By: Adam Morissette

Canadian Baseball Network

HAVANA, Cuba – A five run first inning was too much to overcome for the Junior National Team who fell by a score of 6-3 to Cuba. The juniors brought the tying run to the plate in the top of the ninth and it was Tyler Duncan (Sooke, BC) who had three hits on the day, but he bounced into a fielder’s choice to end the game.

Cuba has now won all five games of the Cuba Summer Series with four games remaining.

GAME INFORMATION

Score: Cuba (U-18) 6 Canada (U-18) 3
Location: Estadio Latinoamericano – Havana, Cuba
Weather: 31 degrees Celsius, Clear

Canada 18U Starting Lineup:

1. Clayton Keyes - CF

2. Edouard Julien – DH

3. Adam Hall - SS

4. Tyler Duncan - RF

5. Jason Willow – 2B

6. Soren Graversen – 1B

7. Steven Moretto – 3B

8. Victor Cerny – C

9. Terrell Rogers - LF

Starting Pitcher: RHP Ben Abram

HOW IT HAPPENED

-Things did not start well for pitcher Ben Abram (Georgetown, ON) and the juniors as they surrendered five runs in the bottom of the first. With one out, a pair of walks and a single that dropped into left field loaded the bases before a single to right scored two. After a walk reloaded the bases, a single to left scored two more before a sac-fly to right brought in the fifth run of the inning.

-The juniors fought back with two runs in the top of the second as Jason Willow (Victoria, BC) and Steven Moretto (Burnaby, BC) drew walks before Victor Cerny (Winnipeg, MB) bounced a single up the middle to load the bases with one out. Terrell Rogers (Aldergrove, BC) then walked to bring home Willow and Clayton Keyes (Calgary, AB) hit into a fielder’s choice that scored Moretto.

-Abram had the makings of a bounce back inning in the second, but a two out walk, scored on a triple to centre.

-Both teams were held off the scoreboard until the seventh when Dondrae Bremner (Toronto, ON) singled with two out, advanced to second on a passes ball and scored when Tyler Duncan singled to left.

-In the ninth, Terrell Rogers led off with a single to left and Clayton Keyes followed with a single of his own, but a pair of strikeouts followed by a fielder’s choice ended the game.

JNT HIGHLIGHTS

-Reliever Michael Stovman (Maple Ridge, BC) tossed four scoreless innings after taking over from Abram in the fifth. The right-hander retired the first six batters he faced and allowed just two hits, while striking out one batter.

-Tyler Duncan contributed a 3-for-5 game at the plate and knocked in a run in the seventh when his single to left allowed Dondrae Bremner to score from second base.

-Catcher Victor Cerny gunned down two runners from behind home plate with the first one coming in the third to erase a lead off walk, while the second came in the eighth after a one out single.

TEAM LEADERS

Hits: 3, Duncan (3/5); 1, Keyes (1/4), Graversen (1/3), Cerny (1/4), Rogers (1/3), Bremner (1/2)
Runs: 1, Bremner, Willow, Moretto
Strikeouts: 2, Abram; 1, Stovman

UP NEXT

Canada and Cuba will hook-up for a doubleheader tomorrow for games six and seven of the series…The front end of the double dip goes at 10am ET with LHP Jack DeCooman (North Vancouver, BC) slated to start, while the back end will see LHP Jaden Griffin (Lower Sackville, NS) take to the bump for a 3pm ET tilt...Live tweets will be available by following @Team_C_Updates on Twitter.