WBC IGT: Cuba v. Panama (3/8/06, 1:00 p.m. EST)

[Guest Rotblatt]

De Leon works the count full, then lines a hanging breaking ball for a single. Runners at the corners, 1 out.

Lasso follows with a long, ground rule double, scoring Ruiz from third.

[Guest Rotblatt]

Lazo gets lifted.

New pitcher gets Miller to pop it up on the first pitch.

2 outs.

[Guest Rotblatt]

I think it's Vicyohandry Odelin relieving.

on edit: and so it is. Translated 2006 stats: 57.7 IP, 5.62 DERA, 1.32 WHIP, 4.4 K/9, 3.0 BB/9, 0.9 HR/9

[Guest Rotblatt]

Odelin walks Herrera and Saenz is at the plate with the bases loaded and 2 outs.

[Guest Rotblatt]

Not sure what happened, but Odelin got out of the inning.

Pedroso gets on first somehow, Ramirez bunted him to second. Tabares with a drag bunt down the third base line. Nice fielding by Chen to nab him, but Pedroso advances to third with 2 out.

Paret with a ground rule double down the left field line to tie the game at 1.

[Guest Rotblatt]

Chen walks Enriquez and Gourriel follows with a stand-up double, scoring Paret from second. Hard-hit line drive.

[Guest Rotblatt]

Still 2-1 Cuba.

Odelin still in the game. Sounds like he's doing a good job keeping Panama hitters off-balance. Throwing a lot of off-speed stuff.

Odelin gets Ruiz, DeLeon & Lasso in order to end the fourth.

Odelin, with 2.7 IP, has allowed only 1 baserunner on a walk.

Panama with a lot of missed opportunities.

[Frayed Knot]

The Canal-tenders take a 4-2 lead over the Communist Cigar-makers after 6.

[Guest Rotblatt]

And the Cubans come back to score a run.

[Guest OlerudOwned]

Hit batter, bases loaded, one run game.

Panama making a pitching change

[Guest Rotblatt]

Ruben Rivera hit a 3-run home run earlier in the game to give Panama the lead.

[Guest Rotblatt]

Gourriel hits a long sac fly to tie the game at 4. Each batter moves up a base--runners at 2nd & 3rd. Urrutia grounds out to end the inning.

Pretty good game.

[Guest Rotblatt]

Bottom of the seventh, still knotted up at 4.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Sorry. Ruben Freakin' Rivera?

[duan]

gourriel's proving to be a bit of a monster with the stick clubbing a 2 run homer (his 3rd hit of the night) to put Cuba 6-4 up.

[Guest Rotblatt]

Wow. On an 0-2 count with 2 out in the bottom of the eighth, the 21-year old Gourriel hits a 2-run home run to give Cuba the lead, 6-4.

Unfucking real.

I should mention that Gourriel also made an atheletic, heads-up defensive play from second the inning before. I only caught part of it, but the announcers were very impressed. He managed to double up someone. I had read that Gourriel was a third baseman, making his seemingly easy transition to 2B that much more impressive.

Anyone with any more details on that play?

[seawolf17]

Hey! We need a second baseman! Let's trade Kaz Matsui to Cuba!

[Guest Rotblatt]

Runners on first and second with no outs in the top of the ninth. Last chance for Panama.

[Guest Rotblatt]

Sac bunt misplayed, everyone's safe. Bases loaded, no outs.

[Guest Rotblatt]

Herrera up, Saenz on deck, Lee in the hole.

Herrera goes down swinging. Not sure who's pitching for Cuba.

[Guest Rotblatt]

It's Yunieski Maya.

[Guest Rotblatt]

With the outfield playing deep, Saenz drops a long single into center field. One run scores. Bases full with one out, Carlos Lee up.

[Guest Rotblatt]

3 pitches, and Carlos Lee goes down swinging!

[Guest Rotblatt]

Whoa. Maya HITS OBANDO WITH A PITCH!

The tying run comes home!

[Guest Rotblatt]

Ruben Rivera at bat with the bases loaded.

[metirish]

WOW, this seems like a hell of a game, wish it was on later.

[Guest Rotblatt]

2 balls in a row, the first one high and tight--almost hitting him.

Now 3-1, with the last pitch again almost hitting him.

[Guest Rotblatt]

3-2, and Rivera just fouled one off.

[Guest Rotblatt]

Another foul ball.

[Guest Rotblatt]

Shallow fly ball to center, and Gourriel makes an over-the-shoulder grab to end the inning.