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MIAMI — When Venezuela closer Daniel Palencia struck out West Palm Beach native Roman Anthony, the Venezuelan team sprinted to the mound. Third baseman Maikel Garcia laid on the field sobbing and Eugenio Suarez prayed to the heavens.
Venezuela pulled off the most glorious baseball victory in the country’s history, stunning USA, 3-2, on March 17, winning its first World Baseball Classic in front of 36,190 fans who wildly celebrated at LoanDepot Park, home of the Miami Marlins.
“I think it's going to be one of the greatest games in my whole career,’’ said Suarez before the game. “I think the fans are going to love it. That's all we want. We want to show up and do our best for our fans.
More: Venezuelans find pride in World Baseball Classic warmup in West Palm
“I can say that this Classic is in the top of my career.”
The Venezuela team played an exhibition match earlier in March against the Houston Astros at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach during spring training.
Suarez, the prodigious slugger who hit 49 home runs last season, became a national hero with his run-scoring double that will be remembered for ages.
It began with a leadoff walk to Luis Arraez by Garrett Whitlock. Javier Sanoja came in to pinch-run for Arraez, and then stole second base.
Suarez stepped to the plate, and hit a 3-2 changeup into the left-center gap, easily scoring Saoja. Suarez excitedly pounded his chest, and then looked to the heavens, thanking the man upstairs, and the building rocked.
Suarez’s heroics wasted Bryce Harper’s Hollywood moment in the eighth inning.
Harper watched Venezuela pitching coach Johan Santana walk to the mound to visit Andres Machado, who with two outs, just walked Bobby Witt Jr. on four pitches.
Harper watched a 93-mph changeup for Ball 1.
Machado then threw another one.
This one was over the middle of the plate.
Harper sent it to Fort Lauderdale, 432 feet over the center-field fence, 109-mph off the bat.
Harper stood at the plate and watched. When the ball finally landed, he looked towards the USA bench, and flipped the bat soaring into the air towards them.
He pranced around the basepaths, saluted the bench, and stomped on home plate.
And just like that, USA’s offense had come alive.
Certainly, the game lived up to all of the hype, and then some.
Team USA arrived wearing game-worn jerseys from the U.S. men’s hockey team’s gold medal team. USA captain Aaron Judge wore captain Auston Matthews' jersey, with others players wearing sweaters from Jack Hughes and Dylan Larkin.
Venezuelan first baseman Willson Contreras was wearing a jersey during batting practice that was signed by all of his teammates.
It was a spectacle before the game with an extravagant light show, and Aaron Judge and Luis Arraez leading their teams onto the field. There were Hall of Famers and All-Stars on the field, from Ken Griffey Jr. to CC Sabathia to Derek Jeter to Joe Torre.
Everyone wanted to check out this game, and it was quite the show.
Venezuelan starter Eduardo Rodriguez of the Arizona Diamondbacks looked like Sandy Koufax in the early-going, keeping USA off-balance, and breezing through his 4 ⅓-inning stint. The only baserunners he allowed were on a one-out single by No. 8 hitter Brice Turang in the third and a two-out walk to Kyle Schwarber in the fourth.
When he walked off the mound after retiring Roman Anthony to lead off the fourth inning, and was replaced by reliever Eduardo Buzardo, he received a thunderous standing ovation from the pro-Venezuelan crowd.
McLean certainly pitched well enough, but was haunted by two pitches. He gave up four hits in his 4 ⅔-inning stint, but there were only two pitches he wanted back.
The first was that 97.5-mph fastball that he yanked past catcher Will Smith. It allowed Salvador Perez and Ronald Acuna Jr. to each move up a base to second and third, and Maikel Garcia capitalized with a sacrifice fly to center field for the first run, and setting off a raucous celebration in the stands.
The party really got started the next inning when Wilyer Abreu took McLean’s 96-mph fastball over the heart of the plate and sent it 414 feet over the center-field fence.
And at the end of the night, there were tears of joy running down their faces, celebrating the most glorious moment in the country’s baseball history.
– Bob Nightengale
Here's how the game unfolded:
Daniel Palencia struck out Kyle Schwarber, got pinch-hitter Gunnar Henderson to pop out to third and then struck out Roman Anthony to clinch Venezuela's first WBC title.
Garrett Whitlock came in to pitch the top of the ninth after Bryce Harper tied the game in the eight. He walked Luis Arraez on a full count and pinch-runner Javier Sanoja stole second, confirmed by a challenge. Eugenio Suarez hit an RBI double to left-center to score Sanoja and give Venezuela a 3-2 lead.
