Havana, February 22 (RHC) – Cuba and Nicaragua resume their friendly series today at the Rigoberto López Pérez Stadium in León, a key event on the road to the World Baseball Classic, which begins on March 5.
The 2-2 tie in the first game, played in Masaya, provided clear tactical insights. Cuba managed nine hits, but again struggled with runners left on base; Nicaragua, with fewer offensive opportunities, effectively shut down the Cuban pitchers from the mound and kept the game close until the final out.
The Cuban pitchers displayed composure: they limited the home team to five hits, issued three walks, and struck out five. However, the Cuban offense found a wall in reliever Ángel Obando, who retired nine consecutive batters and sowed momentary doubts in the visiting team’s lineup. “It was a good game,” said manager Germán Mesa, praising the performance of a revamped roster compared to the one that participated in the Americas Series.
For the second game, Mesa will hand the ball to left-hander Darío Sarduy, a member of the Japanese franchise Chunichi Dragons, an arm that blends Eastern precision with Caribbean flair. Their mission will be to set the pace from the mound and fine-tune mechanisms in preparation for the big world stage.
On the other side, without official confirmation, local media point to the experienced Ronald Medrano as a possible starter, a trusted piece in the machine managed by the legendary Dusty Baker.
The day before also brought high-caliber reinforcements for the Cuban squad, with the addition of stars Liván Moinelo and Raidel Martínez, both seasoned in the Japanese league, whose presence strengthens a pitching staff destined to be the backbone of the team in March.
There will be four games scheduled on Nicaraguan soil. Each one, more than just a simple friendly, serves as a forge: there, character is tempered, weaknesses are addressed, and the competitive symphony that Cuba aspires to unleash when the Classic opens its doors and baseball once again summons the titans is rehearsed.
