Cuba is shown no mercy by Puerto Rico

Bernie Williams and Carlos Beltrán homered and Puerto Rico routed Cuba, 12-2, last night in San Juan.

Both teams had already secured spots in the second round.

Williams, named the best player in Pool C, hit a two-run homer to right in the second before a home crowd of 19,000 fans.

Beltrán hit a towering three-run homer over the foul pole in right field and Alex Cintrón also had a two-run shot for Puerto Rico, which won in seven innings.

It was just the second time Cuba has lost by the mercy rule. The other was against Taiwan in 1983.

Puerto Rico opens the second round against Venezuela and Cuba plays the Dominican Republic tomorrow in San Juan.

Dominican Republic 6, Australia 4 -- Francisco Liriano, 22, pitched 2 2/3 impressive innings, fanning six and throwing 27 of 36 pitches for strikes, and the Dominican Republic held off Australia in Kissimmee, Fla., to finish 3-0 in the first round.

Australia brought the potential tying run to the plate in the ninth. But Glenn Williams, who hit .425 in 40 at-bats with the Minnesota Twins last season, popped up against Dámaso Marte for the final out.

Netherlands 10, Panama 0 -- San Francisco Giants minor leaguer Shairon Martis pitched the first no-hitter in the new tournament, leading the Netherlands over Panama in San Juan in a game stopped after seven innings because of the mercy rule.