Cuba wins gold medal in Caribbean Baseball Cup

Mentor Armando Jhonson’s team was silenced by left-hander Arlison Rodriguez for 4.2 innings; but they took advantage of the pitching of another pair of relievers to decide the game.

Two consecutive home runs off Nick Keur evened the score at 1-1. And in the sixth, Roberto Baldoquín’s double and “Grillo” Arruebarena’s homer against the defeated Cerilio Soleana brought the decisive pair of runs.

The victory, the second of the tournament, belonged to Cuban left-hander Yoanni Yera, who struck out 10 times in 6.0 innings. There was a save point for reliever Renner Rivero, who pitched the seventh inning without incident.

Cuba’s first Caribbean Cup crown, breaking an eight-year streak without winning an international baseball title. The last time was in the 2014 Veracruz Central Caribbean Games under the leadership of Víctor Mesa.

This event served Jhonson’s team as preparation for the Pan American Games in Santiago de Chile, whose debut will be on the 20th against Colombia.

Diaz-Canel highlighted Cuban triumph at the Caribbean Baseball Cup

Miguel Diaz-Canel, first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and president of the country, highlighted today the victory of the national baseball team against Curacao, at the Fifth Caribbean Cup held in Puerto Rico.

On X, the head of state congratulated the Cuban team for its victory, the first in that regional competition, after having played in the finals of the last two editions, without winning.

“Cuban baseball wins the Caribbean Cup for the first time. Congratulations to our Caribbean champions,” Diaz-Canel wrote.

With a decisive home run by Erisbel Arruebarrena, on Sunday, the Cuban team, led by mentor Armando Jhonson, defeated Curacao 3-1 to win the Caribbean Baseball Cup.

The triumph broke Cuba’s eight-year streak without winning an international title in this sport.

The last victory had been at the Veracruz 2014 Central American and Caribbean Games, with Victor Mesa as mentor.