The figure of Yoan Moncada, along with Luis Robert, was the most publicized Cuban team in the World Classic. During his first game of choosing four characters, he was in good shape with a pair of hits and a ticket in two turns.
Already in the second warm-up match, in the last game of the national team on debut against the Netherlands on March 8, he was ticketed in his first turn at bat.
But in the third, with Andy Ibanez on three balls and a strike at first, Yoan Moncada took a delivery in the zone and sent a ball that traveled between right and center over the fence. Break out the party cellophane.
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Moncada looks very promising. Since his arrival in Taiwan, he hasn’t missed a single, going 3-for-3 with two walks. The aforementioned home run was his only extra base hit.
Yoan Moncada and Andy Ibáñez, great MLB
Along with Yoan Moncada, another who has shined on offense since his arrival is Andy Ibanez from La Pineda. Isla de la Juventud’s Waiter batted 3-2 during the first game and was 2-2 in the second game until completing the feat. Adding four hits in five shifts, the best average was .800.
Another MLB starter who saw action in the clash was Ronis Elias. Who didn’t allow a run in an inning despite hitting him. Luis Miguel Romero also made his debut without an innings.
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Among the hitters, Luis Robert and Yoenis Cespedes each had two hits in two turns and Lorenzo Quintana had a single.
As of this writing, when the bottom of the fourth inning was played, the clash was 2×0 in favor of Cuba over CDPC Brother.