Cuba piles it on to beat Mexico, 16-4

MEXICO CITY — Yulieski Gourriel, Ariel Pestano and Frederich Cepeda all homered to help Cuba rout Mexico, 16-4, in seven innings Thursday night to secure first place in Group B at the World Baseball Classic.

Pestano and Cepeda each hit three-run homers in a nine-run seventh inning rally to lead Cuba to a win by the mercy rule. Gourriel hit a two-run homer in a five-run fourth and finished with four RBIs.

Yulieski Gonzalez (1-0) gave up one hit and one run, with three strikeouts and two walks in two innings of relief for the Cuban team.

Francisco Campos (0-1) allowed four runs and four hits in 1 2/3 innings. He struck out three and walked one.

Cuba finished the first round undefeated in three games, and Mexico dropped to 2-2.

Mexico will open the second round Sunday in San Diego against South Korea, winner of Group A in Tokyo, while Cuba will face Japan in a rematch of the 2006 final won by Japan.

Freddy Sandoval, Oscar Robles and Karim Garcia hit solo homers for Mexico.

Mexico’s Foro Sol proved to be a hitters’ delight, with 28 homers hit in the six games played here.