Cuba Beats Australia, Reaches 1st WBC Semifinal Since 2006

Japan WBC — For the first time since 2006, Cuba was awarded a 7,500-mile journey to Miami and a place in the World Baseball Classic semifinals.

“Baseball fans in Cuba are currently acting quite emotional. They are waiting for a very long time,” manager Armando Johnson remarked following Wednesday night’s 4-3 victory over Australia. This is a new chapter and page.

Yoelkis Guibert singled home two runs in the three-run fifth inning, and Alfredo Despaigne delivered a game-tying sacrifice fly.

Cuba plays on Sunday in Marlins Park against the winner of a quarterfinal between Venezuela and the second-place team from Group C: Canada, Colombia, Mexico, or the United States, using current big league players for the first time in the WBC.

Rixon Wingrove, a former Philadelphia Phillies prospect, blasted a game-winning RBI single in the second inning and a two-run home run off Chicago Cubs pitcher Roenis Elias in the sixth inning to lead Australia in RBIs with seven. Later in the sixth inning, Australia had two runners on before Elas retired Milwaukee Brewers prospect Alex Hall on a flyout.

Cuba, which fell to Japan in the 2006 World Baseball Classic championship, had exited the previous three WBCs

Liván Moinelo overcame two walks in a hitless eighth inning by striking out Ulrich Bojarski and retiring Tim Kennelly on an inning-ending flyout after Elas pitched a flawless seventh. Darryl George was struck out on the eighth pitch of the at-bat by Raidel Martinez, who pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning to earn the save.

Luis Robert leveled the game for Cuba with a run-scoring groundout in the third inning in front of 35,061 spectators at the Tokyo Dome.

Cuba, which fell to Japan in the 2006 World Baseball Classic championship, had exited the previous three WBCs in the second round. After losing their first two games in this tournament, the Cubans have now won three in a row.

For the first time, Australia moved past the group stage.

In essence, this tour is redefining Australian baseball at home, and George hoped it would alter the debate. People don’t have high expectations of us.

Yoán Moncada of the Chicago White Sox is hitting and has two hits and two walks WCB.

5 RBIs on 421 hits. Mitch Neunborn, who had walked Roel Santos to start the third, was the culprit as Moncada led off with a double with one out.

Miguel Romero, the second of five Cuban pitchers to win the game, gave up just one hit in 1 2/3 scoreless innings.

Santos singled to start the fifth as Moncada was being walked by loser Josh Guyer. Sam Holland walked Robert, and Cuba advanced thanks to Despaigne’s sacrifice fly while he was hitting. 412 (7 for 17) with four RBIs and seven home runs, which leads the WBC career list. After spending parts of five seasons with the Pacific League’s Chiba Lotte Marines (2014–16) and Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks (2017–18), the 36-year-old outfielder and designated hitter are a fan favorite in Japan.

Yoenis Céspedes, a former major leaguer, abandoned the club before the game WBC for unnamed personal reasons, according to the Cuban Baseball Federation.

SOURCE – (AP)