A sell-out crowd in Miami watched Team USA beat Venezuela Saturday night to advance in the World Baseball Classic.
Team USA came out hot with five straight hits off pitcher Martin Perez to go ahead 3-0 in the first inning. But Luis Arraez’s home run narrowed the lead to one run heading into the second inning. Venezuela did not stop there as Salvador Perez ripped an RBI double to top off a four-run fifth inning and take a 6-4 lead.
That set the stage for the biggest hit of the night when Phillies shortstop Trea Turner blasted a go-ahead grand slam to give the USA a 9-7 lead, which turned out to be the game’s final score. Pitcher Silvino Brancho had Turner in an 0-2 count before delivering a changeup that would leave the ballpark. Turner became the first player in a decade to hit a grand slam for the United States in the WBC. Pitcher Ryan Pressley came on to close out the win.
Team USA ended the game with 15 hits, two home runs, 23 total bases, and seven left on base. Team Venezuela had eight hits, two home runs, 16 total bases, and left four on base.
With the victory, the United States punched its ticket to Sunday’s semifinal game to face Team Cuba.
NOTE: There was another big headline emerging headline from Saturday’s game. Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve was hit in the hand by a 95.9 MPH pitch in the fifth inning and left the game. According to one report, Altuve suffered a broken thumb and is expected to miss 8-10 weeks.
