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USA opened up Monday’s World Baseball Classic game with a 5-run third inning and appeared on track for a blowout against Mexico.
It ended up sweating out a 5-3 win after Mexico closed the gap against USA’s bullpen.
Aaron Judge struck first with a two-run home run off of Mexico starter Jesús Cruz with no outs in the third inning.
Four batters later, Judge’s Red Sox rival Roman Anthony launched a Cruz slider deep and off the upper-deck facade in right centerfield for a 3-run blast to extend the USA lead to 5-0.
U.S. ace and Pittsburgh Pirates Cy Young winner Paul Skenes, meanwhile, delivered a gem on the mound in an abbreviated start, allowing one hit and one walk while striking out 7 in four masterful innings.
But it wasn’t quite enough to put the win away Mexico’s bats chipped away at the USA bullpen.
Boyd nearly blows it
Garrett Cleavinger delivered a scoreless inning in the fifth in the first inning of relief. But the wheels started to fall off when U.S. reliever and Chicago Cubs All-Star Matthew Boyd took the mound.
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Boyd allowed two runs in the sixth including a solo home run to Red Sox All-Star Jarren Duran. He then pitched a scoreless seventh before facing the top of the Mexico order in the eighth.
There, Duran made him pay with his second solo home run of the game to cut USA’s lead to 5-3 and keep the pressure on.
Boyd faced two more batters and left the game having allowed 5 hits and 3 earned runs in 2 1/3 innings.
But USA’s bullpen ultimately got the job done following his exit. Garrett Whitlock allowed a leadoff hit to Joey Meneses in the top of the ninth and faced the tying run for the rest of the inning. But he didn’t allow another baserunner as USA held on for the win.
With the win, USA improved to 3-0 in pool play after entering the tournament as the odds-on favorite to win.
On the heels of losing a heartbreaking final to Shohei Ohtani and Japan in the 2023 WBC final, USA assembled what’s been touted as its most talented WBC roster ever. It’s largely delivered with a 3-0 start, though Monday’s game was too close for comfort at the end.
Brazil kept things relatively close early in USA’s first game Friday. But U.S. bats opened the floodgates late for a 15-5 Game 1 win. On Saturday, USA cruised to a 9-1 win over Great Britain.
USA now has one game remaining in pool play against Italy. The 3-0 start hasn’t yet clinched a spot in the knockout round. USA, Italy and Mexico could all finish tied at 3-1 in a format where two teams out of five advance out of each pool.
But the win puts USA in control of Pool B with one game remaining before the knockout round.
Continue reading...
It ended up sweating out a 5-3 win after Mexico closed the gap against USA’s bullpen.
Aaron Judge struck first with a two-run home run off of Mexico starter Jesús Cruz with no outs in the third inning.
Four batters later, Judge’s Red Sox rival Roman Anthony launched a Cruz slider deep and off the upper-deck facade in right centerfield for a 3-run blast to extend the USA lead to 5-0.
U.S. ace and Pittsburgh Pirates Cy Young winner Paul Skenes, meanwhile, delivered a gem on the mound in an abbreviated start, allowing one hit and one walk while striking out 7 in four masterful innings.
But it wasn’t quite enough to put the win away Mexico’s bats chipped away at the USA bullpen.
Boyd nearly blows it
Garrett Cleavinger delivered a scoreless inning in the fifth in the first inning of relief. But the wheels started to fall off when U.S. reliever and Chicago Cubs All-Star Matthew Boyd took the mound.
[Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Baseball league for the 2026 MLB season]
Boyd allowed two runs in the sixth including a solo home run to Red Sox All-Star Jarren Duran. He then pitched a scoreless seventh before facing the top of the Mexico order in the eighth.
There, Duran made him pay with his second solo home run of the game to cut USA’s lead to 5-3 and keep the pressure on.
Boyd faced two more batters and left the game having allowed 5 hits and 3 earned runs in 2 1/3 innings.
But USA’s bullpen ultimately got the job done following his exit. Garrett Whitlock allowed a leadoff hit to Joey Meneses in the top of the ninth and faced the tying run for the rest of the inning. But he didn’t allow another baserunner as USA held on for the win.
USA mostly delivering through 3 games
With the win, USA improved to 3-0 in pool play after entering the tournament as the odds-on favorite to win.
On the heels of losing a heartbreaking final to Shohei Ohtani and Japan in the 2023 WBC final, USA assembled what’s been touted as its most talented WBC roster ever. It’s largely delivered with a 3-0 start, though Monday’s game was too close for comfort at the end.
Brazil kept things relatively close early in USA’s first game Friday. But U.S. bats opened the floodgates late for a 15-5 Game 1 win. On Saturday, USA cruised to a 9-1 win over Great Britain.
USA now has one game remaining in pool play against Italy. The 3-0 start hasn’t yet clinched a spot in the knockout round. USA, Italy and Mexico could all finish tied at 3-1 in a format where two teams out of five advance out of each pool.
But the win puts USA in control of Pool B with one game remaining before the knockout round.
Continue reading...
