Puerto Rico advance to World Baseball Classic quarter-finals after win over Cuba

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/puerto-rico/v7R43VK7/"]Puerto Rico[/a] didn't allow a single earned run in their win over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/cuba/2JHw5Xzk/"]Cuba[/a] and gave up just two hits the entire game, while striking out 10. [/p][p]Their final game of the tournament will be against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/canada/8dIZ5DLr/"]Canada[/a] (1-1) on March 10th at 7:00 p.m.[/p][p]Cuba (2-1) still has a chance to clinch a spot in the quarterfinals if they defeat Canada (1-1) the following day on March 11th at 3:00 p.m.[/p][embed guid="27456b6e-5add-410c-9636-03f2bc700b73" url="https://x.com/WBCBaseball/status/2031208607434305952?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]In other games, the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/usa/dSweSEc8/"]USA[/a] held off [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/mexico/ptt8Lj5l/"]Mexico[/a] in a close [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/baseball/mexico-ptt8Lj5l/usa-dSweSEc8/?mid=4SBenCWH"]5-3[/a] win to remain perfect at the World Baseball Classic ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/news/usa-hold-off-mexico-in-close-win-to-remain-perfect-at-world-baseball-classic/4E6oC48t/"]recap here[/a]). Their next matchup is against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/italy/Y1YKIlk7/"]Italy[/a] (2-0) on March 9th at 9:00 p.m. Eastern time. Meanwhile, Mexico will face Italy the following day at 7:00 p.m.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/venezuela/AVsaRYCE/"]Venezuela[/a] defeated [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/nicaragua/Ee99H5bE/"]Nicaragua[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/baseball/nicaragua-Ee99H5bE/venezuela-AVsaRYCE/?mid=llZzJZCF"]4-0[/a]. Nicaragua would finish the WBC without a single win (0-4). Meanwhile, Venezuela (3-0) is gearing up to take the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/dominican-republic/tAGs4ije/"]Dominican Republic[/a] (3-0) on March 11th at 8:00 p.m. Eastern. The winner will go on to face [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/south-korea/2XIeMWkr/"]South Korea[/a] in the next round of the WBC, while the loser will take on the reigning champion Team [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/japan/vuZGJUZ0/"]Japan[/a]. [/p][p]The Dominican Republic made light work of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/israel/4tfBfri1/"]Israel[/a] after defeating them [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/baseball/dominican-republic-tAGs4ije/israel-4tfBfri1/?mid=UVbSzISs"]10-1[/a], officially eliminating them from advancing ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/news/domincan-republic-advance-to-pool-d-quarter-finals-after-dominant-win-over-israel/Ug1oNQ6D/"]full recap here[/a]).[/p][p]In the earlier games, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/colombia/z5A5Ioq8/"]Colombia[/a] eliminated [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/panama/0GS04B51/"]Panama[/a] in nail-biting fashion ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/news/colombia-eliminate-panama-from-2026-world-baseball-classic/M7vXoP14/"]recap here[/a]) after Panama did the same to Colombia the previous day with a win over Canada ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/news/israel-defeats-nicaragua-canada-defeats-panama-2026-world-baseball-classic/zVzcpzsS/"]recap here[/a]), while [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/great-britain/2iGVi47K/"]Great Britain[/a] defeated [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brazil/IqbFg267/"]Brazil[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/baseball/brazil-IqbFg267/great-britain-2iGVi47K/?mid=YacR2NMH"]8-1[/a] (both teams already eliminated).[/p][h2]Puerto Rico vs Cuba recap and highlights[/h2][p]Not much was going for either team to start of the game as both went hitless after the first inning. [/p][p]Cuba would remain hitless after the top half of the second inning that was the calm before the Puerto Rico storm that swept them away in the bottom half.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rosario-eddie/Im28VcFq/"]Eddie Rosario[/a] grounded into a force out that left him on second with one out. But following an [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rivera-emmanuel/v3b9RjHe/"]Emmanuel Rivera[/a] single and an [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/melendez-mj/bgfoPOWT/"]MJ Melendez[/a] walk, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/maldonado-martin/hhmxBauR/"]Martín Maldonado[/a] took advantage of the bases-loaded opportunity with a three-run double to go up [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/baseball/cuba-2JHw5Xzk/puerto-rico-v7R43VK7/?mid=fFq6yeIa"]3-0[/a]. [/b][/p][p]After failing to add on more, both teams would go scoreless in the third and fourth innings. It wasn't until the fifth that Puerto Rico tacked on their fourth and final run. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ramos-heliot/dzkVbpLF/"]Heliot Ramos[/a] led off the inning with a double before [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/arenado-nolan/lA3NHbnk/"]Nolan Arenado[/a] was able to advance him to third on a groundout. [/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cortes-carlos/hQbBAJR1/"]Carlos Cortes[/a] would bring home Ramos on a sac-fly to make [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/baseball/cuba-2JHw5Xzk/puerto-rico-v7R43VK7/?mid=fFq6yeIa"]4-0[/a] for the second out, not score again for the remainder of the game, as the Puerto Rico bullpen was nearly unhittable.[/b][/p][embed guid="72c208c8-f3b8-4ff4-92a5-b3eb4a6e99ba" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2ps7nVcp04" social-type="youtube" /][p]In the following inning, Cuba would finally find some life at the plate after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/martinez-ariel/xEhpSi0l/"]Ariel Martinez[/a] got on base with one out after being hit by a pitch. [/p][p][b]The veteran [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/despaigne-alfredo/hGXJ4AwL/"]Alfredo Despaigne[/a] would double on a line drive towards center field that brought home Martinez from first to make it [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/baseball/cuba-2JHw5Xzk/puerto-rico-v7R43VK7/?mid=fFq6yeIa"]4-1[/a]. [/b][/p][p]But that would be the last time a Cuban bat would get a hit. Puerto Rico closer and MLB Reliever of the Year [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/diaz-edwin/OEvYedeF/"]Edwin Diaz[/a] made sure to close things out in front of the home crowd at San Juan. [/p][embed guid="55a40d26-9309-4f90-8480-fe636046f461" url="https://x.com/WBCBaseball/status/2031207715939225997?s=20" social-type="twitter" /]