#492---BAL @ CLE, 5/23/1997

 

The Indians singled Jimmy Key to death. The first of their twelve hits was a David Justice double, to be followed by eleven singles. Justice and Manny Ramirez each had three hits. Key surrendered ten of those hits and six runs, while Chad Ogea pitched a complete game for Cleveland, allowing just two hits and two walks with seven strikeouts. 

#491---Australia v. Korea, 3/8/2023 (World Baseball Classic)

 

This game started out in an offensive calm as Australia led 1-0 after four, their run coming after loading the bases with no outs in the fourth to get just a single tally on a sac fly. Meanwhile, Korea’s first thirteen were retired in order. The fifth saw action, as Australia added a solo homer but Korea countered with a two out, three-run homer. They tacked on a run in the sixth, but Australia countered with a two out, three-run homer of their own in the seventh to take the lead back at 5-4. They would get yet another three-run homer in the eighth to establish an 8-4 lead, but their pitchers would walk the first four Korean batters in the eighth to open the door. Korea could only manage another hit batter, walk, and productive outs from there and Australia held an 8-7 edge going to the ninth. Tommy Edman led off the bottom of the ninth with a single, but was caught stealing to end the game. 

#490---Venezuela v. Italy, 3/13/2017 (World Baseball Classic)

This was a tiebreaker game to determine which team would advance to the second round of the WBC. Venzuela had previously beaten Italy 11-10 but lost to Mexico and Puerto Rico while Italy beat Mexico 10-9 but also fell to Puerto Rico.

Venezuela did not have much major league pitching to draw on after their staff had been used in the first three games, and so much of their on-paper advantage over Italy was neutralized. But it was their offense that failed to deliver for most of the game as they trailed 2-1 entering the ninth and had mustered just two hits and three walks. But Miguel Cabrera led off with a tying homer, Victor Martinez walked, and Rougned Odor hit a long drive to right that he pimped as a homer, only to see it hit the wall. It scored the run but Odor only reached first although he wound end up scoring on Eduardo Escobar’s squeeze bunt.

Francisco Rodriguez was available, but he gave up a leadoff homer to cut it to 4-3 before inducing three straight groundballs to push Venezuela on in the tournament. However, they would end up in a true “group of death” and were swept by the US, Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. As I write this (just prior to the 2023 tournament), Venezuela has likely been the most disappointing performer over four tournaments with a 12-12 record and just one semifinals appearance.

#489---US v. Italy, 3/9/2013 (World Baseball Classic)

The US had lost its opener to Mexico making this essentially a must-win, and they did not have an A starter on the mound as Ryan Vogelsong fell behind 2-0 after two. Joe Mauer doubled in Ryan Braun in the third, then a fifth-inning rally culminated in a two-out grand slam by David Wright to give the US a 6-2 lead. US relievers Jeremy Affeldt and Ross Detwiler got fifteen outs, allowing just two baserunners, with Detwiler earning the four-inning save.

#488---Canada v. United States, 3/7/2009 (World Baseball Classic)

Toronto hosted this pool, forcing the US to face Canada in hostile territory. This was the opener of the double-elimination bracket, and the teams traded runs in the first two innings before the homers started flying. Joey Votto’s came off Jake Peavy in the top of the third, while Kevin Youkilis and Brian McCann (two-run) answered in the bottom of the fourth to make it 4-2 US. Against Joel Hanrahan in the sixth, Jason Bay walked and Mark Teahen doubled before Bay scored on a wild pitch to make it 4-3.

Adam Dunn added a two-run shot to give the US breathing room at 6-3 after six, with Russel Martin homering off Scot Shields to make it 6-4 at stretchtime. The US loaded the bases with none out in the seventh, but David Wright looped out and Youkilis and Curtis Granderson struck out. The US loaded the bases again with two outs in the eighth, but Chipper Jones struck out and JJ Putz was brought in for the save. He got the leadoff man Adam Stern, but Martin and Votto doubles made it 6-5 with the tying run on second. Putz retired Justin Morneau and Bay to escape and put the US in good position in the winner’s bracket.

#487---Italy v. Dominican Republic, 3/9/2006 (World Baseball Classic)

The Dominican Republic used two throwing errors by Italy’s third baseman to fuel two first-inning runs, but trailed 3-2 entering the bottom of the third before Albert Pujols’ two-run shot put them up for good. Adrian Beltre would add a three-run homer and Moises Alou a solo shot to complete the scoring in a 8-3 win for the heavy favorites. Italy was held to just one hit and one walk over the last six frames.