U.S. wins baseball World Cup

The United States successfully defended its baseball World Cup title on Sunday with a 10-5 victory over Cuba at Nettuno, Italy, that was powered by four runs batted in from Lucas May, including a three-run home run.

“Other than playing in a World Series, this is as big as it gets,” said May, a Dodgers prospect who was two for four. “It feels good to wear a gold medal.”

The U.S. team, consisting entirely of triple-A and double-A players, finished with 14 straight wins after opening the competition with a loss to Venezuela.

“It was a difficult loss and the players took it to heart and we just regrouped and did some different things and everything else is obviously indicative,” U.S. Manager Eddie Rodriguez said. “They persevered through a lot of things. We had some rigorous travel and they just came together.”

The Americans also beat the Cubans in the 2007 final, ending their run of nine consecutive titles.

The U.S. set up the victory by rallying for six runs against three Cuban pitchers to break a 4-4 tie in the seventh inning.

U.S. starter Cory Luebke struck out seven and walked none over 4 1/3 innings and Brad Lincoln (3-0) pitched the next 4 1/3 innings for the win. He gave up six hits, striking out two and walking one.

Nate Field came on in the ninth inning after the Cubans loaded the bases with two out. He earned the save by getting Cuban slugger Alfredo Despaigne to pop out to deep left.

TENNIS

Monfils wins second title

Top-seeded Gael Monfils ended a four-year title drought with a 7-6 (1), 3-6, 6-2 victory over Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany in the Open de Moselle final at Metz, France.

Monfils served 14 aces and broke the 23rd-ranked Kohlschreiber twice in the third set before closing out the match. The Frenchman had won their previous encounter last year in Vienna.

Monfils, who reached the fourth round at this year’s U.S. Open, won his second career ATP title following his victory in Sopot, Poland, in 2005.

BASKETBALL

West expected to report

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Delonte West, facing gun possession charges, is expected to report to Cleveland’s training camp today.

West was arrested on Sept. 17 after police said he was carrying two concealed handguns and a shotgun when he was pulled over on a three-wheel motorcycle near his Maryland home. Carrying an unlicensed handgun is a misdemeanor in that state.

The Cavaliers have had little to say about West since his arrest, but General Manager Danny Ferry confirmed that West will be at camp on time.

SOCCER

Brazil opens with shutout

Alan Kardec scored twice to help Brazil open the Under-20 World Cup with a 5-0 victory over Costa Rica at Port Said, Egypt.

Also in Group E, the Czech Republic beat Australia, 2-1.

In Group F, the United Arab Emirates scored twice in injury time for a surprise 2-2 draw with South Africa, and Mario Martinez had two brilliant goals to help Honduras beat Hungary, 3-0, in Alexandria, Egypt.

BEACH VOLLEYBALL

Hannemann, Rester win

Albert Hannemann and Austin Rester won the U.S. Open of Beach Volleyball, beating Michael DiPierro and Adam Roberts, 21-17, 21-14, at Manhattan Beach.

In the women’s final, Kim McGiven and Juliana Evens edged Iwona Lodzik and Sarah Straton, 21-13, 21-15.