INTERCONTINENTAL STADIUM. In a matchup of heated rivals which didn’t disappoint, Team USA prevailed in walk-off fashion by a score of 6-5 against Cuba. Michael Rivera drove in Bryson Brigman with a one-out single in the bottom of the ninth to plate the game-winner, kicking off celebrations at Intercontinental Stadium in Taichung. Cuba had erased a 3-5 deficit in the top half of the frame. With the win the United States take over first place in Group B, as both teams sit at 3-1 records going into the last day of the first round.
Cuba, which had mowed through the opposition at the XXVI 18U Baseball World Cup so far, also came through against the US squad early. They loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the second. A groundout by Moises Esquerre brought home Luis Roberts for the 1-0 lead. Victor Mesa and Julio Martinez followed with a single and a double to make it 3-0, chasing USA’s starter Justus Sheffield with two outs in the second.
But the defending champion fought back. After Cuba’s starter Noel Ortiz faced the minimum of nine batters in the first three frames thanks to a pair of double plays, the team of manager Rob Cooper initiated a two-out rally in the fourth. They loaded the bases and Jeffrey Schwarz took advantage with a two-run single to left, cutting the deficit to 2-3.
They were not finished. In the seventh the USA once again was able to do damage with two outs. Michael Rivera plated Cole Tucker and Jackson Reetz to get ahead 4-3. Adam Haseley followed with another RBI single to extend the lead to two runs.
Cuba had one more answer left. The 18U world title record holder led off the ninth with a bunt single by Yoan Moncada. After a strikeout for the first out, Randy Arozarena sent a 0-1 offering by Luis Ortiz into deep right field to bring home Moncada with a triple. Arozarena also would come around to score on the same play, as the throw home from second baseman Trace Loehr went wide to make it a 5-5 ballgame.
The momentum didn’t shift. Bryson Brigman, who won the 16U Baseball World Cup in 2011 and the 18U Baseball World Cup in 2012, got on base with a single in the bottom half of the ninth. A sac bunt with two strikes by Cole Tucker moved him to second. After an intentional walk, Rivera got to the plate and singled through the right side against Yoandri Caro who just had relieved Aldo Conrado. Brigman scored all the way from second without a play at home, emptying the dugout for the walk-off celebrations.
The United States will close out the first round on Wednesday with a matchup against Colombia. Cuba squares off with Australia. If both teams win, the United States will got to the second round as the number-one seed from Group B.