Havana, October 3 (PL) - The Cuban team competing in the fifth Caribbean Baseball Cup faces Curacao on Tuesday in the second day of the tournament in Puerto Rico.

The mentor Armando Johnson announced pitcher Carlos Juan Viera for the opening game against the Curaçaoans, after winning in the debut by a 11-1 knockout against the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Viera was part of the national team in the last World Baseball Classic, where Cuba took a creditable fourth place, and has accumulated experience in Mexico's major professional leagues.

This Caribbean competition, which is also being attended by a Puerto Rican team, is part of the Cuban squad's preparation for the Pan American Games in Chile, at the end of October.

In the first date of the tournament, left-hander Yoanni Yera (4.0 IP, 1CL, 2H, 9 K) signed the victory against the US Virgin Islands.

Although they only gave up five hits, the Cuban batters took 12 tickets and two balls, which they took advantage of to secure the victory in six innings.

With the bat, Dayán García and Erisbel Arruebarrena each drove in three runs, rookie Roberto Baldoquín, whose resume includes stints in the U.S. minor leagues, towed two men to the rubber and Andrys Pérez hit 3-2.