Dominican Republic

Havana, Nov 13 (RHC) - The Cuban baseball team lost 6-1 to the Dominican Republic in its opening game of the Premier 12 tournament on Wednesday, in a Group B match played in Chinese Taipei.

The game was a good pitchers' duel at the beginning between Wily Peralta and Yoennis Yera.

But in the sixth inning, the starter Yera came out and from the seventh the Dominican offense punished the Cuban relief pitching with force.

The Cubans scored their only run in the sixth, with hits by Alfredo Despaigne and Yadir Drake, a ball to Ariel Martinez, and a passed ball by the Dominican catcher against the delivery of major league pitcher Yoel Rodriguez, the third pitcher to manage the team from Quisqueya.

Yera worked impeccably for six innings, in which he allowed no runs, with only 3 singles, five strikeouts, and no tickets.

But in the seventh Leodan Reyes came in and got complicated by giving two tickets, and then allowed a hit combined with an error by center fielder Yoelquis Guibert, and the Dominicans took the lead by scoring their first two runs.

Then the relief pitching went down to the wire and the Dominicans scored four more to clinch their first victory.

On the same day in group B, Japan defeated Australia 9-3, and Chinese Taipei pulled off a surprise by defeating South Korea 6-3.

In group A of the Premier 12, the Netherlands and Venezuela lead the standings at 2-1 after Tuesday's results.

The United States beat Panama 9-3, and the Netherlands beat Puerto Rico 20-8.

Now Venezuela and Netherlands lead (2-1), followed by Panama and USA (2-2), and Mexico and Puerto Rico 1-2.