Canada’s Dalton Pompey takes off in a steal for second base as Cuban pitcher Omar Luis Rodriguez delivers the throw during the 2010 World Junior Baseball Championship at the Port Arthur Stadium in Thunder Bay, Ontario, on Saturday, July 24, 2010. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sandi KrasowskiSANDI KRASOWSKI/The Canadian Press
For seven innings Canada looked like it might pass its first real test of the World Junior Baseball Championship. Instead, the hosts let an opportunity to take control of the tournament slip away.
Andy Ibanez drove in two runs in the top of the eighth inning as Cuba, one of the tournament favourites, edged Canada 3-0 Saturday night.
Canada, which impressively held the Cubans at bay for seven innings, finally faltered in the eighth. With Dariel Crespo and Yamil Rivalta already on base in the eighth, Canadian pitcher Evan Grills got into more trouble. A passed ball advanced the runners, then a walk to Gelinis Jimenez loaded the bases.
Ibanez took advantage, hitting a drive to left field that brought in Crespo and Rivalta for the 2-0 lead.
Lazaro Hernandez had an RBI single in the ninth to make it 3-0.
"Canada played a big game, and made us sweat our jerseys," Cuban manager Armando Johnson said through an interpreter.
Cuban lefty Omar Luis pitched a complete game, striking out 10 batters and giving four hits and five walks.
"All the people in Cuba are very impressed with Canada," said Luis through an interpreter.
Canada starter Tom Robson was solid, pitching six scoreless innings before being replaced in the seventh by Grills. He gave up three hits and struck out four
"That was probably was one of our best games this month," Robson said. "We played hard for nine innings, we just got unlucky."
Cuba improved to 2-0 in the tournament and moved into sole possession of first place in Pool B.
Canada (1-1) was scheduled to face two-time defending champion South Korera less than 24 hours after the loss to Cuba.
"We don't get much of a breather because Korea's a good club," said Canada manager Greg Hamilton. "We've got to come right back and be ready.
"It's all about getting to the quarter-finals."
Both teams played solid defence for the first half of the game, neither allowing many scoring chances.
Cuba threatened in the top of the fifth. Rivalta dribbled a shot to the mound where Robson bobbled it trying to turn the double play and ultimately catching nobody. With runners at first and second, Robson struck out Yasiel Balaguert to save the inning.
Canada's best chance at getting on the scoreboard came in the sixth inning.
With runners on first and second, Kellin Deglan popped one into shallow left field. But Jorge Soler caught the fading ball and threw to second to retire Philip Diedrick, who was already rounding to home before he realized his mistake.
In other games Saturday, it was: Taiwan 11 France 1; United States 4 Australia 2; Korea 10 Netherlands 0; and Panama 7 Czech Republic 5.
Also Saturday, Venezuela re-entered the tournament, losing to Italy 6-5 in 11 innings.
Tournament and IBAF officials had originally announced on Thursday that Venezuela had pulled out of the tournament.