Cuba beats Australia, reaches 1st WBC semifinal since 2006

TOKYO (AP) — Cuba advanced to the World Baseball Classic semifinals for the first time since 2006 with a 4-3 win over Australia as Alfredo Despaigne hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly and Yoelkis Guibert followed with a two-run single in three-run fifth inning. Using current major leaguers for the first time at the WBC, Cuba plays on Sunday in Miami against the winner of a quarterfinal between Venezuela and the second-place team from Group C. Former Phiadelphia Phillies prospect Rixon Wingrove put Australia ahead with an RBI sngle in the second and hit a two-run homer in the sixth off the Chicago Cubs’ Roenis Elías.