By Gian Franco Gil
The Cuban team that will participate in the V World Baseball Classic defeated the CTBC Brothers 6-0 and achieved its fifth and last victory (with six losses) before debuting in the World Cup event, with Yoan Moncada, along with Andy Ibáñez, leaders of a 14-hit offense.
Precisely, Chicago White Sox infielder, Moncada, hit his first home run in the uniform of the Cuban team in training prior to the world event. Yoan entered an exclusive list, in which only Alfredo Despaigne (2), Erisbel Arruebarrena and Guillermo García managed to make the ball disappear from the park, the last of them without a position on the 30-player roster.
At the end of the challenge, the native of Cienfuegos, Cuba, agreed to talk with the Cuban press, a video shared by the digital magazine “HIT” on his official Twitter account.
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His preparation before arriving at the concentration with the national team allowed him, despite the problems caused by the time change between America and Asia, to leave a good image a few hours before the start of the contest.
Meanwhile, Yoan intends to “continue the work I’ve been doing these days and continue like this to help the team, which is the most important thing,” said the player, who has accumulated four hits in the same number of offensive turns, including a double and a full return hit.
Yoan Moncada spoke with the Cuban press
Moncada, in his exclusive statements to “JIT”, made it clear that the team’s objective “is to advance day by day” and for this their main virtue is the union between each element of the group. “There is a good friendship between the boys, which is what is needed,” revealed the major leaguer.
Lastly, Yoan Moncada sent a message to the Cuban fans who have kept up to date with the team and, above all, with the Major League players who, for the first time, will wear the uniform of an Antillean team in an official event while in the roster of 40 from an organization.
“I want to tell him that all those people in Cuba continue to support us and the message is that we are going to do everything we can to move forward,” Moncada concluded.
Yoan Moncada hit a two-run home run from the rows of #elCubaClasico against Hermanos CTBC, from the Chinese Taipei professional league. Last chapter of the competitive preparation of the Caribbean for the #WorldBaseballClassic #Cuba #BaseBall #CubanBaseball pic.twitter.com/s7Sh5HpvvA
— JIT Cuban Sport (@jit_digital) March 6, 2023