Cuban Baseball in Veracruz-2014
Cuba remained unbeaten in baseball at the 22nd Central American and Caribbean Games, Veracruz-2014, and the way it dealt the first loss to the Mexican team, which failed to comply with the wishes of the local crowd to be gathered at the Beto Avila stadium.
Mexico just avoided the knockout, in a game where the Cuban team was imposed for the win with 15 hits and a 10-1 final score.
Cuba highlighted the pitcher Freddy Asiel, who threw 5 innings and allowed just 2 hits, with 2 strikeouts and lead-off Daynel Moreira, with a perfect night at the plate (4-4), 3 runs scored and 1 RBI.
The Cuban 3rd baseman, Yulieski Gurriel, who returned to the team after serving Cuba in the Japanese professional league, proved his mettle with 5 RBIs.
The Cubans, who returned to the regional event after their absence in Mayagüez-2010, with victory secured a passage to the Pan American Games in Toronto, Canada, next year.
Mexico has not beaten Cuba in international baseball since 1962. In 1970, Havana's lefty Santiago "Changa" Mederos gave the Aztec selection 21 strikeouts.
The most important game this Tuesday will be the one of life and death that Mexico faces with Puerto Rico. Cuba should be easy play against Guatemala, which has 2 straight losses. Venezuela and Panama also decide who goes home.
Swimming in Veracruz
With Central American and Caribbean record of 49.0 seconds, Hanser Garcia gave Cuba its 1st gold medal in swimming in Veracruz 2014 Games by winning the men's 100m freestyle event.
Hanser broke the previous mark of 49.55 seconds, which dated from Maracaibo 2006, and relegated to 2nd and 3rd places Venezuelans Cristian Quintero (49.66) and Albert Subirats (50.52), who was one of the favorites and former record holder.
Garcia took Cuba back to the podium 76 years after Francisco Escobar won the title in the edition of 1938.
Known as ¨El Pollo¨ (The chicken), Garcia proved to be the greatest figure of Cuban swimming today and one of the most prominent in the region. This was the 9th gold medal of the Cuban delegation in the games.
Table Tennis in Veracruz
The Cuban table tennis men's team won the silver medal by losing 2-3 to Puerto Rico in Veracruz 2014.
The two Cuban wins were achieved by Jorge Moises Campos and Andy Pereira in the 2nd and 4th single matches, but Campos and Yohan Mora were defeated in the final doubles match, according to the official website of the event.
Cuba also won a bronze medal in the women's team event, where they were beaten 3-0 in semifinals by Puerto Rico, who had an extraordinary performance by winning in both sexes.
Epee in Veracruz Games
Cuban Seily Mendoza won the women's single epee event by defeating 15-14 the Dominican Elsa Mateo, in the continuation of the 22nd Central American and Caribbean Games in Veracruz, Mexico.
Mendoza, 25 years old, reached the final after winning 15-9 in semifinals over the also Dominican Violeta Ramirez, according to the official website of the contest.
On the other hand, the also Cuban Yamirka Rodriguez did not have the same fate than Mendoza by being beaten 7-8 by Venezuelan Maria Martinez in the quarterfinal round.
However, the Cuban fencer Jesús Riano also had an amazing performance when achieving a bronze medal in the men's single foil event.
Ramirez's gold medal was Cuba's 12th crown and now appears 2nd in the overall standings behind the locals, who lead so far with 22 gold medals.
