Adam Blackley dispelled any doubt that outstanding lefthanded pitching runs in his family by hurling five shutout innings against one of the world’s most feared offences on Saturday

Twenty-four hours after his brother Travis impressed against the Italians, the younger of the Blackley brothers completely bamboozled Cuba, allowing just one hit and striking out three over five fantastic frames
Blackley, who won the ERA title at last year’s Intercontinental Cup, continued his outstanding form for Australia, mowing down the Cuban line-up with a measly 59 pitches

While Blackley was shinning for the Aussies so was his Cuban opponent, Elier Sanchez, who traded zeros with the young lefty for the first four innings, striking out seven of the thirteen hitters he faced

But when Sanchez handed over to his bullpen, the Australians wasted no time in coming to life with Brett Roneberg and Glenn Williams smacking back-to-back doubles to start the bottom of the fifth innings
Roneberg, who was forced to hold at second base to ensure Williams’ double wasn’t caught, scored just two pitches later on a passed ball
And when Ben Risinger lifted a sacrifice fly to plate Williams, the Aussies had themselves a 2-0 lead

Fast-forward one inning and the impressive hitting continued - this time courtesy of shortstop Brad Harman who smashed a 2-0 fastball into the leftfield bleachers to pad the advantage out to three

The rally continued when Tom Brice turned what looked like a flare into a hustling, two-out double and was driven in by Brett Roneberg’s second knock of the afternoon

While the offence was firing on all cylinders, the Aussie bullpen was keeping up their end of the bargain by continuing the string of 'zeros' that Blackley had started
Greg Wiltshire, Scott Mitchinson, Brendan Wise and Adam Bright all did their fair share in holding out the threatening Cuban sluggers

The final nail in Cuba's coffin came as Michael Collins padded the lead out to five with a solo shot in the bottom of the seventh inning - Australia's second homer of the game and third of the abbreviated four-game practice schedule

While the 5-0 win in Australia’s last practice game is certainly a confidence boost heading in the World Cup, Head Coach Jon Deeble was careful not to read too much into it after the game
“We’ve proven again that we can match it with the Cubans” Deeble said
“But I am not too concerned about the scoreboard
What I am happiest about it the way we took it to them for the whole nine innings
Everybody hustled on the base paths and Adam Blackley and the rest of the staff did an amazing job
They pitched ahead all day and were never afraid to challenge the hitters” he said

The win was the final tune-up before the tournament proper and has the Australians placed in the perfect position to go hard at it again in three days time

Taichung (4 nov) - EN EL PELIGROSO segundo día del gran cambio de horario (13 horas), Australia, más adaptada al mismo aprovechó a Adiel Palma y alcanzó triunfo de 5x0 ante Cuba, limitada a cuatro sencillos por seis tiradores, dos de Alfredo Despaigne, todo en el estadio Douliou
El zurdo Adan Blackley hizo historia en la isla continente al convertirse en el primer australiano que se apunta un éxito a expensas de la laureada escuadra insular, aunque el marco no tenga categoría oficial, pues se trata de un amistoso trial meet convocado para satisfacer intereses de preparación, en este caso en la ruta hacia la 37 Copa Mundial
Con buena mezcla en sus lanzamientos en cambios y curvas, Adán, de 23 años y cosecha en Clase A de 3/2, con 100 ponches en 70 y un tercio, colgó cinco argollas en cerrado duelo con el camagüeyano Elier Sánchez, quien se atribuyó cuatro, adornados con siete estrucaos y un boleto, en tanto aceptaba un solitario imparable conectado por Oeljen Trent, cerrando el tercero
Sin la velocidad acostumbrada pero seguro y dominante, el joven zurdo demostró garra e inteligencia para anular por completo a una peligrosa escuadra integrada por cinco grandes ligas y seis veteranos de Atenas, donde finalizó con el subtítulo, tras ceder ante la insular 1x4 por la medalla de oro
Contrariamente a lo ocurrido en la víspera, y sin ánimo de justificar el desenlace, los artilleros cubanos se observaron agotados, y así Greg Wiltshire (d), Scott Mckintdet (d), Brandan Wise (z), Adan Brygth (z) y Bent Foster (d) cumplieron la misión de cerrar con broche de oro las últimas cuatro entradas, con solo dos sencillos, conectados por Héctor Olivera y Alexander Mayeta
El siniestro sureño Palma reemplazó a Elier en el quinto y fue castigado con biangulares por Brett Ronenberg y Glen William, quienes anotaron por pasbol de Eriel Sánchez (sustituyó a Pestano) y elevado de Ben Risinger, para sufrir el revés
En el siguiente, Vladimir Baños soportó toletazo por encima de los 330 pies de Brad Harkam, además de tubey e inatrapable a cargo de Tom Brice y Ronenberg
La última la toleró Asley Sánchez mediante un cuatriesquinazo de Mike Collins
Cabe significar que los dos batazos de esta índole fueron sobre rectas a 87 y 88 millas
Del octavo se hizo cargo Jonder Martínez
Al filo de las doce del día, la representación de Cuba saldrá, este domingo, hacía la capital taipeyana, sede de la agrupación B, a partir del martes 7, en el cual debutará contra los propios australianos, razón que hace pensar un nuevo duelo de zurdos entre Adan Blackley y Elier Sánchez, aunque ninguno de los mentores haya anticipado su decisión