Cuba Works Overtime to Defeat Panama, 8-6

Cuba won its World Baseball Classic opener Wednesday at San Juan, Puerto Rico, after blowing a two-run lead in the ninth inning.

Panama scored twice in the ninth to force extra innings, but pinch-hitter Yoandy Garlobo had a tiebreaking single in the 11th that led the Cubans to an 8-6 victory.

Michel Enriquez started Cuba’s go-ahead rally with two out against Jorge Cortes when he was hit by a pitch.

Yunieski Gourriel walked, and Garlobo singled to center. Frederich Cepeda singled home Gourriel.

Puerto Rico 8, Netherlands 3 -- Javy Lopez, Ivan Rodriguez and Carlos Beltran hit solo home runs to help Puerto Rico improve to 2-0 in Group C and qualify for the second round. Rodriguez and Beltran hit back-to-back homers in the seventh to make it 7-3.

Venezuela 6, Italy 0 -- At Kissimmee, Fla., Miguel Cabrera homered and drove in two runs and Freddy Garcia struck out seven and yielded one hit in 3 1/3 innings for Venezuela, which improved to 1-1 in Pool D play and dropped Italy to 1-1.

Mexico 10, South Africa 4 -- Jorge Cantu had three hits and drove in three runs, and pitchers Francisco Campos, Pablo Ortega, Edgar Gonzalez, Antonio Osuna, Roberto Ramirez and Dennys Reyes combined to strike out 15 South Africans at Scottsdale, Ariz.

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Roger Clemens will not begin the 2006 season with any major league team but will not rule out pitching later in the year.

“Right now, I don’t see myself playing [again],” the 43-year-old right-hander, who will start for the United States against South Africa on Friday in the WBC, told USA Today in an interview published on Wednesday.