Central American And Caribbean Games 2026 Day 3 Roundup: Cuba Extends Winning Streak, Puerto Rico Earns Key Group A Victory

Strategic comebacks and dominant pitching performances highlighted another action-packed day of baseball at the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games. 

Cuba (3-0) 9, Dominican Republic (1-2) 6 – Cuba built an early lead and withstood a late push from the Dominican Republic, securing its third consecutive victory of the tournament.  

Cuba jumped out to an early lead in the first inning when Leonel Moa Acevedo lined an RBI single to right-center field to score Luis Vicente Mateo, before Henry Quintero Chávez followed with a two-run single to left that plated Yoel Yanqui and Moa Acevedo. 

Yanqui, who finished the game with a batting of .444 and an 1.139 OPS, added an RBI single up the middle in the fourth inning to score Andrys Pérez and extend Cuba’s advantage. 

Cuba broke the game open in the eighth inning as Yoelkis Guibert hit an RBI ground-rule double, Luis Vicente Mateo followed with an RBI single, and Yasiel González García capped the rally with a three-run double to deep right field, scoring Guibert, Mateo and Yanqui. 

Ricardo Cespedes led the Dominican Republic’s offense by going 2-for-4, delivering a three-run double down the right-field line in the fourth inning before scoring on Julio Rodríguez’s RBI single later in the frame. 

Ricardo Cespedes with a two run single and the DR cuts it to a 3 run deficit pic.twitter.com/EgkMeRb3uf

— Jeff Duda (@INTLBaseball24) August 3, 2026

Cespedes added a two-run single in the eighth inning, driving in Yairo Zaul Muñoz and Diego Hernández Liriano, but the Dominican Republic ultimately fell despite his five-RBI performance. 

Puerto Rico (2-1) 8, Curaçao (0-3) 4 – On Sunday, Puerto Rico bounced back with timely hitting and a decisive four-run sixth inning to defeat Curaçao and strengthen its position in Group A. 

Kerby Jordan Camacho sparked Puerto Rico’s offense in the fourth inning with an RBI double to deep left field that scored José “Pocholo” Rivera and advanced Jan Hernández to third, before Yadiel Rivera grounded out to bring Camacho home and tie the game. 

Puerto Rico took control in the sixth inning when Kevin Santa lined a go-ahead RBI single through the left side to score Hernández, then advanced to second on the throw before Rubén Castro followed with a successful safety squeeze bunt to plate another run. 

Santa finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored, while Yadiel Rivera drove in two runs and Jan Hernández and Josué Rivera each scored twice. 

Phildrick Llewellyn with a two run homer and Curaçao takes a 2-0 lead in the 1st! pic.twitter.com/TaJFaa1JHY

— Jeff Duda (@INTLBaseball24) August 2, 2026

Curaçao raced to an early lead in the first inning as Raysheandall Michel ripped an RBI double to left-center field to score Tommy van de Sanden before Phildrick Llewellyn and Riordan Windster launched back-to-back home runs for a 3-0 advantage. 

Windster added a second solo home run in the second inning to extend the lead to 4-0, while Jeremy Tromp collected two hits and Minguelit Llewellyn finished with two RBIs and one run scored. 

Panama (3-0) 3, Colombia (1-2) 0 – Panama reinforced its status as the team to beat in Group B, using another complete shutout to remain perfect through three games. 

Jhonny Santos led Panama’s offense by going 2-for-3, opening the scoring with an RBI double down the left-field line in the first inning before coming around to score on Luis Castillo’s RBI double. 

Panama beats Colombia 3-0 to move to 3-0 at the Central American and Caribbean Games. Both teams should be moving on to the super round beginning tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/odOFn4vSK1

— Jeff Duda (@INTLBaseball24) August 2, 2026

Carlos Alfredo Mosquera added to the lead with a solo home run down the right-field line, providing all the run support Panama would need. 

Kevin Miranda earned the win after tossing 6 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing four hits and two walks while striking out four, before Alberto Guerrero and Gilberto Pineda combined to record the final two outs, with Pineda earning the save to complete the shutout. 

Colombia was held scoreless on four hits and two walks over seven innings as Panama starter Kevin Miranda and the bullpen kept its offense in check. 

Despite putting runners on base, Colombia was unable to string together timely hits or capitalize on its scoring opportunities. 

Nicaragua (2-1) 2, Mexico (0-3) 0 – Nicaragua turned a pitcher’s battle into a statement victory, using a relentless defensive effort and timely hitting to secure a win over Mexico. 

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Luis Montealto provided the key offensive breakthrough for Nicaragua, lining a two-run single down the right-field line to score Brandon Leyton and Elian Miranda while advancing to second on a fielding error. 

On the mound, Dilmer Mejía delivered a masterful performance, tossing 6 1/3 scoreless innings while allowing just one hit and striking out eight batters to shut down Mexico’s lineup. 

With the victory, Nicaragua secured its place in the tournament’s Super Round, continuing its strong run at the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games. 

Despite a disciplined defensive effort that held Nicaragua scoreless in six of the seven innings played, Mexico’s offense was completely overwhelmed and managed to record just a single hit during the entire game.  

Luis Montealto gives Nicaragua a 2-0 lead. They have already clinched their place in the super round. A loss officially eliminates Mexico, the defending champions pic.twitter.com/Wsr9o1mrzU

— Jeff Duda (@INTLBaseball24) August 2, 2026

This 2-0 shutout loss marked a frustrating conclusion to Mexico’s opening round, leaving them winless at 0-3 and officially eliminating them from advancing to the Super Round. 

Super Round Set – Panama, Nicaragua and Colombia advanced to the Super Round out of in Group B, while Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic advanced from Group A.

The Super Round begins on Tuesday, with Colombia facing Puerto Rico at noon EDT, Cuba facing Panama at 2 p.m. EDT, and the Dominican Republic facing Nicaragua at 6 p.m. EDT. All three games will be played at Estadio Quisqueya Juan Marichal.

Photo: With a 2-1 win against Curacao, Puerto Rico advanced to the Super Round at the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games. (Photo courtesy of the WBSC Americas)