Cuba beats Japan 4-2 in Olympic baseball opener

Thursday 14th August, 03:52 AM JST

BEIJING —

If only Daisuke Matsuzaka, Ichiro Suzuki and Kosuke Fukodome had been in China instead of the majors, Japan might have done better against Cuba in their Olympics opener Wednesday night.

Alfredo Despaigne went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and Norge Luis Vera pitched six solid innings to carry Cuba past Japan 4-2 in a rematch of the finals from the inaugural World Baseball Classic in 2006 _ and a preview of the finals, if both teams live up to expectations.

“It was a very difficult game,” Cuba manager Antonio Pacheco said. “It’s always important to win your first game in the Olympics.”

Each starting lineup featured five players from the Classic finale, which Japan won 10-6. The teams actually have met since then, with Cuba beating Japan in the semifinals of the lower-profile Baseball World Cup last November.

“Today, just today, they are better than us,” Japan manager Senichi Hoshino said. “But the Japanese team is good.”

The Cubans have owned the Olympics, winning three of the four gold medals, including the last one, and taking silver the other time. With baseball going off the schedule in 2012, and not guaranteed to return after that, Cuba would love nothing more than to go out on top. And Japan, with only one silver and two bronzes, would also like to leave a better impression on the history books.

On Wednesday, Fidel Castro’s 82nd birthday, the weather was miserable _ hot, humid and a constant haze that looked like a fireworks show had just ended. Then rain came in the eighth inning, although loud supporters of both teams never stopped cheering and chanting.

The teams made nice before things got started at Wukesong Baseball Field, exchanging pins before the head of Japan’s baseball federation threw the opening pitch to Cuba’s catcher.

Some inside heaters in the early innings set a different tone. So did a fastball to the backstop on the first pitch from hulking reliever Pedro Luis Lazo against Munenori Kawasaki, who was 2-for-2 with two runs at the time, and a hard slide to break up a double play by Hiroyuki Nakajima, Kawasaki’s pinch-runner after he ended up singling off Lazo.

Both teams wasted great chances to break things open in the early innings, but neither pushed more than one run across at a time. Cuba led 1-0 in the second and 2-1 in the third, but Japan tied it again in the fifth.

Japan starter Yu Darvish, likely to join “Dice-K” as a big-league starter one day, got out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the second, then struck out Cuba’s cleanup hitter Alexander Malleta with the bases loaded in fourth. But after opening the fifth with a walk and a hard-hit double, he was gone.

Despaigne greeted reliever Yoshihisa Naruse with a liner to left that drove in both runners.

There were fewer scoring threats after that, with fresh arms from the bullpen dominating hitters possible drained by the muggy weather.

Takahiro Abe opened the ninth with a single off Lazo, but he was stuck there. Lazo retired the next three batters, ending the game with a called strikeout of Nakajima.

Vera (1-0) gave up two runs on seven hits with two strikeouts. Lazo gave up two hits and fanned two in three innings for the save.

“I already know that I have the talent,” Vera said. “Next time, I think I need to have more control.”

Darvish (0-1) allowed four runs in four innings, with four walks, seven hits and six strikeouts.

“He was not in good form,” his manager said. “He didn’t do his job today.”

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14 Comments

some14some at 07:02 AM JST - 14th August

Half hearted half broadcast by NHK and ultimately Team Hoshino scoring half that of Cuba and lost first game.

“He was not in good form,” his manager said. “He didn’t do his job today.”

Darvish did his job well but it was Cuba who made him look like Igawa former Hanshin Pitcher.
chibaman at 08:43 AM JST - 14th August

Surely this has something to do with the new 11th inning tiebreak format creating injustices all over the place. Oh wait. First Japan has to score an equal number of runs as their opponent before that kicks in.

"Today, just today, they are better than us," Japan manager Senichi Hoshino said.

And they will be next time too, you tough-talking loser. You have no excuses for today's loss, but I'm sure there will be some outrageous anti-Japan injustice sometime over the next week or so and that is why Japan didn't get the gold medal it is a shoe-in to win.
pathat at 09:04 AM JST - 14th August

A bunch of Cuba`s best are in the majors, or have defected and are waiting their chance, and cannot play in the Olympics. The Dominican Republic is one of the top baseball countries in the world, perhaps has even more talented players than Japan, and they do not even send a team to the Olympics. Stop making excuses! Japan has sent a lot of its best from NPB. If they do not win, too bad, so sad.
rajakumar at 09:24 AM JST - 14th August

No problems here, last 2004 olympics also, many nations ,lost to Cuba team, who got gold in 2004 games.
kornholio at 10:10 AM JST - 14th August

the top 4 advance to the medal rounds. my pics Japan, Cuba, USA, Korea.

Gold Cuba Silver Japan Bronze USA
smithinjapan at 11:39 AM JST - 14th August

Cuba is just a better team, with better rounded players. Japan has some awesome players, to be sure, and are a tenacious lot when it comes to baseball, but some of the players are too meek and, like in soccer, seem almost relieved when giving up a good chance to take the advantage and move ahead. In domestic play, not at all the case.

Anyway, sorry, but I'm happy they lost. I have heard NOTHING coming up to the Olympics but how everyone is looking forward to baseball and how sad that in 2012 Japan won't be able to win the gold because there's no baseball.

Finally, lamenting facts like, "...Ichiro was not in China..." is nothing but a wasted excuse. Cuba has plenty of ace players in the majors, many of whom are now American (in fact, recruited and given citizenship in a rush to get them on Major League teams). If Ichiro were here playing all we would see is him smashing his helmet against the ground in the dugout, cursing countries like 'the garlic eaters (Korea)' -- his words! -- and crying about how unfair things are.

Also, I was sick of commentators pinning this whole thing on Darvish. Sure, he is the pitcher who let things get out of hand originally, but then Naruse basically drove in the runs (and looked like he wet his pants when he didn't know where to throw the ball!). Excuses, excuses... they're not limited to Japan, by any means, but Japan sure depends on them when they are let down. Cuba outplayed them, as they have SIX TIMES in the Olympics! That's the bottom line.
romulus3 at 11:51 AM JST - 14th August

romulus supported Cuba. Happy birthday Castro.
ExPrinceska at 12:14 PM JST - 14th August

Happy birthday to Castro from me. A good present from baseball team of Cuba!
Crucifier99 at 12:23 PM JST - 14th August

“Today, just today, they are better than us,” Japan manager Senichi Hoshino said. “But the Japanese team is good.” Today and just today they were good and any other day we are better than them arrogant and sore loser.
Peaceful_Man at 02:14 PM JST - 14th August

A champion team will always beat a team of champions
smithinjapan at 03:01 PM JST - 14th August

"Today, just today, they are better than us,"

Ummmm... yeah.... today, just today, and just every other time you've faced them save once or twice. How many Cubans (or ex-Cubans) in the major league? Japanese?
DS at 04:38 PM JST - 14th August

A well earned victory by Cuba. Team Hoshino looked timid,the Cubans played with more fire and pride.

The Japanese have to stop playing yakyuu and start playing baseball.
Sarge at 04:45 PM JST - 14th August

"The Japanese have to stop playing yakyuu and start playing baseball"

Har!
FrEcKlEfAcE at 07:15 PM JST - 14th August

I am not suprised there was no mention of Hoshino nearly being thrown out for arguing a check-swing. That was funny. LOL