With two outs, Bobby Witt Jr. walked on four pitches, bringing Bryce Harper to the plate as the tying run. Harper crushed an Andres Machado offering over the center field wall to tie the game.
Harper unleashed an epic bat flip to celebrate his first home run of the WBC.
Team USA got the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the seventh, but Will Smith popped out in foul territory to send the WBC championship game to the eighth inning still 2-0.
Team USA got Aaron Judge to the plate as the tying run in the bottom of the sixth, but the three-time MVP grounded out to third against Jose Butto to end the inning.
Nolan McLean retired the two batters after Wilyer Abreu's solo home run to lead off the fifth, and he's coming out of the game with two outs and the bases empty in favor of Brad Keller.
McLean's final line: 4.2 innings, 4 hits, 2 ER, 1 walk, 4 SO
Leading off the top of the fifth, Wilyer Abreu hit a solo home run against Nolan McLean to dead center field, doubling Venezuela's lead.
Abreu, the Boston Red Sox outfielder, hit a clutch three-run homer in Venezuela's quarterfinal win against defending champion Japan.
Eduardo Rodriguez has held the powerful USA lineup scoreless for four innings, giving up just one hit. Venezuela takes its 1-0 lead into the fifth inning at loanDepot Park. USA starter Nolan McLean has given up just the one run with four strikeouts in his four innings of work.
Salvador Perez singled and Ronald Acuña Jr. walked before Nolan McLean's one-out wild pitch moved the runners to second and third. Maikel Garcia hit a long sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Perez, to put Venezuela in front 1-0. McLean got Luis Arraez to ground out and end the top of the third without further damage.
Nolan McLean gave up a two-out single to Ezequiel Tovar in the top of the second, but got Wilyer Abreu to pop out to shortstop to keep the game scoreless heading into the bottom of the second. The right-hander has two strikeouts on only 18 pitches.
Ronald Acuña Jr. jumped on Nolan McLean's first pitch of the game for a single to center but the right-hander got Maikel Garcia to hit into a 5-4-3 double play and Luis Arraez flied out to center to end the top of the first. The 24-year-old McLean needed just five pitches to get through the inning.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Venezuela wins World Baseball Classic title over USA in Miami
Continue reading...
Venezuela pulled off the most glorious baseball victory in the country’s history, stunning USA, 3-2, on March 17, winning its first World Baseball Classic in front of 36,190 fans who wildly celebrated at LoanDepot Park, home of the Miami Marlins.
“I think it's going to be one of the greatest games in my whole career,’’ said Suarez before the game. “I think the fans are going to love it. That's all we want. We want to show up and do our best for our fans.
More: Venezuelans find pride in World Baseball Classic warmup in West Palm
“I can say that this Classic is in the top of my career.”
The Venezuela team played an exhibition match earlier in March against the Houston Astros at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach during spring training.
Suarez became national hero with RBI double for the ages
Suarez, the prodigious slugger who hit 49 home runs last season, became a national hero with his run-scoring double that will be remembered for ages.
It began with a leadoff walk to Luis Arraez by Garrett Whitlock. Javier Sanoja came in to pinch-run for Arraez, and then stole second base.
Suarez stepped to the plate, and hit a 3-2 changeup into the left-center gap, easily scoring Saoja. Suarez excitedly pounded his chest, and then looked to the heavens, thanking the man upstairs, and the building rocked.
Suarez’s heroics wasted Bryce Harper’s Hollywood moment in the eighth inning.
Harper watched Venezuela pitching coach Johan Santana walk to the mound to visit Andres Machado, who with two outs, just walked Bobby Witt Jr. on four pitches.
Harper watched a 93-mph changeup for Ball 1.
Machado then threw another one.
This one was over the middle of the plate.
Harper sent it to Fort Lauderdale, 432 feet over the center-field fence, 109-mph off the bat.
Harper stood at the plate and watched. When the ball finally landed, he looked towards the USA bench, and flipped the bat soaring into the air towards them.
He pranced around the basepaths, saluted the bench, and stomped on home plate.
And just like that, USA’s offense had come alive.
Certainly, the game lived up to all of the hype, and then some.
Team USA arrived wearing game-worn jerseys from the U.S. men’s hockey team’s gold medal team. USA captain Aaron Judge wore captain Auston Matthews' jersey, with others players wearing sweaters from Jack Hughes and Dylan Larkin.
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Venezuelan first baseman Willson Contreras was wearing a jersey during batting practice that was signed by all of his teammates.
It was a spectacle before the game with an extravagant light show, and Aaron Judge and Luis Arraez leading their teams onto the field. There were Hall of Famers and All-Stars on the field, from Ken Griffey Jr. to CC Sabathia to Derek Jeter to Joe Torre.
