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Game
Preview
Albertin Chapman (Aroldis Chapman De La Cruz)
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here for detailed information
Australia and Cuba set
for showdown
The two clubs
combined for ten homers in the opening games of Pool B
Fans looking to get their hands
on a souvenir from the World Baseball Classic may have their
best opportunity on Tuesday night, when Australia and Cuba take
the field at Foro Sol Stadium
The two clubs combined to hit ten home runs on Sunday in the
opening games of Pool B
Cuba's six shots set a Classic record, breaking the previous
mark of four, set by the Dominican Republic in 2006
Australia hit four home runs of its own in a rout of host Mexico,
but the larger number was thetwenty-two hits the team recorded,
setting a Classic record for a single game
Though they're not traditional rivals, a showdown of significant
importance between Australia and Cuba should come as no surprise
They met at the Athens Olympics in 2004, when Cuba defeated Australia
to capture the Gold Medal, and their paths have continued to
cross since
The winner of this game locks up a spot in the second round
"Last year we played them twice, and we had a one-run lead
in the ninth, and they beat us in extra innings" Australia
manager Jon Deeble said
"We're not afraid of them, and I know their manager says
that they weren't worried about Mexico, they were worried about
us, and rightly so"
If the Australians plan on validating the concern held by Cuba
manager Higinio Velez, they'll have to get more out of their
starting pitching
Lefty Craig Anderson took the mound against Mexico but was removed
two batters into the second inning
He completed only one inning of work, allowing six runs, five
earned, on six hits
After defeating South Africa with ease, 8-1, in their opening
game, the Cubans have little on their minds other than to show
they're ready for the long haul
"The team is doing well" Velez said on Monday
"They are prepared physically, technically and psychologically
A team that knows the responsibility that it has, that knows
it finished in second place in the first Classic, is responsible
for having a good result"
Preview - Cuba and Australia
It was always expected that Cuba
would play in the 'winner-winner' matchup of Pool B on Tuesday
at Foro Sol Stadium in Mexico City
But their opponent Australia is a surprise, especially after
a 17-7 victory over Mexico on Sunday
The homerun friendly ballpark featured four more homeruns on
Monday, bringing the total to sixteen for three games
This probably will not change tonight, as both teams combined
for ten in their openers
Cuba set a new World Baseball Classic record with six long balls,
Australia with twenty-two hits
The winner will advance to the second round, and the loser takes
on Mexico tomorrow
The two Managers, Jon Deeble (AUS) and Higinio Velez (CUB), haven’t
confirmed this, but we should expect a pitching matchup between
Travis Blackley (AUS) and Aroldis Chapman (CUB), and that could
prove to be an exciting one
Comments from Jon Deeble
- Australian Team Manager
"Cuba's starting pitcher will be a guy called
Chapman
He is a 6 foot 5 inch lefty who throws at 93 to 102 mph
But don't be alarmed!! ... he is good but has poor control
We will work the counts tomorrow and hopefully we will have him
out of the game in three innings
He is very good but I think our guys are ready for the challenge" |
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