Moncada homers to lead Cuba over Panama
Yoán Moncada and Yoelquis Guibert homered off Logan Allen at San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Cuba won its WBC opener for the first time since 2013 with a 3-1 victory over Panama.
Cuba, which lost the 2006 final to Japan and a 2023 semifinal to the U.S., is missing many top Cuban-born players, including Aroldis Chapman, Randy Arozarena and Luis Robert Jr.
Guibert went deep on a high 2-0 fastball in the second and Moncada one inning later pulled a 3-1 sweeper at the bottom of the strike zone for his first home run off a left-hander since Sept. 28, 2023, off Arizona’s Kyle Nelson.
Yoán Moncada adds on for Team Cuba with a two-run homer! #WorldBaseballClassic pic.twitter.com/VefJILOjy4
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 6, 2026
Panama’s Johan Camargo had an RBI single in the seventh against Emmanuel Chapman and, with runners at the corners, Darien Núñez retired Christian Bethancourt on an inning-ending groundout.
Allen, a Florida native whose mother was born in Panama, allowed three runs and five hits in three innings, taking the loss. Winner Livan Moinelo gave up two hits in 3 2/3 scoreless innings.
Cuba did not have a baserunner after the fifth. Raidel Martinez got three straight outs for the save.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb