« A propósito de los reveses del equipo Cuba en el tope beisbolero con EE.UU.
Published July 22, 2013 | By .
Four USA Baseball Collegiate National Team pitchers combined to hold Cuba to four hits and didn’t allow a runner past first base en route to a 1-0 victory Saturday night.
Pitching has dominated the series, as the teams played their third straight one-run ballgame. The difference in Saturday’s win for Team USA was a fourth-inning run. It marked the only half inning in the game that a team sent more than four batters to the plate. Cuba and Team USA managed just five base runners apiece.
Cuba’s Norge Ruiz dominated his first time through the order, striking out five of the first nine batters faced. The second time through the order got off to a strong start for Team USA, as Trea Turner (NC State) opened the fourth with a base hit to left-center. LSU’s Alex Bregman followed with a base knock to give Team USA a pair of base runners. With one out and runners on the corners, Michael Conforto (Oregon State) broke the scoreless tie with a sacrifice fly to left.
Team USA was in full control of the game, from the mound to the defense. The Red, White and Blue played flawless defense for the second game in the series, and on the mound, Finnegan (3-1) shut down Cuba’s offense for seven innings. He allowed just four total base runners on three hits and a first-inning walk. A one-out single in the second was erased on a double play.
In the eighth inning, Team USA turned to the bullpen to get the final six outs. David Berg (UCLA) pitched in his third straight game, collecting the first two outs of the eighth. He gave up one hit and struck out two. Chris Diaz (Miami, Fla.) did his job, striking out the only batter he faced to end the frame. Arizona State’s Ryan Burr had a bounce-back outing as he retired the side in order in the ninth for his fourth save of the summer. He struck out the game’s final batter to lock up the series victory for Team USA.
The victory ensures the series win for Team USA. The Collegiate National Team is 18-3 overall this summer and 3-0 against Cuba. The series shifts to North Carolina for the final two games. UNLV’s Erick Fedde will start Game 4 Monday night at the National Training Complex in Cary.