Miami Puerto Rico’s national team hit and pitched well and took advantage of Nicaragua’s defensive situation to cruise to a 9-1 victory in the opening game of Pool D of the World Baseball Classic at Loan Depot Park in front of 35,399 fans, including thousands of fans. in national colors.

A five-touchdown fifth inning was key for the Puerto Ricans against a Nicaraguan team that struggled but ultimately succumbed to the offense of “Team Rubio.”

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The Puerto Ricans now prepare to face Venezuela in Sunday’s match, scheduled for 7:00 p.m. in Miami (8:00 p.m. in Puerto Rico).

Right-hander Marcus Stroman started the game for Team Rubio, while right-hander Carlos Rodriguez did the same for Nicaragua.

Puerto Rico scored first Francisco Lindor he opened with a single to center and reached second on a walk to Quique Hernandez. Michael Jay Melendez moved him to third on a grounder to center and scored on second baseman Cheslor Cuthbert’s open throw to first on a clear double play after Rivera’s drive. There were no fouls in the game.

Stroman, meanwhile, retired the Nicaraguan hitters in order and with 14 pitches in the first inning. He repeated the dose in the second round thanks to Baez’s excellent play behind second base. Stroman gave up all three groundouts and finished the inning with 25 pitches.

In the third inning, the right-hander backed off Nicaragua’s second and third hitters again, but he struck them out with easy ground balls to shortstop and second base. Stroman finished the inning with 38 pitches, 22 of them for strikes.

Fellow right-hander Carlos Rodriguez kept Nicaragua in the game with three effective innings in which he allowed five runners and induced a double play.

Stroman allowed his first runner in the fourth inning on a single to leadoff hitter Juan Montes. But Puerto Rico’s defense blocked the runner. Receptor Martin “Machete” Maldonado he pulled Montes at second to remove the runner and allow Stroman to close out the inning one batter later.

Stroman finally gave up in the fifth inning. With two outs and a 2-1 lead, Elian Miranda he hit a solo shot from right to left that tied the score at 1-1 and took Stroman out of the game. relieved him Nicholas Padilla, who completed the innings on his leading Test.

In the fifth inning, the game turned into a bullpen, and Puerto Rico quickly responded to Nicaragua’s tying score.

To Juan Carlos Ramirez, Christian Vasquez the bases were loaded and he advanced to third on Maldonado’s single. From there, he scored with another Lindor shot. Then another single by Hernandez loaded the bases.

Right-hander Erasmo Ramirez came on as a replacement, and Melendez greeted him with a two-run RBI hit to give Puerto Rico a 4-1 lead. Rivera then hit a weak single for the pitcher to drive in the fifth for Puerto Rico. Baez led off the sixth with a single to right.

Puerto Rico scored three more in the seventh, including a powerful single by Christian Vazquez that drove in two runs.

Meanwhile, the Puerto Rican relay stifled the Nicaraguan offense and secured the win.

Jaxel Rios, Dwayne Underwood Jr., Anthony Maldonado and Emilio Pagan combined to cap the sixth-inning drive. They struck six and did not give a run.