The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

ALBERT Cartwright drilled a solo home run to produce the only run for Great Britain in their crashing 11-1 defeat to Canada on day one of the qualifying tournament for the 2013 World Baseball Classic at the Armin-Wolf Baseball Arena in Regensburg, Germany.

Cartwright, 24, got his first opportunity to play with Antoan Richardson as they batted first and second for Great Britain yesterday. The two good friends, who are playing at different levels in the minor league, are representing Great Britain because the Bahamas doesn’t have a team entered in the 28-team field in four different pools.

Starting in shortstop, Cartwright went 1-for-3 with his lead off shot in the top of the sixth inning against former major league starter Shawn Hill to break up a scoring drought that had Great Britain trailing 3-0.

“It was a good feeling belting a home run in the sixth because the pitcher had us off balance all game and just to finally get that first run on the board gave the team a little boost and energy to maybe get going,” Cartwright said. “I felt we were a little nervous in the first couple innings and made some crucial mistakes early which escalated later in the game, but I feel confident that we can play a solid next couple of games.”

Nobody was more excited about the performance than Richardson.

“I was the most excited person in that dugout when the ball left his bat,” he said. “When you see the hard work he has put in and the adversity he has overcame through injury, it’s easy to be happy for him. I’m proud of him.”

Hill expressed his disappointment in giving up the shot just inside the left-field foul pole.

“It was just a really bad slider. I had made some bad sliders and I tried to make an adjustment. But you still have to give the other guy credit,” said Hill, who played six years in the majors with the Montreal Expos, Washington Nationals and Toronto Blue Jays.

However, after the homer, Great Britain went on to give up eight runs, including a three-run homer, to Canada in the bottom of the seventh inning and was stopped via the 10-run rule.

Richardson, the 27-year-old member of the Baltimore Orioles affiliate Bowie Baysox in the Double-A Eastern League, started in center field, but he was hitless in his three plate appearances. He and Cartwright both struck out once.

For both of them, they were just excited to be the 1-2 punch in their first appearance together.

“It was exciting to share the field with him. However, I look forward to the day we can share it and listen to the Bahamas national anthem played before the game,” Richardson said. “It was also an honour to even be in the starting lineup, but to be trusted with the leadoff duties and leading the team outfield was a sign that the coaching staff trust my abilities to get us going.”

Noted Cartwright: “It’s always a good feeling playing with a fellow Bahamian. It was a good feeling hearing the introduction before the game and his name was before mine. It’s great exposure and it’s international baseball to play for a country and a flag on your shoulder. Although it’s not the Bahamian (flag) you still wear it with pride.”

And on playing in shortstop?

“I haven’t played shortstop for a while so it was a pleasure for the coaching staff to have confidence in me to play such an important position,” Cartwright said.

It was a tough loss, but both players admit that as Great Britain prepares to play either Germany or the Czech Republic on Saturday, they have to play much better.

“We just have to simply pitch, field and hit,” Cartwright said. “We also need to make the routine plays and throw strikes.”

Germany and the Czech Republic are scheduled to play today with the winner advancing to play against Canada, while the loser will face Great Britain.