Japan dominate Cuba, Americans survive at WBC

SAN DIEGO: World Baseball Classic champions Japan and pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka continued their mastery over Cuba with a 6-0 second-round win on Sunday while the United States avoided elimination by beating the Netherlands 9-3.

It was the fifth successive WBC victory, including a win over Cuba in the championship game of the 2006 tournament, for the Boston Red Sox pitcher, who held the Cubans scoreless through six innings, striking out eight and scattering five singles.

"I knew Cuba was a good team, but particularly there was nothing I was too worried about," Matsuzaka said at a news conference through a translator.