Once again Canada built up an early lead and coasted to an easy victory. The Netherlands tossed a lefthander at the predominantly lefthanded batting lineup, but Pete Orr, Stubby Clapp and Pierre-Luc Laforest showed their disdain for that strategem by belting homeruns. Orr's drive to straight away centrefield with two men aboard put the Canadians in flight. The game story from Canadian Press paints a fuller picture.
Japan steamrolled the Cubans in the first half of their game, scoring 4 runs on three lineshot homeruns. Cuba threatened several times but were unable to come up with any 2-out hits until it was too late. Daisuke Matsuzaka went 8.1 innnings and used a good fastball and effective change-up to keep the Cubans off balance. Matsuzaka has the slowest wind-up I've ever seen, slower than Dewon Brazelton's. Cuban starter Vicyohandri Odelin didn't have a crisp fastball and left too many pitches out over the plate. Trailing 6-0, Cuba scored 3 in the bottom of the ninth to make things interesting.
Cuba's next contest, against Taipei, should tell us whether the Cubans are laying down a bit, or are really as weak as they've looked.
Canada will be playing before a packed audience against the host nation at 11:30 AM Eastern.
https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20040818015357999