By RENALDO DORSETT
Tribune Sports Reporter
rdorsett@tribunemedia.net
For the second consecutive game, Team Bahamas fell behind early and a late inning rally fell short at the 2022 Caribbean Cup Baseball Tournament.
The Bahamas fell to 1-2 in the opening round after a 9-3 loss to Cuba last night at the Andre Rodgers National Stadium.
Trailing 9-0 headed into the ninth inning, Ellison Hanna hit a solo home run to right field for The Bahamas’ first run of the game.
After Kashon Conliffe drew a walk, Duane Stuart singled to left for the second time on the night to move Conliffe into scoring position.
Yeshua Saint followed with a two-RBI triple off the right field wall.
Stuart finished 2-4, Kristin Munroe went 1-3 with two stolen bases, Ural Forbes went 1-3 and D’Shawn Knowles went 1-4. Gio Tomlins was tagged with the loss after going 4.1 innings and giving up six hits, five runs and two strikeouts.
Cuba outhit The Bahamas just 7-6 but scored several runs on walks or wild pitches.
They scored the game’s first run in the bottom half of the first on a wild pitch.
Forbes got the second inning started with his double to left field but was eventually thrown out on a base running error to third after Munroe hit into a fielder’s choice.
Defensively in the second, Jay Knowles and Grant turned a double play and Tomlins closed out the inning with a strikeout on the final out for the second consecutive frame.
The defensive highlights continued in the third inning for The Bahamas when D’Shawn Knowles came up with a diving catch in centre field to rob Cuba of a base hit.
Moss fielded a weakly hit ground ball and made a throw across the diamond to Saunders who picked it at full extension for the final out. The Bahamas had one of its best scoring opportunities of the game when Stuart singled to left field and Grant was hit by a pitch to place runners on first and second with no outs.
But Team Bahamas was unable to capitalise.
Cuba exploded with six runs in the seventh inning.
The loss now sets the stage for a pivotal final game of the opening round against Puerto Rico at 7pm tonight.
Puerto Rico comes in at 1-1 after a 6-0 win over Cuba on Tuesday night.
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