SANTIAGO, Oct 28 (Reuters) – Colombia struck gold on the diamond, winning the men’s baseball final at the Pan American Games on Saturday, while Brazil dominated the podium on the judo mat and tennis court.
Unbeaten Colombia beat Brazil 9-1 to become the first baseball champion, capping a wild and unpredictable tournament that saw traditional powers Cuba, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela and Puerto Rico all fall short.
With the United States and Canada, winners in 2011 and 2015 respectively, not fielding teams, the battle for the podium was expected to come down to Cuba, winners of 10 consecutive gold medals since the 1971 Games, holders Puerto Rico and Mexico.
In the end, however, it was two teams that had never reached the final that played for gold, while Mexico beat Panama 10-2 to claim bronze.
Clinging to a 2-1 lead, the Colombians put the contest out of reach with a three-run burst in the fourth inning, then added insurance with a run in the fifth, two in the sixth and another in the seventh.
Dilson Jose Herrera, who has spent time in the majors with the New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds and Baltimore Orioles, had three of Colombia’s 17 hits and drove in two runs, while right-hander Victor Vargas pitched four solid innings on the mound, giving up one run and striking out three.
While the Brazilians settled for silver on the baseball diamond, they were golden in the judo competition, with Alexia Vilhalba Souza Nascimento (women’s -48kg), Larissa Cincinato (women’s -52kg), Rafaela Lopes Silva (women’s -57kg) and Michel Natan Felix Augusto (men’s -60kg) all claiming titles.
