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Updated: November 21, 2014
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(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photos by Henk Seppen)


...Manager Victor Mesa during the...
...2013 World Baseball Classic...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen)
Cuba wins baseball-gold at Central American & Caribbean Games
Nederlands
CANCÚN (Mexico) - Cuba has won the Gold Medal of the baseball-tournament of the Central American and Caribbean Games. In the final (November 21), Cuba defeated Nicaragua, 9-3.

The Cuban squad was led again by Manager Victor Mesa Martínez, the wellknown former player, who played for many years for the Cuban National Team. As a player, Mesa won the Gold Medal with Cuba on the Olympic Games of 1992 (Barcelona, Spain), captured five World Championship-titles, five Intercontinental Cup-titles, five Pan American Games-titles and three gold medals at the Central American and Caribbean Games. Mesa, who played for 19 seasons in the Cuban National League, is known for always wearing gloves while he is coaching.

The 22nd edition of the Central American and Caribbean Games in Veracruz (Mexico) opened on November 14 and ends on November 30. In the two-week event, athletes of 31 countries (including Aruba) participate in 40 different sports, including baseball and softball.

Baseball is one of only five sports which has been part of all editions of the Central American and Caribbean Games since it was first organized in 1926. The other sports are athletics, basketball, shooting and swimming.

The baseball-tournament began on November 15, with the finals being played on November 21. It was the 15th time and first since 2006 that Cuban won the baseball-gold on this event. Four years ago, when the multi-sport event was held in Puerto Rico, Cuba didn't participate (in any sport) and the hosting country then captured the gold medal.


...Alfredo Despaigne hitting during...
...the 2013 World Baseball Classic...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen)
After two scoreless innings, Cuba scored its first run in the bottom of the third inning, then added three more in the fourth at bat. Nicaragua then got one run back in the top of the fifth, but Cuba answered with two runs in the sixth. Trailing 6-1, Nicaragua scored twice in the seventh to make it a 6-3 score, but Cuba immediately took more distance by scoring twice in the seventh and adding another run in the eighth to make it 9-3.

Cuba, which stranded 14 runners, collected 14 basehits off of seven pitchers, including two by veteran players Yulieski Gourriel, Alfredo Despaigne and Frederich Cepeda. Yadiel Hernandez contributed with three runs batted in. Hernandez batted in the first run in the third inning, then also contributed in the fourth and sixth at bat. Gourriel, Despaigne and Cepeda have competed in many international events, including the Olympic Games, World Baseball Classic and World Championship. They also participated with Cuba in the Haarlem Baseball Week and World Port Tournaments, the two big annual baseball-tournaments in the Netherlands.


...Alfredo Despaigne scores a run for Cuba...
...during the 2008 Haarlem Baseball Week...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen)
Freddy Asiel Alvarez started for Cuba and gave up six hits in six innings, while striking out three batters. The righthander dominated in the first three innings, then was supported with some nice defense in the next innings. Yasiel Sierra (two innings) and Hector Manuel Mendoza (one inning) then completed the game, giving up one more additional basehit to Nicaragua.

In the Preliminary Round, Cuba opened the tournament in Group A with a 4-0 win vs. Puerto Rico, then won 10-1 against host Mexico. In its third game, Cuba shutout Guatemala 10-0 to finish in first place.

In the semi-final, Cuba met the Dominican Republic, which had finished in second place in Group B. Cuba won 6-3 to reach the final. Opponent Nicaragua, the winner of Group B, reached the final by winning 2-1 in the semi-final vs. Puerto Rico. The Dominicans won the Bronze Medal by winning 8-1 vs. Puerto Rico.

All games were played in Estadio Beto Ávila in Cancún.

Cuban powerhitter Alfredo Despaigne was the Best Hitter of the tournament with a .471 (8-for-17) batting average. The most homeruns were hit by Manual Hernandez, who hit three for Guatemala, which ended up in eighth and last place.

Final Standings
#Team.#Team
1CUBA.5MEXICO
2NICARAGUA.6VENEZUELA
3DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.7PANAMA
4PUERTO RICO.8GUATEMALA


...Frederich Cepeda hitting for Cuba during...
...the 2012 Haarlem Baseball Week...

...Yulieski Gourriel preparing for an at bat...
...during the 2013 World Port Tournament...
(© Photos: Henk Seppen)

(November 21)




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