The Cuban under-23 baseball team showed again its low productivity, and with only six hits, fell today 3-5 to Colombia in the dispute for the bronze medal of the III World Cup of the category, held at Sonora Stadium, in Mexico.

Havana, October 2 (RHC)-- The Cuban under-23 baseball team showed again its low productivity, and with only six hits, fell today 3-5 to Colombia in the dispute for the bronze medal of the III World Cup of the category, held at Sonora Stadium, in Mexico.

The Cubans took the lead in the first inning with Loidel Chapellí's run, Yandi Yanez's jit and, after a fielder's choice play with Geysel Cepeda's hit, Yuddiel González's sacrifice fly.

Colombia responded in the bottom of that episode with two runs against Matanzas left-hander Naykel Cruz, the eventual loser, driven in by the first of two home runs hit by third baseman and designated hitter Andres Angulo, always with a breaking pitch.

The Cafeteros scored two more in the second inning and the fifth came in the third with another solo home run by Angulo. They exploited Naykel, who got the five clean runs, and the young Mayabechense Marlon Vega was in charge of the mound, who closed the duel and in 3.2 innings barely admitted two hits, gave no tickets and struck out four times.

Cuba could not adjust well to the bat to tie the game, although it managed to get closer with a home run by Iván Prieto, but with no runners in circulation.

Overall, the Cuban team closes the tournament with a balance of five wins and four losses. In the qualifying phase the balance was 4-1, while in the Super Round it was 1-3, with a pair of losses to Colombia.

With this fourth place, Cuba, currently ranked 11th in the World Baseball-Softball Confederation's world ranking, receives 453 points, a good step to remain among the top 12 teams for next year's Super 12 tournament.

According to reports, Cuban umpire Omar Peralta has been appointed to officiate today's gold medal game between local and defending champion Mexico and Venezuela.