The Rockland Boulders beat the Cuban National Team by a score of 12-1 behind a strong start by Markus Solbach (6-0). Solbach pitched seven innings and gave up just one run to record the win and remain undefeated. Ulfrido Garcia (0-4) took the loss after giving up two runs in 5 2/3 innings.
With two outs in the bottom of the second, Mike Montville doubled. Back-to-back wild pitches allowed the first run of the game to score for Rockland.
Cuba produced some offense in the fourth inning starting with a single by Yordoni Samon. He moved to third on another base hit from Juan Torriente and scored on an error by third baseman Cody Regis to even the game at 1-1. Jefferson Delgado loaded the bases with a single but Solbach was able to pitch his way out of the jam with a strikeout and groundout to hold onto the tie.
The Boulders quickly took back the lead in the bottom of the inning. Dylan Tice walked and Cody Regis singled to put runners on the corners. The league RBI leader Joe Maloney hit a deep sac fly to give the team a 2-1 advantage.
Cuban reliever Frank Luis Medina loaded the bases in the seventh with a walk to Jon Smith, a double by Montville, and an intentional walk to Aaron Wilson. Alex Herceg accepted the challenge and cleared the bases with a single off of new pitcher Jose Ramon Rodriguez thanks in part to a throwing error by right fielder Yoelkis Cespedes. Herceg later came home on a base hit by Tice, which gave the Boulders a 6-1 lead.
Runs kept on coming in the eighth as Smith hit a double and scored on an RBI single by Montville. The second run of the inning came on a double by Mike Fransoso to drive in Montville.
Cuba brought in reliever Dayron Duran to stop the bleeding but things only got worse for the visiting team. Duran walked Wilson and gave up an RBI single to Jared McDonald. The final blow came off the bat of Tice who crushed a three run homer to give the Boulders a 12-1 lead.
Tonight’s win improved the Boulders to 29-10 while Cuba fell to 5-15. The rubber game of the series will be tomorrow at 7 p.m.