Saturday, April 8, 2017

#124---Venezuela v. Puerto Rico, 3/16/2009 (World Baseball Classic)



This was the winner’s bracket game in the second round of the tournament, the winner punching their ticket to the semifinals with the loser having to get through the United States. Venezuela had one of their aces, Felix Hernandez, on the mound while Puerto Rico countered with Ian Snell. Snell stranded six runners, allowing a single tally in the third while fanning five. King Felix also ducked out of some trouble, leaving the game with runners at the corners, two outs and Carlos Delgado at the dish.

The score stayed 1-0 until the seventh, when Ramon Hernandez’ homer was awarded by replay. Francisco Rodriguez was summed to close with two outs, runners at first and second and a 2-1 count in the eighth, striking out Jose Lopez to end the threat. He then set down Puerto Rico 1-2-3 to clinch Venezuela’s first (and through 2017, only) berth in the WBC Final Four.

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