SATILLO, Mexico -- Amid rumors that they had defected, two members of the Cuban baseball team -- including top pitcher Jose Contreras -- didn't show up to play Venezuela during the Americas Series baseball tournament Thursday in Mexico.

Cuban officials refused to talk to the media during the game, throwing several photographers out of the bullpen.

Earlier, Roberto Pacheco, a team spokesman, said he had no information about Contreras defecting.

"I saw him yesterday or the night before, and he was talking about his family and very happy,'' Pacheco said. "My understanding is that he went to Mexico City on a personal mission. If he actually intended to go to Texas, that's something he only shared with his soul.''

Contreras and the other missing team member, coach Miguel Valdez, haven't been seen since Cuba's 6-0 victory over the Dominican Republic late Tuesday.

During Thursday's game, Mexican immigration agent Marco Antonio Perez entered the Cuban bullpen to check the players' visas. Later, he said a coach told him two team members were gone, but he could not confirm if they had defected.

After the game, the Cuban players raced out to a waiting bus, dodging dozens of reporters. Only Pacheco stopped to talk to the media.

He said the two players had permission to travel to Mexico City for personal trips. He added that if they did not return by Saturday, he would call Cuban officials to request sanctions against them.

Contreras, who turns 31 in December, caught the attention of major league scouts with his performance against the Baltimore Orioles in an exhibition game at Havana in 1999.

Pitching in relief, Contreras threw eight shutout innings against the Orioles' best players, holding them to two hits. He struck out 10, including Albert Belle twice.

Contreras frequently has been allowed to travel outside the country with Cuban teams. He was on the All-Star roster for the return trip to Baltimore in 1999 and has pitched in Taiwan.

He helped his team win the gold in the 1996 Olympic Games and a silver medal in Sydney in 2000.

This year, Contreras was 13-4 and led the Cuban league with a 1.76 ERA. He has excelled in international tournaments, winning his last seven decisions against top worldwide competition.

Several players defected from Cuba in the 1990s and some went on to star in the major leagues.

Orlando "El Duque'' Hernandez, in fact, was pitching for the New York Yankees in the AL playoffs late Tuesday. His half-brother, Livan Hernandez, is scheduled to pitch Game 4 Sunday for the San Francisco Giants in the NL playoffs.