Designated-hitter Eriel Sanchez drove in the winning run in the seventh inning Wednesday as Cuba edged Japan 6-5 in a tuneup game for the Athens Olympics.
Playing in what could be a preview of the gold medal game, Sanchez doubled to the gap in left-center at Tokyo Dome off Hisashi Iwakuma of the Kintetsu Buffaloes, scoring Yuliesky Gourriel all the way from first to give Cuba a 6-5 win.
Iwakuma, who leads the Pacific League this season with a 12-0 record, gave up a double and a single in the seventh to take the loss.