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.
No comments:
Post a Comment