United States Wins Gold in 10-5 Win Over Cuba

Team USA won its first back to back gold medal at the World Cup title since 1973-74 with a 10-5 victory over Cuba today. Brad Lincoln earned the win.

It didn’t come without a fight.  In the ninth, Cuba loaded the bases on Brad Lincoln.    Lincoln was lifted from the game as all everything international star Alfredo Despaigne was at the plate after Lincoln issued his first walk of his 4+ innnings pitched. 

The Gold Medal was won for Team USA when Despaigne flew out to the warning track on a first pitch fastball after Coach Rodriguez brought in reliever Nate Field.

[Coach Rodriguez had came out to the mound to settle down Lincoln before he issued the walk.  He was smiling as he had his hand out as if he wanted the ball and then quickly punched Lincoln lightly in the chest and left him in to pitch. ]

Pirate prospect Brad Lincoln came on in relief for Team USA and was overall effective while hitting the mid 90s with his four seamer.  His breaking ball was tight for most of the game and effective in keeping most of the Cubans off balance.

Lincoln attacked the zone even before USA put up six runs in the seventh to break a 4-4 tie.  Lincoln threw 66 pitches by my count with 50 being strikes.

Lincoln got five straight batters before he allowed his second opposite homerun of the game, this one to Alfredo Despaigne in the eighth inning.  Despaigne had 11 homers in the Series with 17RBI, a new international record for homers.  Lincoln’s breaking ball crept up in the zone and Despaigne did what his Cuba teammates couldn’t as Cuba was desperately neededing to comeback trailing 10-4 at the time of his homer. 

Lincoln’s two other runs allowed came in the fifth inning.  Lincoln allowed a broken bat single that really should have been an error.  Team USA shortstop threw wide of first after going behind the bag to retrieve the ball.  The next pitch was hit into the trees for a two-out two run homer for Cuba.

Lincoln making his first professional relief appearance went 4.1 innings allowed six hits, three runs, struck out two and walked one batter.

Pedro Alvarez was held hitless for Team USA.

The United States, which beat Cuba 5-3 in a third round game, had an overall 14-1 record, losing only to Venezuela in the first game of the tournament. Cuba was 12-3 with its other loss to Puerto Rico in round two. Cuba has 25 world titles under its belt, while the last time the USA won back to back titles was in 1973-4.

Cuba had won 25 Gold medals in thirty appearances.