Williamsport, August 17 (PL) - The Bayamo team had a setback in its debut in the Little League Baseball 2023 World Series, falling 1x0 against the Musashi Fuchu, from Japan. 

The game was scheduled for 5:00 p.m. at the Volunteer Stadium, in that Pennsylvania city, and was historic for the Cubans as it was the first time that the Antillean nation attended this type of event.

The starters were Luis Enrique Gurriel, for Bayamo, and Akito Mashuda, for Fuchu, in a game in which the batting was neutralized.

The only run of the game came in the very first inning, when the Japanese managed to put runners on first and second bases with two outs and Yohei Yamaguchi (RF) came to bat, who hit a jit to right field and put the scoreboard ahead.

From that point on, both teams stayed together until the sixth and last inning, with feints, strikeouts and without moving the scoreboard. No errors were made either.

According to comments from members of the coaching staff, it is important to highlight the level and quality of the 10 foreign teams that join the 10 national teams in this World Series.

Little League has held this event in Williamsport since 1947. However, this is the first time that flags of the largest island in the Caribbean have been waved in a respectful crowd that supported the little champions.

In March, the Bayamo boys defeated East Havana in the final of the Cuban competition, which assured them the qualification and the ticket to travel to Pennsylvania.

With Wednesday's result, the Cuban boys will go to the knockout stage on Saturday, when they will have to face the loser of the match between Australia and Curacao.

The Musashi Fuchu of Tokyo, champions of the Japan regional league, with previous credentials in 2000, 2003 and 2013, being winners in the last two editions, will have their next duel on Friday against the team that came from Mexico.