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Team USA routs Puerto Rico to win its first World Baseball Classic
LOS ANGELES -- The United States routed Puerto Rico 8-0 on Wednesday night to win its first World Baseball Classic title in four tries behind six hitless innings from Marcus Stroman.
The Americans planted their eagle statue mascot on the mound in celebration, a blue cap jauntily hanging from one of its large wings.
"It's a different feeling when the 'USA' is on your chest," first baseman Eric Hosmer said. "We wanted to get the U.S. back on top of the baseball world, and we did that."
For a sport known as America's pastime, the U.S. had struggled since the WBC began in 2006. The Americans twice lost in the second round, and they went out in the semifinals in 2009.
This time was different.
"These guys were here to do their best," Team USA general manager Joe Torre said. "The thing I marveled at was how quickly they came together, and [manager] Jimmy [Leyland] deserves a lot of that credit. They're just a great group who understood what this event is all about."
Accepting the gleaming silver trophy from baseball commissioner Rob Manfred, Leyland told the crowd, "This is for the men and women who serve our country."
After the final out, the Americans massed on the mound, hugging and high-fiving each other while fireworks exploded in center field. Some of them grabbed a U.S. flag and circled the warning track, waving it in celebration with fans in the stands.
Puerto Rico's fans saluted their team with a standing ovation, and the players responded by clapping.
Puerto Rico lost for the first time in eight WBC games after outscoring the opposition 55-26. The U.S. territory finished runner-up for the second time, having lost to the Dominican Republic in the 2013 final.
Tournament MVP Stroman avenged his shakiness in the Americans' 6-5 loss to Puerto Rico during pool play. The right-hander from the Toronto Blue Jays gave up one hit in six-plus innings, struck out three and walked one on 73 pitches.
He allowed just three balls past the infield until Angel Pagan's double in the left-field corner leading off the seventh. Afterward, Stroman departed to a standing ovation, having staked the Americans to a 7-0 lead with the help of Ian Kinsler's two-run homer.
Stroman walked Carlos Beltran leading off the second, but the defense helped him out. Yadier Molina hit the ball to shortstop Brandon Crawford, who started a double play. Stroman struck out Javier Baez to end the inning.
The U.S. pounded out 13 hits and finished with a 6-2 record while making the final for the first time in front of 51,565 at Dodger Stadium.
Kinsler homered off an 0-1 pitch from Seth Lugo into left-center field in the third, scoring Jonathan Lucroy, who singled leading off.
Lugo of the New York Mets allowed four runs and five hits, struck out seven and walked four in four innings.
The right-hander won his first two starts of the tournament, including in the second round against Stroman and the U.S.
During that game on Friday, Stroman gave up six consecutive singles in a four-run first inning and took the loss against Puerto Rico in San Diego.
The Americans made it 4-0 in the fifth on Wednesday on RBI singles by Christian Yelich and Andrew McCutchen.
Fans wore flags of both countries as capes and decorated their faces in team colors. Puerto Rico boosters pounded cowbells, tooted horns and blew whistles early on, before their team fell behind 4-0.
Fans were on their feet chanting "U-S-A" when the Americans loaded the bases in the seventh with two outs. They were rewarded with Crawford's two-run single that chased J.C. Romero, extending the lead to 6-0.
The U.S. tacked on another run on Giancarlo Stanton's RBI single off Hiram Burgos that got past diving shortstop Francisco Lindor.
The Americans defeated two-time champion Japan in the semifinals, while Puerto Rico beat the Netherlands to reach the championship game.
The three WBC games at Dodger Stadium drew 109,892.
The Americans planted their eagle statue mascot on the mound in celebration, a blue cap jauntily hanging from one of its large wings.
"It's a different feeling when the 'USA' is on your chest," first baseman Eric Hosmer said. "We wanted to get the U.S. back on top of the baseball world, and we did that."
For a sport known as America's pastime, the U.S. had struggled since the WBC began in 2006. The Americans twice lost in the second round, and they went out in the semifinals in 2009.
This time was different.
"These guys were here to do their best," Team USA general manager Joe Torre said. "The thing I marveled at was how quickly they came together, and [manager] Jimmy [Leyland] deserves a lot of that credit. They're just a great group who understood what this event is all about."
Accepting the gleaming silver trophy from baseball commissioner Rob Manfred, Leyland told the crowd, "This is for the men and women who serve our country."
After the final out, the Americans massed on the mound, hugging and high-fiving each other while fireworks exploded in center field. Some of them grabbed a U.S. flag and circled the warning track, waving it in celebration with fans in the stands.
Puerto Rico's fans saluted their team with a standing ovation, and the players responded by clapping.
Puerto Rico lost for the first time in eight WBC games after outscoring the opposition 55-26. The U.S. territory finished runner-up for the second time, having lost to the Dominican Republic in the 2013 final.
Tournament MVP Stroman avenged his shakiness in the Americans' 6-5 loss to Puerto Rico during pool play. The right-hander from the Toronto Blue Jays gave up one hit in six-plus innings, struck out three and walked one on 73 pitches.
He allowed just three balls past the infield until Angel Pagan's double in the left-field corner leading off the seventh. Afterward, Stroman departed to a standing ovation, having staked the Americans to a 7-0 lead with the help of Ian Kinsler's two-run homer.
Stroman walked Carlos Beltran leading off the second, but the defense helped him out. Yadier Molina hit the ball to shortstop Brandon Crawford, who started a double play. Stroman struck out Javier Baez to end the inning.
The U.S. pounded out 13 hits and finished with a 6-2 record while making the final for the first time in front of 51,565 at Dodger Stadium.
Kinsler homered off an 0-1 pitch from Seth Lugo into left-center field in the third, scoring Jonathan Lucroy, who singled leading off.
Lugo of the New York Mets allowed four runs and five hits, struck out seven and walked four in four innings.
The right-hander won his first two starts of the tournament, including in the second round against Stroman and the U.S.
During that game on Friday, Stroman gave up six consecutive singles in a four-run first inning and took the loss against Puerto Rico in San Diego.
The Americans made it 4-0 in the fifth on Wednesday on RBI singles by Christian Yelich and Andrew McCutchen.
Fans wore flags of both countries as capes and decorated their faces in team colors. Puerto Rico boosters pounded cowbells, tooted horns and blew whistles early on, before their team fell behind 4-0.
Fans were on their feet chanting "U-S-A" when the Americans loaded the bases in the seventh with two outs. They were rewarded with Crawford's two-run single that chased J.C. Romero, extending the lead to 6-0.
The U.S. tacked on another run on Giancarlo Stanton's RBI single off Hiram Burgos that got past diving shortstop Francisco Lindor.
The Americans defeated two-time champion Japan in the semifinals, while Puerto Rico beat the Netherlands to reach the championship game.
The three WBC games at Dodger Stadium drew 109,892.