FEPCube Shuts Out Houston Apollos 2-0 at University of Miami
Leonys Martin homers, FEPCube pitchers combine for a four-hit shutout in final game of Cuban team's campaign.
The Cuban Dream Team, known as FEPCube, defeated the Houston Apollos 2-0 at the University of Miami in Coral Gables on January 29, 2024. Pitching dominated the afternoon as FEPCube limited Houston to four hits and the Apollos' staff struck out 12 batters without issuing a walk.
FEPCube broke the scoreless tie in the second inning when former Major League outfielder Leonys Martin hit a solo home run off Edilson Alvarez. The Cuban team added another run in the third inning when Luis Medina scored on a single by Victor Mesa, giving FEPCube a 2-0 lead it would not surrender.
Final Line Score
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Apollos | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| FEPCube | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | X | 2 | 6 | 0 |
Houston Pitching Staff Records 12 Strikeouts
Alvarez worked three innings for Houston, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out four. Cuban-born Jose Rodriguez followed with two scoreless, hitless innings and two strikeouts. Ben Kowalski pitched a scoreless sixth inning with one strikeout.
Ruddy Gomez struck out all three batters he faced in a perfect seventh inning. Jestin Jones closed out Houston's pitching effort with a scoreless eighth inning and two strikeouts. The five Apollos pitchers combined for 12 strikeouts over eight innings without walking a batter.
FEPCube Uses Deep Pitching Staff to Preserve Shutout
Former World Series champion Jose Contreras started for FEPCube and pitched a scoreless first inning. Former Miami Marlins pitcher Odrisamer Despaigne handled the second, followed by Pedro Echemendia in the third and Anthony Boix in the fourth.
Willy Gaston pitched the fifth inning, and veteran Eddie Oropesa worked the sixth, escaping trouble with an important double play. Francisley Bueno and Elih Villanueva pitched the seventh. Yordan Nodal was also listed among FEPCube's pitchers, with no innings recorded.
Rafael Vazquez began the ninth inning and retired two batters before Raidel Orta entered to record the final out and complete the shutout.
FEPCube Finishes Its Campaign 2-0
With the victory, FEPCube finished its two-game campaign with a 2-0 record, having also defeated Miami Dade Junior College 3-2.
Both FEPCube and the Houston Apollos had been scheduled to participate in the Intercontinental Series in Colombia from January 24 through February 2, 2024. The event was canceled amid political and diplomatic issues involving the Cuban and Colombian governments. The games in South Florida provided FEPCube with an opportunity to take the field despite the tournament's cancellation.
Before the game, former World Series MVP Livan Hernandez threw out the ceremonial first pitch to Houston Apollos pitcher Cheche Rodriguez, adding a memorable moment to the meeting between the two clubs.