Everyone wanted to check out this game, and it was quite the show.
Venezuelan starter Eduardo Rodriguez of the Arizona Diamondbacks looked like Sandy Koufax in the early-going, keeping USA off-balance, and breezing through his 4 ⅓-inning stint. The only baserunners he allowed were on a one-out single by No. 8 hitter Brice Turang in the third and a two-out walk to Kyle Schwarber in the fourth.
When he walked off the mound after retiring Roman Anthony to lead off the fourth inning, and was replaced by reliever Eduardo Buzardo, he received a thunderous standing ovation from the pro-Venezuelan crowd.
McLean certainly pitched well enough, but was haunted by two pitches. He gave up four hits in his 4 ⅔-inning stint, but there were only two pitches he wanted back.
The first was that 97.5-mph fastball that he yanked past catcher Will Smith. It allowed Salvador Perez and Ronald Acuna Jr. to each move up a base to second and third, and Maikel Garcia capitalized with a sacrifice fly to center field for the first run, and setting off a raucous celebration in the stands.
The party really got started the next inning when Wilyer Abreu took McLean’s 96-mph fastball over the heart of the plate and sent it 414 feet over the center-field fence.
And at the end of the night, there were tears of joy running down their faces, celebrating the most glorious moment in the country’s baseball history.
– Bob Nightengale
Here's how the game unfolded:
Daniel Palencia gets the save
Daniel Palencia struck out Kyle Schwarber, got pinch-hitter Gunnar Henderson to pop out to third and then struck out Roman Anthony to clinch Venezuela's first WBC title.
Eugenio Suarez puts Veneuela back in front
Garrett Whitlock came in to pitch the top of the ninth after Bryce Harper tied the game in the eight. He walked Luis Arraez on a full count and pinch-runner Javier Sanoja stole second, confirmed by a challenge. Eugenio Suarez hit an RBI double to left-center to score Sanoja and give Venezuela a 3-2 lead.
Bryce Harper home run ties WBC title game
With two outs, Bobby Witt Jr. walked on four pitches, bringing Bryce Harper to the plate as the tying run. Harper crushed an Andres Machado offering over the center field wall to tie the game.
Harper unleashed an epic bat flip to celebrate his first home run of the WBC.
Venezuela up 2-0 through seven
Team USA got the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the seventh, but Will Smith popped out in foul territory to send the WBC championship game to the eighth inning still 2-0.
To the seventh: Venezuela 2, USA 0
Team USA got Aaron Judge to the plate as the tying run in the bottom of the sixth, but the three-time MVP grounded out to third against Jose Butto to end the inning.
Nolan McLean stats today
Nolan McLean retired the two batters after Wilyer Abreu's solo home run to lead off the fifth, and he's coming out of the game with two outs and the bases empty in favor of Brad Keller.
McLean's final line: 4.2 innings, 4 hits, 2 ER, 1 walk, 4 SO
Wilyer Abreu home run makes it 2-0
Leading off the top of the fifth, Wilyer Abreu hit a solo home run against Nolan McLean to dead center field, doubling Venezuela's lead.
Abreu, the Boston Red Sox outfielder, hit a clutch three-run homer in Venezuela's quarterfinal win against defending champion Japan.
Through four: Venezuela 1, USA 0
Eduardo Rodriguez has held the powerful USA lineup scoreless for four innings, giving up just one hit. Venezuela takes its 1-0 lead into the fifth inning at loanDepot Park. USA starter Nolan McLean has given up just the one run with four strikeouts in his four innings of work.
Venezuela goes in front in third inning
Salvador Perez singled and Ronald Acuña Jr. walked before Nolan McLean's one-out wild pitch moved the runners to second and third. Maikel Garcia hit a long sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Perez, to put Venezuela in front 1-0. McLean got Luis Arraez to ground out and end the top of the third without further damage.
Nolan McLean scoreless through two
Nolan McLean gave up a two-out single to Ezequiel Tovar in the top of the second, but got Wilyer Abreu to pop out to shortstop to keep the game scoreless heading into the bottom of the second. The right-hander has two strikeouts on only 18 pitches.
Nolan McLean works around leadoff single
Ronald Acuña Jr. jumped on Nolan McLean's first pitch of the game for a single to center but the right-hander got Maikel Garcia to hit into a 5-4-3 double play and Luis Arraez flied out to center to end the top of the first. The 24-year-old McLean needed just five pitches to get through the inning.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Venezuela wins World Baseball Classic title over USA in Miami
Continue reading...
