, who was flied out with bases loaded: 10 – 5 for the USA, who repeated this way their title at 2007 (also against Cuba).
Manager Eddie Alvarez -who counted on a triple and double A players team - repeated another gold medal for the USA, after the victory in Sidney 2000 against Caribbean’s.
All results, box scores and statistics at this link.
