Posted on 03/22/2017 11:19:30 PM PDT by TBP
The stars of American baseball have finally earned their World Baseball Classic stripes.
The United States got a brilliant pitching performance from starter and WBC 2017 MVP Marcus Stroman and enough offense from its All-Star-packed lineup of Major League luminaries to beat Puerto Rico, 8-0, in the championship game of the 2017 Classic on Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium.
After three World Baseball Classics dating back to the inaugural tournament in 2006 in which Team USA never made it past the semifinals, the Americans won their first title in decisive style in front of a raucous, bipartisan crowd of 51,565 in Chavez Ravine.
Stroman took a no-hitter into the seventh inning and had faced the minimum number of batters until Angel Pagan led off with a double, and the Blue Jays right-hander was pulled from the game by U.S. manager Jim Leyland. Stroman gave up one hit in six-plus innings and did it in an economical 73 pitches on a night for which his limit was 95.
Ian Kinsler got the scoring started in the third inning against Puerto Rico starter Seth Lugo. After Jonathan Lucroy led off the inning with a single, Kinsler hit a two-run home run that cleared the left-center-field wall over the head of Enrique Hernandez.
Team USA added two runs in the fifth on RBI singles by Christian Yelich and Andrew McCutchen and padded the lead in the seventh, batting around for three runs on three hits, two walks and a hit batter. Brandon Crawford had the big hit -- a two-out, two-RBI single -- and Giancarlo Stanton followed with an RBI knock of his own.
The Americans added their eighth run in the eighth, and Leyland called on David Robertson to finish out the ninth. Robertson preserved the shutout with a scoreless inning and Team USA celebrated on the pitcher's mound.
The U.S. finished the tournament with a record of 6-2 after handing a passionate and memorable Puerto Rico team its only defeat in the 2017 Classic. The Puerto Ricans, who finished this Classic with a 7-1 record, have now been shut out in the final game of the past two World Baseball Classics, having dropped a 3-0 decision in the 2013 championship game against the Dominican Republic.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Kinsler connects: Kinsler's homer was his first of the entire tournament, and it came at a crucial time, with both teams failing to hit balls particularly hard in the first two innings. Kinsler got the crowd into the game and gave Stroman the early support he was looking for while getting to Lugo, who looked sharp in the opening frames.
Insurance in the fifth: Not that they necessarily needed it with a 2-0 lead and with Stroman in full domination mode, but the Americans put together a scrappy situational inning of offense in the top of the fifth to effectively put away the game. Yelich's RBI single chased Lugo, and three batters later, McCutchen's ground ball went far enough into the hole between third and shortstop for Francisco Lindor's throw to come in too late and for Yelich to score Team USA's fourth run.
An all-Crawford inning: Stroman cruised into the fifth inning having not allowed a hit and facing the minimum number of batters. His sixth inning continued in much the same way as the first five, with quick ground-ball outs. And it didn't hurt his cause that his shortstop, reigning National League Gold Glove Award winner Crawford, fielded all three groundouts in the fifth.
Stroman takes a bow: The main question regarding Team USA's spectacular starter on Wednesday was how far he could take his no-no and if he would have to be pulled because of his pitch limit in the midst of possibly making history. The fifth pitch of Pagan's at-bat in the seventh erased that storyline, and Leyland immediately popped out of the dugout to sensibly end Stroman's night. Stroman exited the field to a standing ovation and pounded his glove in excitement before descending the dugout steps.
UPON FURTHER REVIEW In the top of the second inning, with Eric Hosmer on first base and one out, Crawford lined out to Lindor, who threw back to first base for an attempt at an inning-ending double play. Hosmer dove back to the bag and was ruled safe, but Puerto Rico manager Edwin Rodriguez asked for a review. The call stood after a review of 1 minute, 14 seconds.
Congratulations to Team USA!
I'd like to see this team together one more time -- at the White House. President Trump should invite them. It could be a very unifying moment for the country -- and besides, they're Americans who are winning!
And congratulations to Puerto Rico for a tournament very well played.
USA! USA! USA!
Trump effect!
America is winning everything.
I tried watching it on espn. Why was everything in spanish? I stopped after an inning because of that.
ESPN Deportes is their Spanish version.
The English coverage was on MLB TV.
Great tournament, now on to Fantasy Baseball!
Why bipartisan? Were there political polls being taken during the 7th inning stretch or something?
With a title like that, there needs to be pictures! And no some baseball guy either!!!
Did anyone of the players hit the wall or go over?
I actually thought this was a competition of Roses.........
Baseball is still OUR game!
USA fans and Puerto Rico fans. Fans cheering for both teams.
The English language broadcasts were on MLB Network. ESPN Deportes, the Spanish ESPN, had the Spanish language broadcasts.
Did you see the Adam Jones catch against the Dominican Republic? That was grand theft homer!
Congratulations to Team USA on winning the 2017 World Baseball Classic. In celebration, I would like to dedicate the following to them.
(And suggest that President Trump invite them to the White House.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04854XqcfCY&list=RD04854XqcfCY#t=25
Here is a sleeper player who might be worth your time on a late round: Tyler Wade. lefty-hitting middle IF with the Yankees. it wouldn’t surprise me if he’s their shortstop until Gregorius gets back.
I don't subscribe to MLB network. I won't listen to a spanish broadcast. If they want to make this tournament something I will watch then they have to drop the spanish on the regular network.
Thanks for the tip!
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