Mark Maloney on Kentucky sports

From the Beijing Olympic Games, the gold-medal contest between Cuba (6-1) and South Korea (7-0) at Wukesong Olympic Baseball Stadium …

Cuba loaded the bases with one out in the ninth, but South Korean held on for a 3-2 victory and the gold medal.

Hyun-jin held the defending champions to five hits, including Hector Olivero’s leadoff single in the ninth.

Olivero advanced to second on a bunt by Michel Enriquez. Frederich Cepeda then walked on four pitches. A full-count walk to Alexei Bell loaded the bases. Catcher Kang Min-ho immediately protested the call with Puerto Rican plate umpire Carlos Rey Cotto and was ejected.

Jin Kab-yong came in to catch and starting pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin was replaced by right-handed submariner Chong Tae-hyon. He closed it out with three pitches to Yulieski Gourriel – two strikes and a game-ending 6-4-3 double play.

* South Korea went down 1-2-3 in the top of the eighth. Cuba got a one-out single by Ariel Petrano. Pinch-hitter Rolando Merino popped out and Giorbis Duvergel flied to left. Going to the ninth inning: South Korea 3, Cuba 2.

Michel Enriquez, who homered in the first, nearly got another for Cuba in the seventh. But his drive to the warning track in right was caught by Lee Yong-kyu. One out later, Alexei Bell did get a round-tripper, to the stands in left-center. At the end of seven innings: South Korea 3, Cuba 2.

* A two-out rally in the seventh pushed South Korea’s lead over Cuba to 3-1.

Park Jin-man reached on a sinking liner that right-fielder Alexei Bell was able to glove, but couldn’t hold. Lee Jong-wook walked and Lee Yong-kyu ripped a first-pitch double to the right-field corner. Bell scored and Lee Jong-wuk stopped at third.

Luis Rodriguez replaced Pedro Luis Lazo on the mound and ended the inning by getting Kim Hyun-soo on a fly to center. Going to the bottom of the seventh: South Korea 3, Cuba 1. 

* Korea threatened in the sixth. Yongkyu Lee coaxed a leadoff walk, then moved to second on a groundout. But Lee Seung-yeop, who hit a two-run homer in the first, lined out to short center. Right-hander Pedro Luis Lazo came out of the Cuban bullpen and walked Kim Dong-joo. But center fielder Giorbis Duvergel sprinted in to make a sliding catch of Lee Dae-ho’s sinking liner, ending the threat. Cuba went down in order in the bottom of the inning. Totals through six innings: South Korea 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 4 runners left on base; Cuba 1 run, 2 hits, 1 error, 1 runner left on base.

* A pitching duel between left-handed starters continued in the fifth. South Korea went down in order. The first two Cuban batters went down before Alfredo Despaigne doubled to left. He was stranded when Ariel Pestano struck out. Cuba’s Norberto Gonzalez has retired 13 of the last 14 batters faced, the exception coming on a fielding error. Korea’s Ryu Hyun-jin set down 12 Cubans in a row until Despaigne reached. At the end of five: South Korea 2, Cuba 1.

* A one-out fielding error by third baseman Michel Enriquez ended a string of eight consecutive Korean batters retired. Kim Dong-joo, who reached on the play, was stranded at second. Cuba went down in order, giving Korean lefty Ryu Hyun-jin Ryal a string of 10 consecutive batters retired. At the end of four: South Korea 2, Cuba 1.

* The Koreans again went down in order in the third. Ditto for Cuba in the bottom of the inning. At the end of three innings: South Korea 2, Cuba 1.

* South Korea went down 1-2-3 in the top of the second. Cuba did the same in the bottom of the frame.

At the end of two innings: South Korea 2, Cuba 1.

* Korean left-hander Ryu Hyun-jin set down the first two Cuban batters.

But No. 3 hitter Michel Enriquez jumped all over a 2-1 pitch for a homer to left field. At the end of one: South Korea 2, Cuba 1.

* South Korea jumped to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning.

Lee Yong-kyu dropped a one-out bloop single into short center.

One out later, Lee Seung-yeop lined a 2-1 pitch from Cuban left-hander Norberto Gonzalez over the left-field wall.

Cuba is coming to bat in the first.

* Earlier, Team USA tripped up Japan 8-4 in the bronze-medal game.