BY ANNE-MARIE GARCIA (Special for Granma International)

                   DESPITE the United States batting six hits and Cuba only two, the
                   Caribbean team defeated its eternal amateur baseball rival by three
                   runs to two.

                   The match determined the winner of the Pan American Junior
                   Championship played on July 12 at the Cándido González stadium in
                   Camagüey, an eastern city located about 550 kilometers from the
                   capital.

                   The game was characterized by excellent pitching at 90 miles per
                   hour from two relief pitchers. One was Cuban Dennis Suárez, who
                   struck out eight of the 11 rivals and blocked any hits during four
                   innings, and the other was U.S. pitcher Scott Kazmir, who relieved
                   James Howell in the second inning and threw 15 pitches in seven
                   innings. He allowed only one hit, but conceded six bases for balls,
                   bringing his team to defeat.

                   The Cubans knew how to take advantage of that and scored three
                   runs with two simple hits, the decisive one in the seventh inning for
                   two bases per ball and two sacrifices.

                   Thus, Cuba conquered their 36th victory at the Pan American Junior
                   Championship, this year’s being the fifth consecutive title without
                   missing a single game. It was an especially important match between
                   two great rivals in a game where pitchers were fundamental, as 27
                   of the 51 outs were at the bat.

                   Cuba won the 11 games of this championship, while the United
                   States gained five points in the selection of best player of the series
                   for Mike Nickaes who, besides recognition as best catcher, was triple
                   batting champion, notched up the highest score and was R.B.I leader.

                   However, the most valiant player of the series was Cuban Kendry
                   Morales, who won it as pitcher in the first game against the United
                   States by hitting a home run. Third place was taken by the
                   Panamanian team who beat Venezuela 16 to 4 in the afternoon. As a
                   result, Panama joined Cuba and the United States in qualifying for the
                   August 2002 World Junior Championship in Quebec.