Puerto Rico’s Francisco Lindor yells after tagging Nicaragua’s Juan Diego Montes as he tries to steal base in the fourth inning of the World Baseball Classic, Saturday, March 11, 2023. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

MIAMI (AP) — Francisco Lindor scored twice and hit an RBI single as Puerto Rico beat Nicaragua 9-1 in its 2023 World Baseball Classic debut.

Lindor singled and scored in the first inning.

Elian Miranda homered off starter Marcus Stroman in the fifth to tie the game at one.

Lindor and Javier Báez both drove in in the fifth, Kiké Hernández scored and MJ Meléndez drove in a two-run single as Puerto Rico led 6-1.

Puerto Rico added to the tally with a three-run seventh inning when Emmanuel Rivera scored on a field error and Christian Vázquez added a two-run single.

Vázquez had two hot spots, a few RBIs and a score. Nicholas Padilla picked up the win for Puerto Rico.

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