Cuba Advances to Serie de las Américas 2026 Semifinals

A Victory That Came Down to the Final Out

Cuba’s national team clinched the last semifinal spot at the 2026 Serie de las Américas after defeating Colombia’s Caimanes de Barranquilla 8-7 at the Fórum stadium in La Guaira, Venezuela, on Wednesday night, February 11.

It was a game Cuba dominated for seven innings but that turned dramatically tense at the end, with a ninth-inning finish that tested every nerve on the Cuban bench.

Despaigne and Cuba’s Offense Struck Early

From the opening innings, Cuban bats punished Colombian starter Yoryi Simarra. Veteran slugger Alfredo Despaigne hit an RBI single and then a home run to put Cuba ahead early, while Yoelquis Guibert added another key hit.

Colombian reliever Henderson Álvarez couldn’t stop the bleeding either: Harold Vázquez crushed a homer with a runner on in the fourth, and Yoel Yanqui followed with another two-run blast in the fifth.

By the end of the fifth inning, Cuba held a comfortable lead and seemed headed for a smooth victory.

The Ninth Inning That Froze Everyone

But the Serie de las Américas doesn’t do easy games. Colombia fought back hard, and in the bottom of the ninth, Jesús Marriaga — who drove in five runs on the night — led a rally that put the tying run on base.

With reliever Yunier Batista failing on the mound, manager Germán Mesa called on right-hander José Miguel Rodríguez as an emergency closer. With runners in scoring position and one out to get, Rodríguez struck out Kelvin Meleán to seal a save worth its weight in gold.

Cuba vs. Venezuela: The Semifinal

Cuba finished the qualifying round in third place with a 3-3 record, setting up a semifinal clash against host team Navegantes de Magallanes of Venezuela, who finished second. The semifinal game takes place Thursday, February 12.

The matchup promises to be electric: Venezuela has home crowd support and a solid roster, while Cuba arrives with the emotional momentum of a hard-fought qualification and the experience of battle-tested players like Despaigne.

A Sporting Respite in Difficult Times

Amid the severe energy crisis and emergency measures gripping the island, the Cuban team’s performance in Caracas offers a moment of joy and pride for the millions of Cubans following the tournament from home — many of them without electricity for hours at a time.

Baseball has always been more than a sport in Cuba. It’s identity, tradition, and in moments like these, hope.

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The Serie de las Américas 2026 semifinals and final take place February 12-13 in Caracas, Venezuela.