Trea Turner’s grand slam leads US to comeback win over Venezuela in WBC

MIAMI — Trea Turner hit a go-ahead grand slam within the eighth inning that lifted the USA over Venezuela 9-7 Saturday evening and into the World Baseball Traditional semifinals.

The defending champion U.S. will face Cuba on Sunday evening for a spot within the WBC ultimate towards Japan or Mexico. St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Adam Wainwright will begin for the U.S. towards Cuba.

Venezuela second baseman and Houston Astros star Jose Altuve left within the fifth with a proper hand damage after he was hit by a pitch from Daniel Bard. The Astros mentioned there shall be an replace on his standing Sunday.

Trailing 7-5, the USA loaded the bases within the eighth on a stroll, single and hit by pitch towards dropping pitcher Jose Quijada. Silvino Bracho relieved and Turner, the No. 9 batter within the U.S. lineup, despatched his 0-2 changeup 407 ft to deep left discipline for the third grand slam in American WBC historical past.

“Individually, I feel that is in all probability the most important hit that I’ve had … in all probability proper up there with any hit I’ve ever had,” Turner mentioned.

U.S. supervisor Mark DeRosa mentioned Saturday’s win was one of many three biggest sport’s he’s ever been part of — together with profitable the World Collection with the San Francisco Giants in 2010.

“I informed the blokes earlier than the sport, I needed to match their ardour,” mentioned DeRosa, who as soon as performed for the Venezuelan skilled group Leones del Caracas. “I had performed over there. I had been part of that, popping out of the dugout and leaping round … When Trea clipped that ball, truthfully, I noticed about 35 guys, together with the coaches, sort of black out and lose their minds for a minute. So it was simply an superior second.”

David Bednar, the fifth of seven U.S. pitchers, received the win and Ryan Pressly completed with three straight outs for the save.

Luis Arraez, taking part in the ballpark that he’ll quickly name house with the Miami Marlins, had the primary multihomer sport of his skilled profession and drove in 4 runs for Venezuela.

The U.S. group boasts a roster of huge names that many picked to repeat as WBC champions.

All 9 batters within the U.S. beginning batting order have been All-Stars, together with Los Angeles Dodgers proper fielder Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Angels middle fielder Mike Trout, Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and third baseman Nolan Arenado.

The U.S. is within the high six within the event in batting common (.296), RBIs (34) and hits (48), and each American starter had a success towards Venezuela, which had gone 4-0 in group play.

“Sadly, that is baseball,” Venezuela supervisor Omar López mentioned. “We have now to simply accept this and as males we now have to maintain our heads up. It’s not simple, particularly after they got here again within the sport.”

Venezuela took a 6-5 lead in a four-run fifth after Ronald Acuña Jr.’s sacrifice fly to deep middle.

Salvador Perez drove within the tying run with a line-drive double that sneaked simply contained in the left-field foul line.

Arraez hit a two-run drive to proper discipline within the first off Lance Lynn, his first house run in his new house park, and added one other excessive off the proper discipline foul pole within the seventh towards Bednar to provide Venezuela a two-run lead. Arraez, the reigning AL batting champion, was traded to the WBC host Miami Marlins this offseason after 4 seasons in Minnesota.

Bard changed Lynn with a 5-2 lead within the fifth and loaded the bases with two walks, an infield hit and the pitch that injured Altuve.

Bard was pulled after Gleyber Torres scored on a wild pitch to make it 5-3 and Arraez hit an RBI groundout towards Jason Adam.

The U.S. hit 5 straight singles to start out the sport. Betts led off the primary with an infield single, then the speedster raced from first to 3rd on Trout’s single to middle, scoring when he compelled a throwing error by Acuña.

Kyle Tucker homered for the U.S. within the fifth off Astros teammate Luis Garcia.