Ibar strikes as Cuba rile Americans

Tempers flared on Saturday as Cuba, in a possible dress rehearsal for the final, overpowered the United States 6-1 at Olympic Park to underline their reputation as the team to beat.

Cuba versus the US is a highlight of any Olympics, and the two old rivals did not disappoint this time round. The trouble began in the fourth inning when a ball from the Cuban pitcher Jose Ibar struck Ernie Young on the shoulder.

Young, the Americans' best hitter, headed for first base and brushed the Cuban catcher Ariel Pestano along the way, giving him a little shove as he went down the line.

Pestano moved to chase after Young before the umpire held him back. Both benches emptied and met at the first base line as a war of words, though not fisticuffs, broke out between the players.

There was more drama a short time later when Miguel Caldes was brought down by the US first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz after hitting a slow roller to third.

Caldes was running a few feet inside the line when he approached Mientkiewicz at first base. Mientkiewicz kept his foot on the bag, even though there was no throw, and then dived to the ground. Caldes ran into his legs and took a hard tumble, yelling as he crashed to the deck.

Then, in the eighth inning, a limping US catcher Pat Border kicked his face mask in fury after Yobal Duenas had scored a run by sliding into him with his spikes up. But there was lit tle point in protesting at that point; the match having been won long before thanks to a superb pitching display from Ibar.

The Cubans piled up four runs in the first inning off the journeyman pitcher Rick Krivda and Ibar ensured they were never headed, throwing nine pitches - all strikes - as he put the weak-hitting Americans on the back foot.

Cuba continued their good form yesterday with a 6-2 win over Japan, who they will meet again in tomorrow's first semi-final.

The US, meanwhile, warmed up for their semi-final against South Korea by embarrassing the hosts Australia 12-1 in front of 14,000 fans, who were eventually put out of their misery by the 10-run mercy rule. No such mercy will be shown if, as expected, the US lock horns with Cuba once more with the gold medal at stake.