WBC roundup: Australia, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Mexico among winners

Australia defeated Czechia 5-1 on Friday behind a three-run homer from Chicago White Sox infielder Curtis Mead to remain unbeaten in Pool C in the World Baseball Classic.

Australia is lining up among the favourites from Tokyo to reach the quarterfinals, along with the home team Japan. Japan is the defending champion and many expect a final in Miami on March 17 against the United States.

Mead's homer in the third put Australia up 3-1 after the Czechs failed to convert a double play early in the inning that eventually gave Mead a chance to bat. Australia added two runs in the ninth, including a solo home run by Alex Hall.

The Czechs took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second on a sacrifice fly by Vojtech Mensik.

Josh Hendrickson was the winning pitcher, and Tomas Ondra got the loss.

Australia improved to 2-0 in Pool C and the Czechs fell to 0-2. Australia reached the quarterfinals three years ago in the last WBC but lost to Cuba 4-3.

The Australians have several players with MLB organizations, including Mead. There’s also Travis Bazzana, the first pick in the 2024 MLB amateur draft, taken by the Cleveland Guardians.

Yoán Moncada homers to lead Cuba over Panama 3-1

Meanwhile, Yoán Moncada and Yoelquis Guibert homered off Logan Allen at San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Cuba won its WBC opener for the first time since 2013.

Cuba, which lost the 2006 final to Japan and a 2023 semifinal to the U.S., is missing many top Cuban-born players, including Aroldis Chapman, Randy Arozarena and Luis Robert Jr.

Guibert went deep on a high 2-0 fastball in the second and Moncada one inning later pulled a 3-1 sweeper at the bottom of the strike zone for his first home run off a left-hander since Sept. 28, 2023, off Arizona’s Kyle Nelson.

Panama's Johan Camargo had an RBI single in the seventh against Emmanuel Chapman and, with runners at the corners, Darien Núñez retired Christian Bethancourt on an inning-ending groundout.

Allen, a Florida native whose mother was born in Panama, allowed three runs and five hits in three innings, taking the loss. Winner Livan Moinelo gave up two hits in 3 2/3 scoreless innings.

Cuba did not have a baserunner after the fifth. Raidel Martinez got three straight outs for the save.

Castro and Lugo help Puerto Rico blank Colombia 5-0

Willi Castro hit an RBI double in a five-run fifth inning, sending Puerto Rico to the win in its Group A opener against Colombia.

Seth Lugo pitched four-plus innings of three-hit ball for Puerto Rico. The right-hander struck out three and walked two.

Harold Ramírez had three of Colombia’s six hits.

Puerto Rico collected each of its five hits in the fifth at San Juan’s Hiram Bithorn Stadium.

Carlos Cortes hit a leadoff single and scored on an error by third baseman Gio Urshela. Eddie Rosario singled home Darell Hernaiz, and Martín Maldonado chased Adrian Almeida with another run-scoring single.

Rosario scored on Castro’s line drive to right off David Lorduy, and Heliot Ramos added a sacrifice fly.

Colombia threatened in the eighth, loading the bases with two down. But Fernando Cruz retired pinch-hitter Jordan Diaz on a flyball to right, ending the inning.

Edwin Díaz worked the ninth for Puerto Rico, striking out the side after Tito Polo’s pinch-hit single.

Jose Quintana started for Colombia and tossed three hitless innings. The left-hander threw 31 pitches, 19 for strikes.

Both teams play again on Saturday. Puerto Rico faces Panama, and Colombia takes on Canada.

Aranda's 3-run 8th-inning homer leads Mexico over Britain 8-2

In Houston, Jonathan Aranda broke open the game with a three-run homer in the eighth inning to lead Mexico in Pool B.

The game was tied 1-1 after solo homers by both teams when Gary Gill Hill struck out the first two batters in the eighth. He then issued consecutive walks to Jarren Duran and Arozarena before Aranda lifted a low fastball into the left-field seats.

The crowd, overwhelminglyMexico fans, went wild as Aranda rounded the bases.

Alek Thomas padded the lead with a two-run single in the ninth and Joey Ortiz added an RBI double before Arozarena drove in a run on a single that made it 8-1.

Nacho Alvarez Jr. gave Mexico a 1-0 lead in the second inning and Harry Ford tied the score in the sixth.

Jack Anderson started for Britain, allowing two hits and a run with three strikeouts in three innings. Mexico starter Javier Assad permitted two hits while striking out two in 3 2/3 scoreless innings.

Trayce Thompson, a younger brother of NBA star Klay Thompson, had two hits for Britain, capped by an RBI double in the ninth inning.

Britain will face the U.S. on Saturday night and Mexico resumes play Sunday night against Brazil.

Sanoja homers, Venezuela rides 4-run 5th to 6-2 win over Netherlands

At Miami, Javier Sanoja of the Marlins homered in his home ballpark, Willson Contreras had a two-run single to highlight a four-run fifth and Venezuela opened Pool D play with a win over the Netherlands.

Sanoja, Contreras and Wilyer Abreu all had two hits for Venezuela, while Luis Arraez drove in two runs and Ronald Acuña Jr. scored twice.

Venezuela starter Ranger Suarez allowed three hits and one run in two innings.

Druw Jones — the son of Netherlands manager and soon-to-be Hall of Famer Andruw Jones — drove in both Netherlands runs, first with a tying double in the second and then a sacrifice fly in the sixth.

Antwone Kelly started on the mound for the Netherlands, giving up four hits and two runs in three innings.

Both teams return to action Saturday, with Netherlands taking on Nicaragua and Venezuela meeting Israel.