New rule impacts Cuba-USA baseball game

BEIJING, Aug. 15 (UPI) -- A two-run single by Michel Enriquez in the 11th inning Friday gave Cuba a 5-4 victory over the United States.

The Americans came close to handing Cuba what would have been only its fourth Olympic baseball loss ever but the game was dramatically changed by a new Olympic baseball rule.

If a game reaches the 11th inning under a new rule put in for international play, both teams begin each inning with runners on first and second base.

"The whole extra inning thing is bogus," said American Terry Tiffee, who went 2-for-4.

Cuba used a sacrifice bunt in the 11th to move its two runners into scoring position and Enriquez came through with his single against Jeff Stevens.

The Americans also used a sacrifice to advance the runners in the bottom half of the inning and got a run on a sacrifice fly. But Matt Brown fouled out to end the game. Jayson Nix homered in the eighth to tie the contest but was hit in the left eye by a fouled bunt attempt in the bottom of the 11th and was sent to a hospital for examination.

Cuba improved to 3-0 in the Olympic tournament and the Americans fell to 1-2 in the seven-game, round-robin portion of the event. The top four in the preliminary phase reach the semifinals.