Cuba’s Luis Shuts Down Team USA

Omar Luis held Team USA to five hits over seven innings and struck out nine as Cuba’s Olympic team proved poise and experience could handle the Americans’ hard-hitting attack with a 4-2 victory at Columbia, S.C.

It was Cuba’s second consecutive victory over the Americans, who had won 18 in a row and were batting .377 before facing the gold medal favorites, whom they swept in a four-game series last year.

“I’m just looking for improvement each game,” Team USA Coach Skip Bertman said. “These are all practice games.”