Team Israel beat 2009 silver medalist South Korea 2-1, Taiwan 15-7 and a Netherlands team that included such bona fide major leaguers as Didi Gregorius, Xander Bogaerts and Jonathan Schoop by a score of 4-2. Israel will begin the second round against Cuba on Sunday at Tokyo Dome looking to go 4-0. Israel manager Jerry Weinstein is making sure to tone down the rhetoric for a team making its first appearance in the WBC. After Cuba, Israel will face the Netherlands on Monday before taking on Japan on Wednesday. Outfielder Alfredo Despaigne hit a grand slam in the fifth inning on Friday as Cuba beat Australia 4-3 to book its place in the second round.

Source: New Zealand Herald March 10, 2017 08:37 UTC