DURHAM, N.C. — JJ Schwarz (Florida) launched his first home run of the summer and the combination of Daulton Jefferies (California), Logan Shore (Florida) and Stephen Nogosek (Oregon) combined to fire a three-hit shutout in a 2-0 win for the USA Collegiate National Team over Cuba, on a pleasant Thursday night at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park.
Team USA (8-4) won the second consecutive game to open the series with the Collegiate National Team and the Cuban Senior National Team. In the opener of the five-game series, Team USA saw Tanner Houck (Missouri), A.J. Puk (Florida) and Ryan Hendrix (Texas A&M) combine for the first no-hitter allowed by the Cubans in international play.
With back-to-back shutouts, it marked the first time Team USA had recorded two shutouts of Cuba in the same summer tour. Team USA has only shutout Cuba six times in series history – dating back to 1985 – coming in 1990 (W, 1-0), 1992 (W, 3-0), 2008 (W, 1-0), and 2013 (W, 1-0), in addition to the pair of shutouts to open the series in 2015. Cuba leads the all-time series with Team USA, 65-37.
The Americans have held Cuba to just three hits over 18 innings to open the series.
After five scoreless innings to open the first of two games at the DBAP, Team USA got a leadoff single in the sixth and a sacrifice fly to take a one-run lead. Schwarz then increased the cushion with a monstrous bomb over the 32-foot high wall in leftfield.
In his third start of the summer, Jefferies worked four pre-determined innings, allowing just one single and no walks, striking out two. Jefferies, a product of Atwater, Calif., threw 47 pitches, with 31 going for strikes. He retired 12 of the 13 hitters he faced, before Team USA called on Logan Shore (Florida) to start the fifth inning in a scoreless game.
Shore (2-0), a native of Coon Rapids, Mich., fired four shutout innings, working around a pair of leadoff singles. The 2014 Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year, Shore didn’t issue a walk and struck out three, firing 36 pitches, with 28 for strikes.
Team USA turned to Nogosek to start the ninth inning, trying to protect a two-run lead. Nogosek, a native of Roseville, Calif., finished off the game to pick up his second save of the summer.
Team USA collected 11 hits in the game, with Ryan Howard (Missouri) leading the way with a 3-for-4 outing, including a double. Team USA also got a two-hit game from Nick Banks (Texas A&M), who has reached safely in each game of the summer and has a hit in 11 of 12 games. Second baseman Bryson Brigman (San Diego) also added a 2-for-4 game, while also playing leftfield. Schwarz, Corey Ray (Louisville), Garrett Hampson (Long Beach State) and Matt Thaiss (Virginia) each collected hits. Ray had a hit and a walk, stealing his team-high 10th base of the tour.
The series will resume on Friday at 6:35 p.m. ET at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park.
In the top of the sixth inning, Team USA mounted a rally, starting with a two-strike single from Hampson, who scampered to second on a wild pitch. Thaiss then grounded out to the right side with two strikes, forcing Hampson to third with one out for KJ Harrison (Oregon State). Harrison smoked a sacrifice fly into the gap in right-centerfield, scoring Hampson for a one-run lead. Banks followed with a single through the left side but was nailed at the plate trying to score to end the sixth inning on Howard’s double off the wall.
A native of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., Schwarz gave Team USA a two-run lead to open the seventh inning, cranking a no-doubt blast over the leftfield fence for his first homer of the summer. Schwarz connected on a 1-0 offering and sent it over the 32-foot wall, smacking off the top of the restaurant patio awning beyond the facility. Schwarz launched 19 homers for Florida during his freshman season in 2015.
Cuba (0-2) starter Yasvani Torres (0-1) worked 5.2 strong innings, allowing six hits and one run, not issuing and walk and striking out four. He was replaced in the sixth inning by righty Yander Guevara, who got a pair of outs but allowed the homer to Schwarz. Erlys Casanova and Yuniel Cano each worked in relief.
GAME NOTES: Righty Daulton Jefferies (California) made his third start of the summer … Leftfielder Corey Ray (Louisville) has a hit in 11 of 12 games this summer … Ray stole his team-leading 10th base of the year … Nick Banks (Texas A&M) has reached base safely in all 12 games this summer and has a hit in 11 of 12 games … Banks has 15 hits on the summer, with six coming with two strikes … KJ Harrison (Oregon State) hung his first sacrifice fly of the year … Bobby Dalbec (Arizona) laid down his second sacrifice bunt of the summer … Ray was intentionally walked in the seventh inning, the first time a USA hitter has been issued an intentional walk on the summer … Team USA turned its fifth double play of the summer to escape the seventh … Ryan Howard (Missouri) totaled a summer-high three hits … JJ Schwarz (Florida) hit his first homer of the summer and the third for Team USA … Team USA is 7-1 when scoring first this summer.
