(Press Release; WBSC-AMERICAS).- The defending qualifier champion Nicaragua secured a spot in the World Cup to join México and Cuba, while Venezuela and Puerto Rico will battle for the last spot.
In a classic baseball duel Nicaragua shutout Venezuela 1-0 to secure the third spot to the World Cup. Now the defending World Champs will have to earn the remaining spot on thursday.
Nicaragua and Venezuela went toe to toe until the seventh inning, with two outs, the visiting team loaded the bases with a hit, a walk and a hit batsman, a wild pitch later they were up 1-0, enough to secure the game.
Milton Quintana won the game by pitching a complete game shutout, only two hits, two walks and eight strikeouts. José Orozco scored the only run of the game while going 3-1.
Puerto Rico had a chance to sit on the driver’s seat with a win against México, but the host nation won its fifth consecutive game with a walk of hit that leaves the Boricuas needing a lost from Venezuela to qualify.
The victory 2-1 came courtesy of Héctor Mora whose base hit scored Javier Sánchez for the difference in the game. Mora went 4-2 with two RBI, while Heriberto Sánchez got the win by pitching 1.1 innings of one hit ball.
In a duel of eliminated teams, Argentina won big by 17-3 against Guatemala which remains the only nation without a win in this qualifier, they must now face the World Champs in their last duel of the tournament.
Cuba and México will play for the first spot in the Opening Round on thursday, while Venezuela can secure a spot against Guatemala. For Puerto Rico to have a chance, they must win against Nicaragua and hope for a Venezuelan loss.
(WBSC-AMERICAS; Direction of Media Relations)
