Maestri Finishes Strong in 'Classic'

Chicago Cubs pitching prospect Alex Maestri threw a scoreless inning of relief for Italy in the 2009 World Baseball Classic in Toronto on Tuesday.

Maestri walked one batter, but did not allow a hit in Italy’s 10-1 loss to Venezuela. He recorded one strikeout.

Maestri, 23, pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings over two games in the 'Classic' for Italy. The right-hander was signed by Cubs scout Bill Holmberg in January, 2006, and was 5-4 with a 4.04 ERA in 89 innings last season between Advanced Class-A Daytona and Class AA Tennessee.

The loss eliminated Italy from the World Baseball Classic.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

At San Juan, RHP Carlos Marmol allowed two runs and committed a costly throwing error in the Dominican Republic’s 2-1, 11-inning loss to the Netherlands on Tuesday. Marmol allowed one earned run in 1 2/3 innings for the Dominican team in two games in the Classic.

The loss eliminated the Dominican team from the Classic.

JAPAN

At Tokyo, OF Kosuke Fukudome was 1-for-3 with a single in Japan’s 1-0 loss to Korea on Monday. Fukudome was 2-for-7 with four walks through three games in the Classic.

PUERTO RICO

At San Juan, catcher Geovany Soto was 2-for-4 with an RBI double and a walk in Puerto Rico’s 7-0 victory over Panama on March 7.