Staying alive

Staying alive
Big Papi, Odalis lead Dominican Republic past Cuba
Posted: Monday March 13, 2006 6:58PM

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) -- On a day when opponents of Fidel Castro
caused turmoil in and above the stands, David Ortiz powered the
Dominican Republic to a key victory over Cuba.

Ortiz hit his third home run of the tournament and walked with the bases
loaded in a 7-3 victory Monday that kept alive the Dominicans' hopes of
advancing to the World Baseball Classic semifinals.

A group of fans caused a scuffle at Hiram Bithorn Stadium, spelling
"Abajo Fidel (Down With Fidel)" with the letters on their shirts.

The fans also had a small sign with the same message about the Cuban
president, as did an airplane pulling a sign that appeared over the
ballpark.

Tournament organizers banned signs with political messages to comply
with an agreement made with Cuba for the team's participation in the
Classic.

Other spectators chanted "Fuera! (Take them out!)" and security guards
took the sign away and asked the fans with the anti-Castro message to
change shirts or leave ballpark. The anti-Castro fans wore two shirts to
hide the letters when they entered the stadium, and they put their
second shirts back on after an inning-long confrontation in the fifth.

Cuba refused to attend the postgame news conference for the second time
in the tournament. Cuba did not speak to journalists after last
Thursday's game between Cuba and the Netherlands, when a spectator
behind home plate raised a sign saying: "Down with Fidel." Angel
Iglesias, vice president of Cuba's National Institute of Sports, rushed
to confront the man. Puerto Rican police intervened and took Iglesias to
a police station and lectured him about free speech.

Cuba and the Dominicans are both 1-1 in Group Two, led by Puerto Rico
(1-0) heading into its night game against Venezuela (0-1). The
Dominicans play Venezuela on Tuesday, and Cuba meets Puerto Rico on
Wednesday.

"I think we could play a lot better than what we played," Dominican
manager Manny Acta said. "I think we should have scored at least 12 runs."

The Dominican Republic led 7-0 after six innings in this one, then
coasted. Starter Odalis Perez (2-0) struck out three in 4 2-3 scoreless
innings, allowing three hits and one walk.

Winning "was very important because I understand if we would have lost
today, we would have gone home tomorrow ... if we can go back out
tomorrow and we can score at least eight or nine runs, we might go to
the final," Perez said.

Miguel Tejada hit a go-ahead, two-run double in a four-run third,
chasing starter Vicyohandry Odelin (0-1). Yadier Pedroso relieved,
walked Albert Pujols, then retired Ortiz on a flyout as Tejada moved to
third.

Moises Alou followed with a grounder to third that should have ended the
inning, but Michel Enriquez threw wildly to first as Tejada and Pujols
scored for a 4-0 lead.

An error by first baseman Ariel Borrero on Placido Polanco's grounder
allowed another run to score in the fourth, and Ortiz hit a no-doubt
homer off Yonder Martinez in the fifth, flipping his bat as soon as he
finished his followthrough. Norberto Gonzalez relieved with the bases
loaded in the sixth and walked Ortiz on a 3-1 pitch.

"All I tried to do was make the routine plays and get on base for the
big guys," Polanco said.

Yuliesky Gourriel homered in the seventh off Jorge Sosa. After Cuba
scored twice in the ninth on right fielder Juan Encarnacion's error and
Alexei Ramirez's RBI single, Fernando Rodney relieved with two on and
one out.

He struck out Eduardo Paret, loaded the bases with a walk to Enriquez,
then struck out Joan Pedroso on a checked swing.

Copyright 2006 Associated Press.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/baseball/mlb/03/13/wbc.dominicans.cuba.ap/index.html