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Hola!
Welcome to our coverage of the World Baseball Classic! It’s heavyweight night in Miami with a semi-final match-up between the US and the Dominican Republic. It’s the game we all wanted to see from our first view of the bracket, with two of the most stacked baseball lineups you could put together from the global talent pool.
It’s also become something of a de-facto WBC final, with Japan shocked by Venezuela and Cinderella Italy continuing it’s run with a defeat of Puerto Rico in Saturdays quarter-finals. Yes, Italy beat the US once, but they would be big underdogs in the final, as would Venezuela, regardless of which team wins tonight.
There’s not much between these super-powered bats, but the mound is where the rubber meets the road. On the hill tonight for the Americans, a hurler who needs no introduction – Paul Skenes – who at age 23 already has a Cy Young award and two sub 2.00 earned run averages under his gold and black Bucco’s belt. Against Mexico in his only WBC appearance: four innings, seven strikeouts, one hit over 60 pitches. He is formidable and almost untouchable, regardless of who holds the stick, and Dominican players are 3-27 against him in MLB play.
For the Dominicans, it’s Luis Severino, who is a solid, serviceable but inconsistent pitcher who can be had. When he’s going well Severino is more than capable of going deep into games. He also has big game experience, throwing in 13 playoff contests. When he’s not on, well, it can get ugly, and against a relentless lineup that hasn’t really hit its stride, manager Albert Pujols will have his hook ready.
In the bullpen, the Yanks also have a weapon in closer Mason Miller, who has struck out eight in three hitless innings. The Dominicans don’t have anything approaching that caliber of reliever. No wonder, Team USA are favored to reach the final in their bid for a second WBC title.
Opening pitch is coming up at 8PM EST, 12 GMT, so now is the time to get your fat-free Greek yogurt with blueberries, oats and a little whipped cream ready. Meanwhile, why not email me your thoughts and feelings and get your name in the paper – your mom will love that!
More to come – stick with us!
David will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s how Japan’s tournament came to a sudden end:
Wilyer Abreu watched the ball leave the park and tossed his bat high in the air. His Venezuela teammates streamed out of the dugout in celebration. The comeback was on, and the win over the reigning World Baseball Classic champion Japan was within reach.
Japan, their 11-game WBC winning streak on the line, held a 5-4 lead in the sixth inning of Saturday’s thrilling quarter-final matchup in Miami when Abreu put his team ahead with the biggest swing of the game: a three-run shot off Hiromi Itoh that sent the loanDepot Park crowd into a passionate roar and helped clinch Venezuela’s 8-5 win and first WBC semi-final appearance in 17 years.
You can read the full report below: